Have you noticed that the Vegas Golden Knights haven't been themselves since going on their seven-game winning streak? You can chalk it up to the team being streaky. You can also say that the current four-game road trip has been extremely unforgiving.
Whatever the case, things are getting scary in Las Vegas. Add challenging games such as the road trip finale against the Montreal Canadiens and a return home against the Dallas Stars and things get even dicier.
Let's be honest. There are some things the team must desperately fix upon facing the Stars at T-Mobile Arena. The team is starting to look like they're cracking, leaving fans worried. That's not good news, especially for a team that wants to win the Stanley Cup.
So! Let's devise three ways that the Golden Knights can rebound. The city of Las Vegas needs its hopes and dreams restored in the most dramatic way possible. Why not create an effective plan that will help Vegas take down the toughest teams around?
1.) Fix the Golden Knights power play
Heading into Monday's slate of games, the Golden Knights have scored twice in their past 14 power play opportunities. Teams are figuring out that they can take away space in the slot, making life exceptionally hard for Vegas.
Suddenly, the Golden Knights are neutralized on special teams, leaving them searching for answers on the unit. Even prominent names like Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev haven't had many chances to eat. Man, there are starving people who want to feast on the power play, you know?
Perhaps Rasmus Andersson can get more looks on the unit? He's great in the special teams department and can score as well. Add some puck-moving elements, and you can unleash the unit in more ways than you ever imagined.
2.) Better defensive play
Much has been made about Adin Hill's poor play with the Golden Knights this season. The netminder has struggled in certain aspects, whether it's defending the breakaway (where any mortal would struggle) or with players in the slot.
While he does carry some blame, it's tough to defend the net when your back-end players don't do their jobs. That was apparent on Sunday, when the Golden Knights couldn't take away any space. In turn, it led to one of the worst losses in franchise history.
So, what can they do here? Why, you use your size to take away that space! The Golden Knights are one of the league's biggest teams, with an average height of 6'2" and an average weight of 203 lbs. It's much easier for Vegas to take away space if players like Noah Hanifin step up in this regard.
3.) Get off to faster starts
This has been a problem all season for the Golden Knights. They've dug themselves into deep holes in numerous games, whether it was against the Edmonton Oilers or the Boston Bruins. In turn, it makes it extremely tough to win games.
Vegas can take the Toronto game as a perfect example of what they must start doing. On Friday, they jumped out to a 4-1 lead and eventually doubled up the Maple Leafs. When you treat every game like you're on a mission, you can win almost every game that comes before you.