Last season, the Vegas Golden Knights saw a script unusually reversed. They were at the receiving end of a Seattle Kraken beating, with the PNW team winning the season series, 3-1-0. The funny thing about this story is that Vegas has an all-time record of 13-3-3 against the Kraken heading into Tuesday's matinee.
The good news? New year, new Golden Knights team. That means great value from underappreciated stars such as Victor Olofsson, who actually leads the team in goals scored (and power play goals!) with two. Yes, I know that we're only three games into the season. But names like Olofsson and Eichel will play integral roles on Tuesday.
But this might be trickier to manage than expected. Seattle gave the Edmonton Oilers fits over the weekend and have also shown sparks of offense to start the season. That could leave Vegas on its heels throughout the game, leaving them prone to a massive upset at Climate Pledge Arena.
So, how can the Golden Knights come out of the game unscathed? What three things must be done for the Golden Knights to ensure that they defeat the Kraken on Tuesday and take the momentum back? It's time for Vegas to reestablish itself as the Greater Expansion Story this season and get all tentacles on deck!
Get the superstars involved early and often
The last game saw Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner make key contributions in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Eichel got a power play assist while the other superstar netted a goal. Of course, Vegas overcame a 1-0 deficit after the first period to win this game.
That's why it's imperative to get the two gigastars involved early and often. Eichel and Marner are expected to run the offense on Tuesday and get the Golden Knights involved early. Wear down Seattle by camping out in the offensive zone and attacking the high-danger zone.
Create an exciting game
The one thing that the Kraken do efficiently is make a game boring. They'll dump and chase and make you make mistakes in your end. In turn, that has led to Kraken goals and a frustrating style that Vegas couldn't figure out.
The objective should focus on keeping the pace high and forechecking efficiently. If you can beat Seattle on the rush and keep them on their toes, that'll spell doom for the Kraken. Watch for youngsters like Braeden Bowman and Trevor Connelly, since these two wunderkinds have plenty of speed to use.
Don't make mistakes
On the note of mental errors, the Golden Knights can't commit turnovers, especially in the neutral and defensive zones. Vegas had this bad habit happen in the Stanley Cup Final last season and got burned. They also left gaps open and didn't support Carter Hart on the back end on Friday.
That must change against the Kraken, especially since they are an opportunistic team. Take care of the puck and make sure you're not getting careless. Make clean exits and set up the transition game nicely and things will work out well for the Golden Knights on Tuesday.
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