A week ago, the Vegas Golden Knights got the first goal against the St. Louis Blues. No big deal because they were supposed to beat them. That's the keyword here. "Supposed" because the Golden Knights were seen as the favorites at the time.
But a funny thing happened. St. Louis scored three unanswered goals and got a late game-winner from Brayden Schenn. The result? A 4-3 loss that embarrassed the Golden Knights. Boy, did life feel like the pits for Vegas, huh?
It felt like the ugly month of January was rearing its ugly head again. Years of futility and struggle fueled the minds of Golden Knights fans everywhere. They were wondering whether this year would be any different, putting them in a state of unease.
Well, there is some good news this time around. First, reinforcements have been seen on the ice for the Golden Knights and should be back soon. But that's for further down the road. Second, the rematch game is at T-Mobile Arena. You know the Golden Knights have revenge on their minds and a matching blueprint to go with it.
The Golden Knights must beat the St. Louis Blues into submission with special teams
Jack Eichel has searched far and wide for his first power play goal of the season. Sure, he has 18 assists on the unit this season. However, he doesn't have anything to show for his hard work on the unit.
Well, have no fear because the Blues have the 28th-best penalty kill in the NHL. A penalty kill percentage of 76.3% doesn't bode well for St. Louis, especially when they're facing the league's fourth-best power play (25.6%, tied with Boston). Combine that with a paltry power play (16%, tied for 25th) and the battle will be won on dominating special teams.
Of course, this is easier said than done. St. Louis doesn't take many penalties (23rd in the NHL with 345 penalty minutes entering Saturday), which will make life extremely tough for the Golden Knights. That means drawing penalties like Cole Reinhardt existed in all 12 guys. One particular special teams specialist will be a primary focus in this matchup...
Reilly Smith will be a key player to watch for the Vegas Golden Knights
Much has been made about Mark Stone and his six-game goal streak for the Golden Knights. However, one can also make a case for Reilly Smith also having a major impact since returning to the lineup.
The Original Misfit has three goals in his past two games, getting the Golden Knights two big wins. He's already surpassed his goal total for December, marking a renaissance for the forgotten winger. That could mean bigger things for Smith during the season, especially if he anchors Vegas's depth scoring.
Ironically, Smith has a hat trick in his career against the Blues. It happened on May 8, 2021, when the Golden Knights defeated St. Louis, 4-1. Overall, he has nine goals and 13 assists in 39 career games against the Central Division team, which will make him a noteworthy figure in Saturday's game.