Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights are playing great hockey. They've gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and got four out of six possible points on a difficult road trip. They're also wrapping up a challenging five-game stretch, facing five consecutive NHL teams in playoff position.
The Vancouver Canucks are one of those teams, tied for third place in the Pacific Division with 38 points. They're picking up where they left off from last season, with Quinn Hughes (37 points) leading the way. Despite various setbacks such as Thatcher Demko being injured and an underperforming team, the Canucks are chugging along.
Thursday provides an opportunity for the Canucks to move closer in the Pacific Division race. They can take down the division-leading Golden Knights and inch clsoer to the divisional title. However, the Golden Knights are 11-3-0 at T-Mobile Arena this season, taking down challenging opponents such as the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets.
But will that be enough to stop the road warriors from British Columbia (10-2-2 away from Rogers Arena this season)? Can Eichel and company leave Hughes feeling like he's in a midlife crisis? Don't discount this game because the Golden Knights have more points than their division rivals. This could go either way, especially with Vancouver being loaded on every line.
Breaking down the Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks, round one
It's no secret the Vancouver Canucks have dealt with various injuries since the beginning of the season. They've lost Thatcher Demko to a knee injury, keeping him out for the first two months. However, the bottom six will be one to watch, specifically with the fourth line.
How? The fourth-line combination of Linus Karlsson, Teddy Blueger, and Dakota Joshua is a raw unit. How raw? Karlsson's only played two career NHL games. He's as raw as sashimi chicken at a sushi restaurant. The unit has had little to no time on the ice together until Thursday's matchup. In fact, typing in "Linus Karlsson" will prompt a result with IKEA involved.
It'll be interesting to see how they attack the fourth line. Will Keegan Kolesar lay out more hits to wear down the unit? What if Vancouver shakes things up with Kiefer Sherwood? It'll be interesting to see what happens when the game starts and how Bruce Cassidy will adjust accordingly.
Who wins Thursday's matchup?
That also consists of getting Pavel Dorofeyev going. The winger is projected to start on the top line with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. He also has one assist throughout December. If Eichel and Stone can get him going on some odd-man rushes and transition plays, he should have some golden opportunities to score tonight.
The Golden Knights have done an excellent job taking down the league's top teams recently. They defeated the Winnipeg Jets on November 29, 4-3 (and defeated them again in overtime on December 12, 3-2) and shut out the Edmonton Oilers on December 3, 1-0. The cries that the Golden Knights can't beat good teams are dying down, specifically against great teams like the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars.
Therefore, expect more of the same tonight. The well-rested Golden Knights should come up with a nice 4-2 victory over the Canucks. They're the least-penalized team in the NHL (169) and will keep the ninth-best power play off the ice (23.6%). Sure, the Canucks are one of the best road teams in the league. However, the overwhelming power of T-Mobile Arena will be too much for the Canucks to handle.