The Vegas Golden Knights were frustrated with one minute left in the second period. Players like Tomas Hertl were visibly frustrated, blurting some expletives that would make a snowflake melt. Jack Eichel didn't have anything for the Golden Knights, either. It looked like this would be a disappointing end to a long four-game road trip. Then, Zach Whitecloud struck.
Zach Whitecloud sneaks one through Jeremy Swayman late in the second period to get the Knights back within one goal. pic.twitter.com/OYk2JHUNUy
— Golden Knights Radio (@VGKRadioNetwork) February 8, 2025
With a little bounce and luck past Jeremy Swayman, it got the Golden Knights a late-period goal. All the momentum swung in their favor, building Vegas's confidence. Suddenly, the Boston Bruins were on their heels, ready to topple. Boy, doesn't it feel good to be on the receiving end of these for once?
Pavel Dorofeyev continued the comeback in the third period thanks to a set-up from Shea Theodore in transition. Finally, Hertl came back like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and scored the game-winner on the power play. Guess what? That goal came with less than two minutes left to play. What makes this even more satisfying is there was a no-goal call due to goaltender interference before that. Talk about a reversal of fortune!
The result? A 4-3 Golden Knights win and two games salvaged on a four-game road trip out east. Suddenly, Vegas is tied atop the Pacific Division with their hated adversary, the Edmonton Oilers (72 points; Edmonton leads by virtue of games played). Suddenly, there's a bit of confidence in Vegas's game.
Everything feels right with the team. They're ready to pounce. They're getting into the groove of things. But most of all, they're getting much-needed rest. It's a promising sign for a team that doesn't have William Karlsson or Tanner Pearson at the moment. With March looming, the daunting slate of games doesn't look as intimidating. My, what winning two games can do for a team's psyche, eh?
The upcoming slate of games can get the Vegas Golden Knights back to winning
Defeating a weakened Boston Bruins team might not look like much on the surface. However, This was the same Vegas Golden Knights team that was 3-8-3 in their last 14 games before Thursday's contest against the New Jersey Devils. The team was searching for any answer they could. Saturday's game got them the answers they needed.
When you're down 3-1 before the end of the second period, you need to pull together and put your frustrations aside. That means going on the offensive, getting as much offensive zone time as possible, and wearing your opponent down. That's exactly what the Golden Knights got from the Whitecloud goal, even if it took a lucky bounce. But, hey! Better to be lucky than good at times, right?
In fact, they have a "golden" opportunity to turn February into a winning month. Three games remain against the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, and Chicago Blackhawks. Two of those are at home (Canucks and Blackhawks) and all three are winnable games. Considering Chicago and Los Angeles have also slumped in recent weeks and Vancouver has been a dysfunctional dumpster fire, the Golden Knights can head into March with a vibe shift.
March doesn't look as daunting now
The month of March will be challenging for the Golden Knights. They'll play against teams like the New Jersey Devils (March 2), Toronto Maple Leafs (March 5), and Los Angeles Kings (March 9). That's at the beginning of the month, mind you.
There are also challenging games against the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road (March 13), the Detroit Red Wings (twice, on March 16 and March 22), the Bruins (March 20), the Tampa Bay Lightning (March 23), and the Minnesota Wild (March 25). All these games could make or break the season, leaving them with a potential home-ice advantage or a first-round exit. That's why fans shouldn't get excited yet heading into the break.
However, the last two games have shown a different side of the Golden Knights. Players like Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel (who's also tied for the most single-season assists in Golden Knights history) are finally waking the team from its January-induced slumber. Now? The rest of the NHL better be on notice. By the way, Vegas has an all-time record of 59-32-6 in March. Do what you want with those numbers. But things look promising for this group.