Vegas Golden Knights fans don't like seeing their favorite hockey team lose. They want a bona fide winner that's guaranteed to compete in every game. Sometimes, they're successful. Sometimes, they aren't. That's the nature of the beast, which is why we never discuss an NHL team going 82-0-0.
Tuesday's win against the Los Angeles Kings showed a different side of the team. Fans saw a group who went 100% on the power play for the night. 100%! Has that ever happened in franchise history? Considering the power play has always been a mediocre unit, it's a surprising stat that has fans scratching their heads.
Compare that to the road version of the Golden Knights, which struggled to hold onto a lead. Players like Ivan Barbashev couldn't build off their successes, leading to blown leads and squandered points. Want a perfect example? Look at Thursday's game agaiagainst the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Golden Knights had a 3-2 lead with five minutes left in the game. Everything is good, with good vibes being felt on the bench. Bruce Cassidy is on his way to winning his 100th regular season game in his Golden Knights tenure. Suddenly, Brandon Hagel scored with 2:22 left to tie it. No worries. We'll get a point out of the ordeal. Right? Not so fast, says Nikita Kucherov.
The Lightning win, 4-3, and Cassidy must wait until Tuesday to win his 100th. It's a story of two different teams, one that feeds off the crowd energy at home. The other? They're figuring it out when other fans aren't cheering them on. It's an interesting take that could dictate how the season goes.
How notable are the Vegas Golden Knights on the road vs. at T-Mobile Arena?
Obviously, the records stand out for the Golden Knights. They're 4-0-0 at T-Mobile Arena this season, standing at 0-2-1 on the road in the process. They're also averaging 5.25 goals per game in Las Vegas, becoming an offensive force in Sin City. What about the road, you might ask? They're scoring 2.67 goals a game.
It's a minute sample size that shows the microcosm of the team's different personalities. However, it also shows the strength of T-Mobile Arena as a whole.
NHL Attendance: Frozen Frenzy 10/22/24#VegasBorn - 17,767 (102.3%)#Preds - 17,184 (100.1%)#GoHabsGo - 21,105 (100%)#LetsGoOilers - 18,347 (100%)#FlyTogether - 17,174 (100%)#SeaKraken - 17,151 (100%)#UtahHC - 11,131 (100%)#StlBlues - 17,335 (95.8%)#TimeToHunt - 18,264…
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) October 23, 2024
When your team's topping the attendance numbers for the night, it gives you an unrivaled advantage. This was highlighted before, where fans saw the Golden Knights take down teams like the Los Angeles Kings. That's where Vegas currently stands with the group, going undefeated in the first four games.
But that's not all, though. They're seeing their power play take off as well. They're averaging a power play percentage of 45.4% at T-Mobile Arena, giving them another advantage. Suddenly, opposing teams are wary of handing Vegas the man advantage.
Don't expect the Golden Knights to go 0-40-1 away from Las Vegas this season. They're due to get some wins away from T-Mobile Arena and grow their point totals. But do expect the home-ice advantage to come into play for 2024-25, where the Golden Knights will thrive.