Have you ever dealt with someone who was a complete pain in the arse? Like, no matter who you get, you can't get past them? The Vegas Golden Knights have dealt with this problem against the Los Angeles Kings, where even grabbing Mitch Marner for the long term hasn't done much.
You see, the Kings have won four straight against the Golden Knights. Vegas's last win against Los Angeles came on October 22, 2024, when the Golden Knights blew the Kings out of the water, 6-1. Okay, it was Lake Mead. But the point still stands.
You can say that Los Angeles has proven to be a bigger rival in many aspects than, say, the Seattle Kraken or the San Jose Sharks. Neither San Jose nor Seattle has won four straight against the Golden Knights. Therefore, all Pleasanton bellhops and Louisiana podcasters must make way for the hockey fans in Hollywood. By the way, there's a big Wednesday night divisional game against... those same Kings.
On a side note, I'm sure plenty of Golden Knights fans have their travel plans set up for Hollywood. They're ready to take over Crypto.com Arena and root on the boys in gold. With that, I say... go to Tom's Watch Bar next to Crypto.com Arena. You won't be disappointed.
But let's look at what Vegas must do to win on Wednesday. How can they topple the Kings and take care of business? Believe it or not, the Golden Knights must think about what's happening now and not what happened in the past.
The Vegas Golden Knights must capitalize on their high-danger chances against the Los Angeles Kings
Entering Tuesday's slate of games, the Vegas Golden Knights have done extremely well in the high-danger chances department. According to NHL Edge, Vegas had the sixth-most high-danger chances (389). That partially explains why Vegas has 20 goals in its last four games.
Mind you, the Golden Knights have also won their last four games in the process. Compare that to the Kings, who've gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and the objective is clear: Vegas has a big opportunity on Wednesday.
Of course, it also helps that depth players such as Reilly Smith (three goals in January) and Zach Whitecloud (scored in Sunday's 7-2 rout against the Sharks). When the depth players pick up the slack for a wounded squad, that makes you forget that particular divisional rival has owned you in the past year.
Recent matchup history doesn't just affect the Golden Knights against the Kings
We're also talking about that putrid-smelling month of January that looms large. The Golden Knights haven't fared too hot in the month, holding an all-time record of 47-35-14. Granted, they're 4-1-1 this season, giving them a reason to smile. However, some factors still aren't in Vegas's favor.
First, the team is still missing players. There's growing uncertainty about William Karlsson's status for 2025-26 and you still don't have your reliable stay-at-home defender in Brayden McNabb. The Golden Knights must make do with what they have to ensure a winning month.
Secondly, the month gets surprisingly harder for Vegas. Matchups against the Kraken, the Dallas Stars, and the Montreal Canadiens still loom large at month's end. How will Vegas respond if key players are out?
Well, that's easy. Take everything one step at a time, starting on Wednesday. The Kings always play the Golden Knights tough, using a lethal combination of good goaltending and neutral zone suffocation to stymie Vegas. If the Golden Knights can lean on winning the high-danger chance battle and using their depth scorers a lot, they'll start a new historical trend that benefits them. Now that sounds like a Hollywood ending right there.