Entering Tuesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Vegas Golden Knights were rolling on a three-game winning streak. The team has attributed that spark to new head coach John Tortorella, who wanted more emotion for the team.
Ask and you shall receive, Torts. The team is now responding in a positive light. Look at how they've done since he came on board before Tuesday's game. The team is playing with more fire and is attacking the net viciously. The goal? Shots on... goal.
That has been the name of the game since he stepped into the fold. He wants the team to attack, attack, attack. Looking at Tuesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks, they were outshooting the Canucks, 22-7, through two periods.
While Tuesday was a sneaky-hard test for the Golden Knights, there's still room for optimism for the team. I mean, this was a group that was questioning whether they'd make the Stanley Cup playoffs before Bruce Cassidy was fired.
So, let's weigh some positives and some negatives with this Golden Knights team. What could cause them to fall completely out of the picture? It's time to put the Golden Knights on the operating table and give them a proper diagnosis.
The case for the Golden Knights going far with John Tortorella
As mentioned, the Golden Knights look far more aggressive than when Bruce Cassidy was around. Entering the third period in Tuesday's game against Vancouver, the Golden Knights had 123 shots on goal since Tortorella came on board. That's an impressive run and a testament to the style that the new head coach wants.
It's also from Tortorella loading up his lines. We're talking about Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone all playing on the same line together. That could be advantageous against more inexperienced teams like the Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks.
Speaking of which, how weak is the Pacific Division this season? Well, you'd look at how the Ducks are suddenly falling apart and how the Oilers have suspect goaltending. The only team that Vegas should truly worry about is Edmonton because of McDavid and Draisaitl, yet Tortorella used his load-up strategy to put up five goals. Plus, four wins in a row since Tortorella arrived on the scene!
The case against the Golden Knights going far in the Stanley Cup playoffs
While Tortorella has shifted towards giving Carter Hart more starts, the goaltending remains a concern. According to MoneyPuck, not a single Golden Knights goaltender has a goals saved above expected in the positive mark. The best netminder in that regard has been Akira Schmid, who posted a goals saved above expected at -1.
Not only that, but three brutal teams await in the Central Division. The Golden Knights have struggled mightily against all three clubs, too. While part of that has been because of injuries, the team has also suffered from not stopping anything in net.
Overall, the Golden Knights should win one round if they make the playoffs. The team has found its offensive footing under Tortorella, playing more aggressively. However, the goaltending issue, along with that vicious three-headed dragon (and Edmonton) awaiting them in the next rounds, will be challenging to handle.