It's good to be a Vegas Golden Knights fan right now. The Golden Knights are 9-2-1 in their last 12 games, skyrocketing up the Western Conference standings. First, they passed the Los Angeles Kings and passed the Nashville Predators after.
But that's not all. Tomas Hertl is expected to make his Golden Knights debut soon, turning them into a legitimate threat. How can a team stop a group of so many solid forwards? A team with a stacked Top 12 can be tough to beat come playoff time. That's why the rest of the NHL is being put on notice.
But let's take a look at what else is happening around the league. What's affecting the Vegas Golden Knights and their race to accumulate as many points as humanly possible? What about their pesky rivals in the Western Conference? It's time for some Wednesday "Knight Wisdom."
Fight Night in the Big Apple
Normally, the battle between any of the three New York-area teams gets heated. It's for bragging rights in the Big Apple and surrounding areas, where New Yorkers (or New Jerseans) can gloat against their rivals. However, Wednesday night's contest between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers was a little different.
Two seconds into the game, a massive brawl broke out between both teams. That included internet-famous Matt Rempe, who wasn't afraid to throw his weight around. The brawls led to eight ejections in the game and old-school hockey fans clamoring for more.
The Rangers won the game, 4-3, with Chris Kreider netting the game-winning goal on the power play. It also solidified New York's position in the President's Trophy race, earning them a crucial two points. However, hockey fans were given a treat as good as New York-style pizza, seeing chaos reign in the Big Apple.
A Texas-Sized beating
On Wednesday night, the Dallas Stars laid a beatdown on the Edmonton Oilers, 5-0. Behind four second-period goals (one on the power play), Dallas cemented their stranglehold on the Western Conference. In the battle of oil-savvy regions, Jake Oettinger got the shutout.
With the loss, the Oilers lose the chance to separate from the Vegas Golden Knight. Therefore, the April 10 match-up between the two teams becomes bigger. Can Vegas continue its momentum up the Western Conference standings?
Has Jonathan Marchessault received an extension yet?
There's still nothing on the "Extend Jonathan Marchessault" front. However, the winger did score the game-winning goal against the Minnesota Wild last Saturday. That capped off an incredible road trip, where the Vegas Golden Knights earned seven out of a possible eight points.
In fact, the Quebec native has three goals and three assists in his past five games. With each passing performance, Marchessault is proving he deserves to stay in Las Vegas. Whether the Golden Knights bite and give him a sizable deal remains to be seen.