The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the worst habits around. They're a team that can be absolutely complacent at times, expecting wins to come to them. It's something that has been called out by names like Max Pacioretty over the years, leaving fans to wonder if there's a country club feel to the team.
That aspect will rear its ugly head on Wednesday against the Nashville Predators, who suddenly have an urge to "fornicate," as Barry Trotz eloquently put it. Winners of 11 of their last 16, the Predators are suddenly hanging around in the wild card race with 38 points.
Okay, so their stats don't look too impressive. However, Steven Stamkos is scoring goals with 17 this season. He has five goals in his last five games, making them a deadly threat. He already has 11 goals and five assists this month, leading the Nashville charge. The further he goes, the Predators will go as well.
With that, the Golden Knights need some remedies to stop the Predators from acting like wild rabbits. You don't want to lose to a team that's supposed to be out of the playoff picture, do you? That's why you need this comprehensive strategy to take down Nashville on Wednesday afternoon.
The Vegas Golden Knights must get physical—literally—against the Nashville Predators
The Vegas Golden Knights are well-known for being a big team—literally. They're tied for the sixth-heaviest team in the NHL (average weight of 203 lbs.) and have an average height of 6'2". Compare that to Barry Trotz's squad, which averages out to a team height of 6'1" and a team weight of 198 lbs.
Therefore, the objective is simple: punish Nashville along the boards. Wear them down as the game progresses and make the Predators feel pain. If the Golden Knights can physically hit Nashville into oblivion and play their usual constricting defense, that will make life easier for Akira Schmid.
That means that Keegan Kolesar and Jeremy Lauzon (yes, that Jeremy Lauzon) will be two key players to watch on Wednesday. Both administer this hard-hitting style, combining for 190 hits this season. This will be a game where the fourth line must win it for the Golden Knights. Otherwise, the Predators will pick apart the bones.
Of course, it also helps that Jack Eichel has a chance to play. Everything will improve for the Golden Knights with him around. That ranges from the 200-ft. game to the special teams, giving the Golden Knights their vaunted superstar back. But what happens without No. 9?
Without Eichel, the backcheck and back-end defense look much more suspect. The middle of the ice becomes wide open for players like Stamkos and Luke Evangelista to attack, leaving Schmid compromised. One can point to Monday's game against the Wild and see this as a perfect example.
Wednesday's game offers the perfect chance for Vegas to end its current four-game homestand on a positive note. Whether Eichel shows up or not will determine how they do. But the Golden Knights will thrive if they punish Nashville and contain them within the neutral and defensive zones... kinda like a wrap *wink* *wink*.