The Vegas Golden Knights are putting it together in one specific area

There was some concern about the Vegas Golden Knights defensively when the 2025-26 season rolled around. They lost a lot of size with Nicolas Hague being traded and Alex Pietrangelo being out of commission with health issues. Combined with the Carolina Hurricanes being one of the top-scoring teams in the league (4.60 goals per game entering Monday) and you have a recipe for disaster.

That's not even mentioning that the penalty kill has been abysmal. It's made the lives of Adin Hill and Akira Schmid miserable. So, what's a team to do when the team faces an absolute juggernaut?

Why, you put on a defensive clinic.

Mind you, Hill went down with an apparent leg injury in Monday's 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. That could lead to long-term issues in net. However, the Golden Knights showed they can adapt in many ways. How, you ask?

Why, it meant going back to the basics. What was Golden Knights hockey about? What did it mean to put a winning brand of hockey on the ice? That's what the team had to explore entering Monday's game against the Hurricanes. It could lead to greater things down the line, keeping the Stanley Cup dream alive in the process.

How the Vegas Golden Knights found their defensive identity again against the Carolina Hurricanes

Blocked shots have been a staple in the Vegas Golden Knights organization since 2023. They're third in the NHL in the category (4,385), with names such as Alex Pietrangelo (720) leading the way. On Monday, that style came back in full force, stymying a terrific Hurricanes attack.

The Golden Knights blocked 20 shots, with everyone chipping in. That included defensemen like Zach Whitecloud (four blocked shots), Shea Theodore (three blocked shots), and Brayden McNabb (three blocked shots). Overall, the defensemen had 13 blocked shots on the night, taking away shooting lanes and making Carolina work for their scoring opportunities.

It was the same story on Saturday, where the Golden Knights blocked 21 shots. Shea Theodore had seven blocked shots in that game, signaling a shifting tide in his game. His career high in blocked shots was 97 in 2021-22. Could we see a better two-way defenseman style in the Original Misfit? Stay tuned.

But let's go back to the scorecard for a second because it wasn't just the defensemen who put on a clinic. Players like Brandon Saad and Mitch Marner had notable games, providing a defensive spark for Vegas. Marner's been well-versed in the two-way game, excelling in all 200 feet of the ice. However, seeing names like Saad step up defensively has been monumental for the Golden Knights.

Going up against an offensive juggernaut is a daunting challenge for any team. You're faced with handling big names like Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho, putting added stress on the team facing them. However, the Golden Knights simply returned to basics in handling the Metropolitan Division team on Monday. That could lead to a Stanley Cup-winning product that brings the party back to Toshiba Plaza come June.