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Vegas Golden Knights must avoid previous bye week catastrophes

By Andrew Steele-Davis

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 21: Head coach Peter DeBoer of the Vegas Golden Knights on the bench for the third period against the Boston Bruins the TD Garden on January 21, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 21: Head coach Peter DeBoer of the Vegas Golden Knights on the bench for the third period against the Boston Bruins the TD Garden on January 21, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Beware, beware the perils of coming out of the bye week. The Vegas Golden Knights should know given that they’ve been here before.

The Vegas Golden Knights are currently on their bye week in the wake of the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, and they aren’t in action until Friday when they return to the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes.

It will also be the fifth game of an eight game road trip and the Knights will no doubt be excited to get back on the horse and get back in the swing of things.

However, it is probably best not to get too excited.

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After all, recent history is not on their side and they will be returning to the scene of a rather gruesome crime on Friday.

What are we talking about?

Well, let’s just say that the Golden Knights aren’t great when it comes to returning after a mini-vacation.

Just look at last year when, following a short break after the 2019 All-Star Game, Vegas was humbled 5-2 by the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.

Same opponent, same arena and, not to mention, last year’s game was also on a Friday.

So not a good omen for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Granted, given that the Knights have only been around for three years, this is a rather small sample size and they did beat the Calgary Flames in their first game back after the All-Star Break in 2017-18.

However, the Golden Knights should study last year’s loss to the Hurricanes and ensure the same mistakes don’t happen this week.

Because, winning on Friday is not only important in relation to this season but it is also important in terms of making a statement.

After all, the Golden Knights hardly went into the All-Star break with a blaze of glory having dropped three of four to open this road trip, and you don’t want that losing feeling to linger.

Plus, time is running out and we are going to need to start seeing these players adapt to new Head Coach Peter DeBoer’s ways of doing things, and that has to start on Friday.

RALEIGH, NC – FEBRUARY 01: Nino Niederreiter #21 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots and scores during an NHL game against the Vegas Golden Knights on February 1, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – FEBRUARY 01: Nino Niederreiter #21 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots and scores during an NHL game against the Vegas Golden Knights on February 1, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

And, although they have the luxury of being mired in an ultra competitive Pacific Division, that isn’t going to matter if you keep on losing games.

Nashville Predators Captain Roman Josi came out earlier this week and stated that “every game is a must-win” for his team and that is true for the Preds who are currently in sixth place in the Central Division.

That statement should also ring true for the Knights, though, who have a points percentage of .548, which is only slightly above Nashville’s .540.

So, it goes without saying that the Vegas Golden Knights will need to attack Friday’s showdown with a sense of urgency that has somewhat been lacking on occasion this year.

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If they don’t, then they run the risk of suffering a repeat of what happened in Carolina after the All-Star break last year and, as a result, thus starting the most crucial period of the regular season on a bum note.

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