The Henderson Silver Knights are on fire right now. They're 7-2-0-1 in their last 10 games entering Tuesday and have catapulted themselves into a playoff spot. Sure, it might be a sixth-place spot right now. However, there's no telling how well this Silver Knights team can do.
Yes, this is the same Silver Knights team that has been the Pacific Division basement dwellers for some time now. They've been known as Kelly McCrimmon's trade weapons, being used to bring in big names to the forefront.
Well, not anymore. This team is ready to roll, moving one step closer to bringing playoff hockey to Henderson. Wouldn't that be cool? Like, who would've thought that the AHL team would be competitive and start beating teams up?
But let's look at the Silver Knights right now. Some players are responsible for the team's success, putting up terrific numbers and bolstering the team's chances of making an impressive impact. Here's who's ruling the roost for Henderson in recent memory.
Who's responsible for the Henderson Silver Knights being... good?
Obviously, you know about Carl Lindbom and what he's done this season. He's got a GAA of 2.29, a save percentage of .922, and three shutouts. Therefore, plenty of credit should go to him for his work.
But what about Trevor Connelly? The Silver Knights winger has 11 goals and 26 assists, making him one of the most important goal scorers around. He's developed his playmaking acumen and has turned into a prominent puckmover.
That's good news for a Golden Knights team looking for future superstars to fill the void of departing superstars. That's also great news for the Silver Knights now. They got plenty of good scorers, ranging from Tanner Laczynski to Jonas Rondbjerg to Kai Uchacz. But Connelly? That's a terrific addition.
How far can this Silver Knights team go in the Calder Cup playoffs?
Good goaltending can take you far in any facet of a hockey playoff format. It keeps you in the game until the opposing team cracks, bringing all the momentum to you. One can point to the 2012 Los Angeles Kings as a shining example of this, where former Golden Knight Jonathan Quick led Los Angeles to its first Stanley Cup.
That's the case for the Silver Knights, who have a solid netminder in Lindbom. The Swedish netminder has fluid movements and can cover space in the crease without much trouble. Combined with Trevor Connelly's uprising, that could be a great combination that leads to a deep playoff run.
Of course, that depends on a couple of factors. First, can Henderson break through against low-yielding teams in the Ontario Reign and the Colorado Eagles? These teams are great at limiting space and can leave opponents crunched. So, how will the Silver Knights respond in this situation? Will they win the neutral zone battles and take control?
That'll be the big question as the Silver Knights move throughout the rest of the season. They're closer to shattering all previous stereotypes of their team, finally keeping up with their big brother. It's becoming routine to fill up Lee's Family Forum at this point, making the little bros must-see hockey.