While Vegas Golden Knights fans will look at their recent struggles and see a team that's lost seven of their last eight, the Canucks have been just as bad. Vancouver is 2-7-1 in its last 10 games, leaving them as the NHL's worst team, points-wise (42 entering Wednesday).
You can point the finger at not having Quinn Hughes anymore and injuries to key players like Thatcher Demko. However, the team has just been, well...
I'll let John Cena chime in on this one.
Thank you, John. For once, I could see you.
You can take your pick from the many mediocre stats that Vancouver has, whether that's the goals scored (2.55 goals per game, 30th in the NHL entering Wednesday) or the power play (18.3%, 22nd in the NHL). Regardless, the Canucks are absolute arse and have played (and smelled) as such.
On the surface, that looks like a game that the Golden Knights should win this game and get back on the winning track. While that appears to be the case on paper, Vegas must do some things differently. Otherwise, it'll be another loss that'll leave fans wondering if this group of "unc's" are cooked.
The Vegas Golden Knights must start off fast against the Vancouver Canucks—no questions asked
During their current slide, the Golden Knights have only scored first twice in their last eight games. It's a small part of how the team has struggled immensely, leaving them to wonder if they're worthy of even playing in the NHL. But not scoring first isn't the only problem: it's how they're responding.
Take the 7-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators as a perfect example. How do you allow seven goals before scoring your first goal in a game? The Golden Knights let one bad thing pile on them after another, digging themselves into a hole too deep to escape. That also goes for games against the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins, where Vegas couldn't pull off a comeback after starting slow.
Therefore, the objective is simple: jump on the attack early. Get on the forecheck and put the burners on the Canucks. They're a hobbled team—similar to Vegas—and don't have the firepower that the Golden Knights do, even if Vegas is also injured. Milk the offensive zone time for everything you got and make Vancouver work for their exits.
It isn't just a fast start that's needed from the Golden Knights, though
The Golden Knights also need a strong showcase from the defensive structure, whether that's taking away shooting lanes or the goaltending. That means clamping down on giving the Canucks any space. Sure, they're not in the best position. But fans said the same things about the Senators before, well, you know.
That also means that the giveaways must be kept to a minimum. The Golden Knights have the second-most giveaways per game in the NHL entering Wednesday (16.49) and have struggled to keep the pucks on their sticks. In turn, it's led to odd-man rushes and bad breakaways, which led to... goals.
If the Golden Knights can have one strong night before the Olympic break, it's on Wednesday. Vegas has the perfect opportunity to take it to a weaker division rival, creating havoc early. If they can do that, maybe (just maybe!), there's a glimmer of hope for Las Vegas with this season.