Defeating the Vancouver Canucks is certainly nice. Sure, the Vegas Golden Knights beat up on the worst team in the NHL. But who's keeping count of the points? You're in the middle of a playoff race and you need as many points as possible.
Imagine what would've happened if the Golden Knights lost that game on Monday. There would've been so much talk about how this team is cooked, despite changing their head coach. Heck, there would've been talk about that dreaded r-word within the Golden Knights' realm: rebuild.
Oh boy. Bill Foley better sell the team because he's in no mood for a rebuild.
Luckily for the Golden Knights, Thursday presents another opportunity to beat up on a non-playoff team. This time, it comes in the form of the Calgary Flames. While the Flames have more points than the Canucks entering Thursday (70), they're still miles away from a wild card spot. In fact, they'll need a miracle from Marc-Andre Fleury himself to even enter the conversation.
So, let's look at how the Golden Knights can add two more points and creep back into the Pacific Division race. What will it take to defeat the Flames? Moreover, what will John Tortorella do to get involved in this game?
How the Vegas Golden Knights can defeat the Calgary Flames with a newfound strategy
Remember when I talked about how John Tortorella employed a north-south strategy at Wednesday's practice? It involved plenty of downhill skating and trying to get through the Golden Knights' stamina-wise. Of course, this also meant that Vegas needed to prepare for a tougher stretch and get stronger mentally. Still, you get the point.
The Golden Knights must use that to their advantage and get the early jump on Calgary. Once again, that first-period problem rears its ugly head before Thursday's game. The Golden Knights have been outscored, 3-0, in the first period throughout the first three games of the homestand. While Vegas has four points during the homestand, that doesn't mean that should let up on the gas.
Calgary's goaltending has been below average this season, mustering a team GAA of 3.12 (23rd in the NHL). Fans will remember the October 18 matchup between both teams, where Vegas scored three goals. That included a Mitch Marner strike 46 seconds into the game (what a way to score your first goal of the season, eh?).
Tap into that energy and you're guaranteed to get another two points. The good news? The Anaheim Ducks were doing the hot dog dance in the third period of Wednesday's game against the San Jose Sharks. They watched Macklin Celebrini stuff bread down their throats, making them choke on a little snack.
That's the mentality that Vegas must carry into Thursday's game. They must stuff Calgary with shots on goal early and establish a north-south style game. John Tortorella will turn into a hotheaded Napoleon Bonaparte and start screaming at the team if they don't. While funny, that's a sight that nobody wants to see.