The last time the Vegas Golden Knights played the Columbus Blue Jackets, it was an absolute snooze fest. Three goals were scored throughout the game, including an overtime winner by Cole Sillinger. Alex Pietrangelo had the costly turnover that period, leading to a breakaway opportunity.
You could've taken a nap during the game and woke up without a regulation winner. It was both teams combining for 50 shots and few penalties happening, leaving fans without any fun or interest. But there were 28 giveaways in that fateful game on January 30. In short, it was sloppy hockey all around.
The good news is Bruce Cassidy and company can chalk this up as a lesson learned. No more mistake-prone hockey, starting with that Pietrangelo miscue. Granted, that's been a sticking point for the Golden Knights throughout the season (15.77 giveaways per game in 2024-25, sixth-most in the NHL). Still, if there was ever a time to turn things around, it's Thursday.
Taking care of the puck isn't the only thing Vegas must do to beat the Blue Jackets, though. Columbus has a gaudy home record of 20-6-4 this season at Nationwide Arena. That will be a daunting challenge itself. So what's a team to do when the insurmountable odds come before them?
The Vegas Golden Knights must start fast against the Columbus Blue Jackets
The past two games have been underwhelming in the first period for the Vegas Golden Knights. They've been outscored, 3-0, in both contests, leaving them in a deep hole to climb out of. Of course, that's come with its own problems. First, a combination of underwhelming blue line play and goaltending have led to this issue.
But it's also the offense that hasn't done much. Sure, the lineup picked up the pace after the first period in both losses by scoring seven goals. However, you shouldn't rely on Alex Pietrangelo scoring on the power play or Noah Hanifin scoring with six seconds left. That shouldn't be the thing bailing you out.
Instead, it should be an early blitz of shots barraging the Columbus Blue Jackets. They've allowed 3.31 goals per game this season, 27th in the NHL. They're also 24th in killing penalties this season with a percentage of 75.4. That should leave a ripe opportunity for the Golden Knights to strike early and often.
The top guys must lead the way
Upon first glance, it appears that Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have picked up where they left off from the 4 Nations Face-Off. Eichel has one goal and eight assists in his last six games. Along the way, he shattered the single-season franchise record for most assists. Meanwhile, the Captain is finding his scoring stroke by scoring three goals and five assists in his last seven games.
However, a closer look reveals that Eichel has made his living off the power play. Only three of those assists in the last six games were in five-on-five situations. As for Stone? One of those goals came on the power play as well.
While feasting on the opponent's penalty kill sounds nice, it's not the only way a team can win. That starts with reverting to the transition game on even strength, putting the Blue Jackets on their heels. January 30 saw Columbus get tagged for 17 giveaways. That's plenty of opportunities for Vegas to strike on Thursday if it happens again.
Winning at Nationwide Arena isn't as daunting as it sounds. Sure, Vegas has an all-time record of 2-4-0 there. However, this Blue Jackets team can be beat. It starts with a strong forecheck and taking away all shooting and passing lanes. That way, the transition game can work wonders... with all the rizz.