The Vegas Golden Knights needed a win on Thursday to shake off any demons. They were losers of six of their last seven games and needed a boost. The good thing is they got it against the St. Louis Blues, winning by a score of 4-2.
Jack Eichel had an assist while Mark Stone added a goal and assist for the Golden Knights. The win snapped a four-game winless streak for the club, keeping them atop the Pacific Division with 64 points. But that was the easy part. Now comes a bigger challenge in the form of the Dallas Stars. Hey, they never said life was easy, you know?
The Golden Knights will travel to Dallas to take on Pete DeBoer's club. They sit in third place in the Central Division with 59 points. However, they're 17-7-1 at American Airlines Center this season, making them a tough matchup for any incoming opponent. The shoot-and-pray style is still alive and well for DeBoer; only it's gotten bigger in Texas (everything's bigger in Texas, you know).
The game starts a four-game stretch against teams currently in play. That consists of two games against the Stars and home games against the Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets. After an easy 10-game stretch against non-playoff teams, the Golden Knights will face tougher competition that'll test the team's mettle. How can the Golden Knights emerge as Stanley Cup contenders through the tough stretch? Which aspects will help Vegas make it through and help them shine the brightest?
What will help the Vegas Golden Knights get through the tough slate of games
Obviously, the team must have their top line carry them. Thursday's game was a perfect example when Mark Stone initiated a strong forecheck for the game's first goal. Stone, Jack Eichel, and Ivan Barbashev added an assist each to the cause, capping off a solid night for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Your team is as good as its strongest unit. The Golden Knights have been buoyed by the Eichel line all season, with Stone (13 goals, 41 points) and Barbashev (15 goals, 31 points in 38 games) leading the way. Of course, Eichel has been the line's face with 47 assists and 59 points. If the Golden Knights want to have a successful stretch, that starts with their top unit carrying the play throughout the game. Pete DeBoer and others aren't giving you free passes to Disneyland, after all.
Scoring on even strength is also a must for the Golden Knights. Last game saw Vegas score on five-on-five situations twice, which is a promising improvement. However, the bulk of their scoring came on the power play, specifically with eight goals coming on the unit in the last seven games (20 opportunities). Bruce Cassidy will figure out a way to ensure his unit isn't just drawing penalties to get scoring opportunities.
The stretch will test the Golden Knights as Stanley Cup contenders
The main focus of Vegas's team will be the Dallas Stars, who constitute half of the Golden Knights' games in the four-game stretch. Pete DeBoer's club loves taking away the neutral zone and applying additional pressure with a hardened forecheck. They're similar to the Golden Knights in that aspect, relying on being in transition to create scoring opportunities.
But that stingy neutral zone play is why the Stars have allowed the fourth-fewest goals in the NHL (2.49). They've constricted their opponents by taking them out of their element, wearing them down as the game progresses. Think of it as a boa constrictor squeezing the life out of a hapless mouse before it devours its prey whole.
Games like this won't be easy for the Golden Knights, especially against stellar goaltenders like Jake Oettinger (2.26 GAA, .914 save percentage). That's why it's crucial for Vegas to get off to a quick start like they did against St. Louis on Thursday. Grabbing the momentum early will help them control the pace, leaving them to implement their gameplan. In fact, that should be the course of action in the next four games, where they'll be tested at every juncture.