The Vegas Golden Knights handed the Carolina Hurricanes their first loss of the season a week ago. They pulled away from the Hurricanes, 4-1, using strong performances from Ivan Barbashev (one goal and one assist) and Akira Schmid (22 of 23 shots stopped) to end Carolina's streak.
The victory caught the eye of many hockey experts, pushing them to vote for the Golden Knights as the NHL's best team. But now? Things have slightly changed with two straight losses. The offenses have stalled and the injuries are piling up. Fans are losing their collective minds and are even joking about tanking for Gavin McKenna.
But in all seriousness, the Golden Knights need a bounceback game. That's especially true if you wish to salvage a brutal three-game road trip that starts the season. What better way to do that than against a team that you just faced a week ago?
Granted, it won't be easy considering that the Hurricanes are still one of the best NHL teams around. Plus, you're playing in the Tar Heel State, which is much more difficult than T-Mobile Arena. But there's still a pathway to beating the Hurricanes and making a bad road trip... okay.
How the Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday
When Adin Hill went down with a lower-body injury against Carolina, Akira Schmid stepped in and saved the game. He's been good in relief for the Golden Knights this season, stealing two games along the way. It's likely he won't relieve a goaltender here, for he's likely to get the start.
However, that doesn't mean that he should take it easy. Instead, he should use his size to his advantage and cover the entire net. Tracking the puck and making the necessary moves will keep the Golden Knights in the game, should the offense stall.
Speaking of which, the Golden Knights must do better as an offensive unit. That means getting more offensive zone time and firing off more shots. Vegas has taken 62 shots on goal in the last three games, an underwhelming number that has stalled the offense.
Of course, dealing with injuries is part of the equation. That's especially true when you don't have stars like Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin. But it's on players like Mitch Marner, Brandon Saad, and others to pick up the slack.
Tuesday's game against the Hurricanes is winnable for one other reason
The Golden Knights have improved defensively in the past week. In fact, they've only allowed more than three goals once in the past four games. Last Monday, they saw the defensive units step up and make life easier for Akira Schmid.
That must happen again on Tuesday, when the Golden Knights get back to blocking shots and clogging shooting lanes. Vegas has done the former well, blocking 86 shots in its last four games. If Vegas can make life easy for the goaltending, it'll put the momentum firmly in its favor.
If not? Well, it'll be another disappointing early trip for the Golden Knights. Questions about the team's road prowess will arise again, leaving fans wondering whether they're overrated or not. That's something that nobody wants to deal with.