Boy, it's become the nightmare season, hasn't it? The Vegas Golden Knights were hoping for something to break out of their funk on Saturday, facing off against the Nashville Predators. The problem was that they were also facing off against Steven Stamkos.
The result? You guessed it! A 4-1 loss as Stamkos had two goals for Nashville. But it's not like the Golden Knights weren't trying as they fired off 40 shots throughout the game.
This was a game where Brayden McNabb took a hard shot at the neck in the first period. Luckily, he skated it off and returned to the game. Hockey players, right? Toughest breed of people that you'll ever meet.
But overall, the game was defined by the Golden Knights firing off pucks at the net, only for Justus Annunen to stop them. He stopped 39 of 40 shots, including 20 saves (!) in the first period. You'd think that Vegas would get one or two by him in the game. But nope!
Anyways, here's what went down on Saturday afternoon. This concerns strategies and what was so bad for the Golden Knights in Nashville. Hide your children because this is about to get ugly.
When in doubt, shoot it out
The Golden Knights hadn't scored since the second period in Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks. They've been searching for anything to get the offense going. So, what do you do in this situation?
Why, you spray and pray!
The Golden Knights fired 20 of 20 shots in the first period, peppering Justus Annunen with shots on net for Vegas. While no results were yielded, it's a step in the right direction for a team desperate for goals. Now, if they can figure out how to get the boards against the Stars...
Anyways, controlling the offensive tempo is great news for Vegas. You can keep the pressure up and put your opponent on their heels where they'll eventually break.
This team has so many problems with maintaining composure right now
Shea Theodore gets called for a dumb high-stick on Ryan O'Reilly and that leads to a Steven Stamkos power play goal. Jack Eichel doesn't show up (again) and fans are starting to notice. It's becoming routine for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2025-26, where they fall apart at the worst times.
Oh sure, there are the third period comebacks that they've been able to pull off this season. Those might actually save the playoff hopes for the Golden Knights. But Vegas has a deeper problem on its hands and it involves what's between its own ears.
If Vegas doesn't fix this problem immediately, they will be in the worst shape possible come April. That's where the trends are currently heading, with careless penalties and costly turnovers plaguing the team. The more things change…