It's hard to believe that the Vegas Golden Knights are inching closer to another playoff berth. Even with Bruce Cassidy being fired and the team seeing Adin Hill implode like a nuclear bomb, fans are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Finally, that time-honored tradition is coming back to Las Vegas. Stanley Cup playoff time is coming and fans are getting ready to pack T-Mobile Arena for another set of playoff action. Even after all the chaos, this one feels different.
You might say this one feels unearned. Like Vegas doesn't actually deserve to be in. That's certainly the case with this year's team. But when you play in the mediocre Pacific Division, anything can happen. That's especially true with John Tortorella in tow, who's 4-0-1 in his current Vegas residency.
So let's look at what has happened this week. Who stole the show for the Golden Knights this week and what was an absolute dud? Here's a little playoff-style round-up for fans to sink their teeth in. Praise the lord because playoff hockey is coming soon.
Carter Hart has been on a roll in April
Fans can chalk up the improved goaltending to the John Tortorella effect. Perhaps it's the team finally getting everyone healthy again. Regardless, one player has benefitted greatly from the change: Carter Hart.
This month, Hart has a GAA of 1.67, along with a save percentage of .923. While the competition has been less than appetizing, it's a promising sign for a Golden Knights team desperately needing goaltending. Could that carry over into the first round? Stay tuned.
The Seattle Kraken came back to beat the Vegas Golden Knights in a shootout on Thursday
The Vegas Golden Knights were up, 3-1, on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken. They had all the momentum going into the world and were flying high in the Pacific Northwest. That all changed with a weird bounce and an Adin Hill misplay.
Lo and behold, the Kraken go on to win in a shootout (which is the worst place for Vegas to be) and Vegas gets left hanging. The Golden Knights have only won once in the shootout this season, leaving much to be desired for the ending performance. The good news? Shootouts won't appear during the postseason. Praise the lord.
The Golden Knights can clinch a playoff spot on Saturday
After all the turmoil that the Golden Knights went through, Vegas is two points away from clinching another playoff spot. That would be eight playoff appearances in nine years, making them one of the best expansion stories around (sorry, Seattle).
They can do this on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche with a win. Of course, that can also be done with regulation losses from Nashville and Winnipeg, along with a loss of any kind from San Jose. Heck, Vegas can get in if they get one point and Nashville and Winnipeg lose in any fashion. But one thing can be said about this: what a crazy ride.