Previewing Saturday's matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens

The Vegas Golden Knights hold a 7-2-3 series advantage over the Montreal Canadiens. They've won the past six matchups and own a 50-43 goal advantage over the legendary franchise.

That sounds good for Golden Knights fans heading into Saturday's matchup. However, you're not guaranteed victories when holding the series advantage. Instead, you play to win the game (as Herm Edwards eloquently put it). That is unless you're a team like the San Jose Sharks or Anaheim Ducks. Then, you're playing to accumulate the best draft picks, otherwise known as rebuilding.

Still, the Golden Knights are on a difficult five-game road trip, where they've won and lost a game each. That consists of a tough shutout loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday and Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Now? They head to the Bell Centre, where two more points are on the line.

It'll be a time of getting re-acquainted. That means seeing Nick Suzuki's mug once more (remember him?). That also means not falling into a devastating trap and playing to your ability. After all, the Golden Knights have surprising competition in the Pacific Division, namely the Calgary Flames (25 points).

Let's look at what fans should expect for Saturday's revenge match against the Canadiens. How has Montreal done so far in the season? Who's the main player(s) to watch for as another road game rolls in?

Previewing the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens

One surprising aspect of the Montreal Canadiens has been the special teams. They have the 11th-best power play in the NHL (21.5%) entering Saturday's game and are tied for the ninth-best penalty kill (81.8%). This could come into play against the Vegas Golden Knights, especially if the game becomes close.

Part of that is attributed to successful exits and disrupting the passing flow. The Canadiens have relied on Jake Evans and Joel Armia to contribute to the cause, making them a dangerous team in this regard. Therefore, it's on Vegas to use plenty of deception and movement to get them off-guard.

That could be an easier task than initially thought for the Golden Knights, though. Montreal is 31st in goals allowed this season (3.68 per game). If Bruce Cassidy and the offensive attack can break through Evans and Armia, they can pour more shots on net.

That's what happened on Thursday against the Senators. The Golden Knights broke through Ottawa's defense, controlling the neutral zone and creating numerous scoring opportunities. That led to 32 shots on goal and a 3-2 win. Fans can expect more of the same from Jack Eichel and company.

Vegas is still a banged-up team, though. They're missing names like Nicolas Hague and Victor Olofsson, meaning they must rely on their depth to win Saturday's game. Names like Cole Schwindt must rise to the occasion, putting in meaningful shifts throughout the game. Otherwise, those fears of a trap game will become true.

There's no such thing as a guarantee in today's world. With the sporadic nature of people and things, you never know what's coming. That includes hockey, where a hapless team can look dominant for a night. While the Canadiens (7-10-2, 16 points, last in the Atlantic Division) are a stark contrast to the Golden Knights (12-6-2, 26 points, first in the Pacific Division), Vegas should still tread carefully.