I know that look that you had on your face after yesterday's 3-2 win for the Vegas Golden Knights. You're in shock. You can't believe that Vegas was able to pull off something like this on the road against a Stanley Cup contender. But it happened, dear reader.
Behind Reilly Smith's blistering shot off a rebound, the Golden Knights changed the complexity of their three-game trip and have the chance to end it on a high note on Tuesday. The Winnipeg Jets don't have much to compete for in 2025-26, for they're watching the Nashville Predators pull off miracles left and right.
However, look at the upcoming schedule for the Golden Knights and tell me what you see:
- March 24 @Winnipeg
- March 26 vs. Edmonton
- March 28 vs. Washington
- March 30 vs. Vancouver
- April 2 vs. Calgary
- April 4 @Edmonton
- April 7 @Vancouver
- April 9 @Seattle
- April 11 @Colorado
- April 13 vs. Winnipeg
- April 15 vs. Seattle
That's a lot of juicy opportunities for points there.
Sure, the mood was doom and gloom before Sunday's win over the Stars. But now, something has changed. Now, it's a good opportunity to go on a run.
Why the Vegas Golden Knights beating the Dallas Stars matters
For those of you saying that the Golden Knights beat a backup goaltender on a back-to-back, well, I've got news for you, mate. Casey DeSmith has been no joke this season, posting a GAA of 2.42 (sixth in the NHL) and a save percentage of .907. Those numbers have solidified the Stars through their 2025-26 run, giving them one of the league's best goaltending tandems.
Mind you, this was a game where they also let vaunted Golden Knights killer Wyatt Johnston score a power play goal. The Stars forward has been potent on high-danger chances, attacking the net with such aggression that Las Vegas groans whenever they see him. It's no wonder he has six goals in his career against the Golden Knights.
All of that was overcome with gritty depth scoring and timely saves from Adin Hill. In turn, the remaining schedule is wide open and Vegas can get to work on potentially building a run. All of this came after a topsy-turvy season when the Golden Knights vastly underperformed in many areas.
The win opens the door for the Golden Knights to make a good run because of the schedule ahead. Of the 11 remaining games, only three are against current playoff-position teams (two against Edmonton and one against Colorado). That should give Vegas plenty of ammo for a run during the season's remainder.
Of course, this hinges on the team itself to do something of substance. Everything falls on deaf ears if Sunday's win is nothing more than a blip in the system. Still, beating a quality team like the Stars should build up confidence for the remaining stretch run for the Golden Knights.