Sometimes, teams can get too comfortable with winning and suddenly slip back on the snide. Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, and the Vegas Golden Knights know plenty about this, which is why they've won Stanley Cups. You can't say that about less fortunate teams, especially when they go up in a series, 2-0.
They win two road games and are suddenly feeling overconfident like a baseball team formerly owned by a video game company. After that? They don't have the mojo and blow the series.
Looks like it's back to square one.
Anyways, the Golden Knights are in that particular situation after annihilating the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, 4-1. It was a complete performance that saw Akira Schmid stop 22 of 23 shots. Not only that, but almost everyone got in on the scoring fun.
Compare that to the Minnesota Wild, who are suddenly surging. They have seven points in their last four games, including games against the upstart San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. That looks like a potential trap game in the making.
But let's look at one specific area that the Golden Knights can thrive in. How can Vegas defeat the Minnesota Wild and continue their winning ways? Why, it starts with certain guys building off their budding momentum.
Reilly Smith must build off his momentum with the Vegas Golden Knights against the Minnesota Wild
Before Thursday's game against the New York Islanders, Reilly Smith only had one goal and one assist. He was struggling to get something going, leaving fans wondering if the Original Misfit was washed.
However, three points (one goal and two assists) will create a different conversation among the fanbase. Suddenly, everyone's wondering what you'll do next. They think you got the juice back and can make anything happen. In that short (albeit important) span, the Golden Knights have three points.
If the Golden Knights want to come through against the Wild, Smith must continue his budding streak. You know, make it hot. That's especially true when he hasn't done too well against Minnesota in his career. The Misfit has only scored six goals and six assists in 32 career games against the Wild, putting up lackluster numbers specifically with the Golden Knights (two goals and three assists in his Golden Knights career against Minnesota).
Smith isn't the only Golden Knights forward who must continue his scoring ways
Aside from the 34-year-old winger, Brandon Saad has also seen an uptick in scoring. He had an assist in Thursday's overtime loss and got his first goal of 2025-26 against his former team.
Before November, he only had one assist to show for his troubles. The veteran forward is having a better November by shooting the puck more. In October, he only had 13 shots. As for November? He already has 13, including a seven-shot performance that got him an assist against Detroit. Mind you, we're halfway through the month.
Could Smith and Saad's contributions rub off on players like Colton Sissons and break them out of their respective slumps? That could be what the doctor ordered, especially after an underwhelming homestand where Vegas went 1-3-2.
They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But it could be Reilly Smith's Granny Smith Apple goals that keep the losses away, too (along with overall production).