When you're in the middle of a weird stretch like the Vegas Golden Knights, you want an easy day at work. They haven't had much luck with that this season, having eight overtime losses. The Golden Knights can't figure out how to operate with so much space and need someone to take their frustrations out on.
Unfortunately, the Montreal Canadiens don't appear to be that team. They have a record of 12-7-3 and 27 points, with seven coming in regulation. Imagine what would happen if Friday's contest went into *GASP* overtime!
Let's not forget that this is one of the young gun teams in the NHL. With countless stars like Nick Suzuki leading the way, Montreal could be one of the future NHL dynasties. Forget the Edmonton Oilers because the Canadiens could be the team that ends Canada's Stanley Cup drought.
So, let's look at four prominent stars that are leading the charge. These players can cause all sorts of trouble for Vegas on Friday, ranging from established players to spry spring chickens. Here are four Canadiens who could leave the Golden Knights saying, "Sacre Bleu," on Friday.
1.) Nick Suzuki
The man involved in the Max Pacioretty trade.
Call him whatever you please. But one thing's certain about Suzuki: he's a bona fide star. The former first-round pick has seven goals and 19 assists entering Friday's contest. That includes four goals and seven assists on the power play.
Overall, he has 145 goals and 256 assists during his seven-year career. Fans might have some traumatic experiences watching a former Golden Knights pick burn them on Friday.
2.) Cole Caufield
13 goals and 10 assists is newsworthy enough to grab anyone's attention. But a deeper dive will reveal how valuable the right winger is for the Canadiens.
Caufield has a Corsi of 60% and a Fenwick of 63%. Add a shooting percentage of 21% and the Golden Knights' structure will be greatly tested on Friday.
That's especially true when it comes to unblocked shots. Caufield's shooting percentage on unblocked shots above expected is 5.3%, which is currently a career-high. Bruce Cassidy's shot-blocking structure must come through against Caufield by limiting his space.
3.) Ivan Demidov
The 19-year-old is already making waves in the NHL with five goals and 13 assists. What's more is that nine of those assists were primary. But the Russian winger isn't just an offensive threat.
He can also take the puck away. Demidov has seven takeaways entering Friday's game. He can also create rebounds, giving his teammates juicy opportunities to pounce on.
4.) Oliver Kapanen
Ivan Demidov isn't the only young superstar that Golden Knights fans should watch for. If you're looking for a young goal-scoring center, look no further than Oliver Kapanen.
The Swedish forward has seven goals this season, including a short-handed goal. Take note of that last bit because the Golden Knights can't afford any turnovers on the unit. That's especially true with Vegas having the seventh-most giveaways per game (16.57).