I know what you're thinking, dear reader. With all the goaltending woes and the inconsistent play, there's no way that the Vegas Golden Knights will beat the Dallas Stars on Thursday! The Stars are too good, even with Pete DeBoer being run out of town.
Certainly, that seems like that would be the case. The Stars might not be as awesome or good as, say, the Colorado Avalanche. However, they do have 69 (nice) points this season, making them one of the top NHL teams. As if life wasn't hard enough for Golden Knights fans already.
But never fear, dear reader! The Golden Knights are favored in this game. It might seem like a far-fetched idea, considering how badly they've struggled against playoff teams all season. However, there's a road map to victory for the boys in gold on Thursday.
Obviously, you have your power play and your scoring that must step up. However, there are other factors to consider for the Golden Knights to come back home on a high note. Lettuce explore the cheesy methods that Vegas must use to defeat Dallas on Thursday.
The Golden Knights must take away space against the Dallas Stars
Now, this has been a major problem for the Golden Knights during the four-game road trip. There have been times where teams like the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens would get space and wreak havoc. That can't happen against the Dallas Stars, especially with a team consisting of Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston.
Dallas is great at moving around in transition, capitalizing on common mistakes and turnovers. Therefore, the first objective is to minimize the giveaways. That means not passing too much and taking your shot, whether it's on even strength or the power play.
Luckily, the Stars have been inconsistent offensively in the past seven games. They've only scored more than three goals twice in that span, going 3-4-0 in the process. While this is a taller task for Vegas to tackle, it's manageable.
That means making the Stars work for their space and dominate the neutral zone. The Golden Knights have done well in this regard and have pounced on opportunities when they've risen.
The Golden Knights' defense can't be the only unit doing the heavy lifting
Of course, that also means that Adin Hill can't give up soft goals. Yes, there have been some odd bounces that led to goals. After all, the puck luck hasn't been there. However, he must use the net properly and make the most of his big frame. Otherwise, the Stars will feast on the Golden Knights all night.
This season, Hill has been extremely underwhelming. Like, we're talking about a GAA of 3.53 and a save percentage of .855. While the 29-year-old has only started nine games, fans are wondering whether it was worth giving him a six-year contract extension in the first place. Now, you're saddled with an albatross deal with $6.25 million AAV and a 10-team no-trade clause on the books.
The good news? The netminder can move towards changing that narrative on Thursday with a strong performance. But he knows what will happen if he doesn't. More Las Vegans will come with torches and pitchforks armed, ready to hang him for his crimes against humanity.