The Carolina Hurricanes have been unstoppable this season. Literally.
Standing at 5-0-0, the Hurricanes are the last undefeated team in the NHL. They've been dominant on all fronts, especially with Seth Jarvis at the forefront. The superstar has six goals entering Monday's game, good to be tied for second place. But that's not all.
Jarvis heads the league's best scoring attack entering Monday. Carolina is averaging 4.60 goals per game, making them one of the most potent offenses in the NHL. Combine that with terrific goaltending (2.20 goals allowed per game), and things could get dicey in Sin City on Monday. That could mean... the first regulation loss for the Golden Knights this season.
But in all seriousness, that first loss has to come at some point, right? I mean, pulling off an 82-0-0 season is nigh impossible, even when the scoring, blue line, and the goaltending are clicking at the same time.
So, let's look at an effective game plan for Monday. Yes, there is a pathway to handing the Hurricanes that dreaded first loss. Curses and streaks were made to eventually be broken, especially in Sin City, after all!
The Golden Knights' game plan to beating the Carolina Hurricanes
The Golden Knights must focus on special teams as a focal point. The Hurricanes enter Monday with the 29th-best power play (11.8%), making them one of the league's most ineffective units. Killing off penalties is a must, especially for a Golden Knights group that has been equally abysmal (66.7%, tied for 29th).
Of course, that also goes for the Golden Knights' power play. Entering Monday's game, Vegas had the second-best unit (37.5%), powered by none other than Pavel Dorofeyev. The group will be challenged by Carolina's penalty kill (86.7%, eighth in the NHL), who have been effective at creating exits.
One player that should take control on Monday is Tomas Hertl. He has two goals and one assist on the unit this season, including a breakout game on Saturday. He had a goal and an assist against the Flames with both coming on the power play, turning in a strong overall performance on the night. Three power play goals against Calgary should carry some confidence over to Monday's matinee.
Adin Hill must duplicate his stellar performance from Saturday
Saturday was the breakout game Adin Hill desperately needed. He stopped 26 of 27 shots, putting all worries about his performance to rest. Okay, it was a nut shot that knocked him out of commission on Tuesday.
But in all seriousness, the starting goaltender has an arduous task ahead of him. He must duplicate that performance against the league's best offense. With the aforementioned Jarvis taking over the league, that could be problematic. Still, if Hill's glove is quick and he takes up space in the net, the Golden Knights hand Carolina its first loss of the season.
There's a first for everything in life. That could be a championship round berth or a loss of any form in the NHL season. The Golden Knights could be the first team that falls the Hurricanes this season. What better place for achieving firsts than at T-Mobile Arena?