About a month ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were teetering on the brink of disaster. They were faced with the task of recovering from a 4-5-1 month of February. The Golden Knights also had a litany of injuries plaguing the team, leaving them weak at the forward position. On top of that, the defending Stanley Cup champions had the Minnesota Wild on their tails, getting as close as four points! What a nightmare.
Then, the trade deadline came. The Golden Knights were the busiest team in the NHL, acquiring numerous offensive pieces to bolster their squad. Suddenly, the beleaguered group were the Stanley Cup favorites, carrying a revamped lineup with them.
The Golden Knights Are Now In the Driver's Seat
Now, the Vegas Golden Knights are moving up in the Pacific Division standings. They've surpassed the Los Angeles Kings, leaving Hollywood's team in the last Wild Card spot. Going 7-2-1 in the past ten games will do that for an NHL team.
As for the Minnesota Wild, they sit eight points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. It's not to say the Wild have been awful; they've earned points in nine of their last ten games. It's just the Golden Knights have picked up steam, moving past the competition in the playoff race.
On top of that, the St. Louis Blues have also been good, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games and moving past Minnesota. Let's not forget the Nashville Predators, who earned points in 18 straight games before losing to Arizona on Thursday. The competition was too fierce for Minnesota, leaving them in the dust.
The Vegas Golden Knights Can Put the Playoffs Out of Reach For Minnesota
With a regulation win, the Vegas Golden Knights can effectively end the Minnesota Wild's season. The Golden Knights are playing excellent hockey, clamping down on teams defensively. That's why they've allowed 2.7 goals in their last ten games. An adjustment on the forecheck has led to takeaways and better plays in transition for the Golden Knights.
For Marc-Andre Fleury, the only thing he's known throughout his career has been the playoffs. However, that might become a tougher task to accomplish on Saturday against his former team. The Golden Knights are ready to put the former Vezina Trophy winner and his crew to rest.