Look, I know a lot can be said about the Vegas Golden Knights and their overtime/shootout woes. It could be Bruce Cassidy not trotting out the right shootout lineup (STILL waiting for Shea Theodore to get more chances this season). It might be the goaltending situation not doing much, whether it's Akira Schmid or Carl Lindbom. Regardless, that seems to be a thing of the past.
The Golden Knights jumped into first place in the Pacific Division on Thursday after a 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Mark Stone had the game of his career (aside from a Game 5 Stanley Cup clincher), scoring two goals. That included the overtime winner, where he got a Jack Eichel pass across the slot and buried it.
Mind you, these are the Golden Knights that have nine overtime losses this season. Three of those losses came in the shootout, where Vegas was victimized by bad goaltending, no scoring, or both. Now? That seems to be in the past, especially after the Anaheim Ducks got mollywapped by the New York Islanders, 5-2. Mollywapped!
Still, the Golden Knights can thank the loser point for being there when it mattered most. Now, winning five of your last six games suddenly has you in the driver's seat, especially with an extra game in hand. Get the force ready, ladies and gentlemen. The "Evil Empire" is here and ready to take over the world.
Why Vegas Golden Knights fans can thank the hockey gods for the loser point
To put things into perspective, last season was a franchise high for the Golden Knights in terms of overtime losses. They had 10 throughout the season, which led them to... the Pacific Division title. Additionally, they got 50 wins during the regular season, making them one of the toughest teams around.
Is that where the current squad's heading? Who knows. But one thing's certain. Last season's Golden Knights team also benefited from the loser point, which helped them stay ahead of the competition. It was just a matter of running out of steam during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
This season seems a little, well, different. First, you have Mitch Marner, who has no business being in shootouts. Still, the newest Golden Knight has six goals and 23 assists, making him one of the most impactful players. Imagine what would've happened if Cassidy had saved him by taking him out of the shootouts, eh? But that's an argument for another day.
The loser point accumulation has the Golden Knights set up for success, should the Anaheim Ducks fall
Despite the Golden Knights getting points in eight of their last 10 games, the Anaheim Ducks have almost matched them point-for-point. They've gotten 12 points while Vegas has 13 in the last 10 games, helping them hold on for dear life atop the Pacific Division hierarchy.
Now? Both are tied at 39 points apiece heading into Friday. However, the Golden Knights have a game in hand, putting them in a prime position to grab a stranglehold on the division. Not only that, but the next five games tell an eye-opening story for both clubs.
Next Five Games | Anaheim | Vegas |
|---|---|---|
Next | @New Jersey, December 13 | @Columbus, December 13 |
2 | @New York Rangers, December 15 | New Jersey, December 17 |
3 | @Columbus, December 16 | @Calgary, December 20 |
4 | Dallas, December 19 | @Edmonton, December 21 |
5 | Columbus, December 20 | San Jose, December 23 |
Heading into Christmas, the Ducks will play one more game than the Golden Knights. But let's return to the five-game stretches since they're identical. Both teams are on East Coast swings, but there's a catch. The Ducks are limited at goaltender with Lukas Dostal and Petr Mrazek out on injured reserve.
That could be the game-changer that puts the Golden Knights ahead in the Pacific Division. Add in two back-to-backs for Anaheim and things get more interesting. Suddenly, those loser points come back to elevate Vegas to another level.
Once again, Golden Knights fans are thanking the hockey heavens that the loser point exists. Otherwise, they would've played catch-up with the young, spry Ducks. That would've been as bad as not getting the loser point.