Everyone knows the Vegas Golden Knights are a wild success at T-Mobile Arena. They currently have an 8-0-0 record in Las Vegas, which is part of the team's fast start. They have 19 points (tied for first heading into Thursday) and an overall record of 9-3-1.
It's safe to say Golden Knights fans aren't questioning Bruce Cassidy or Kelly McCrimmon's competence. Both figures have been brilliant minds who know how to make the most from little. McCrimmon trusts his homegrown players to contribute, as seen by Pavel Dorofeyev (seven goals). He also makes major acquisitions (i.e. Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel) to carry the load.
As for Cassidy? He doesn't cower when the team's down. Take Wednesday's game against the Edmonton Oilers as a perfect example. Down 2-1 in the third period, the Golden Knights locked in and played an aggressive game. They attacked the net and set up scoring opportunities. It led to Noah Hanifin scoring two key goals, including the game-winner with 49 seconds left. The result? A 4-2 victory.
It shows the head coach handles pressure on the road well, getting his team mentally prepared for tight situations. So how have the Golden Knights done away from Las Vegas? When was their best season on the road? When was their worst?
The Vegas Golden Knights have an all-time road record of 143-99-30
When it comes to playing on the road, the Vegas Golden Knights aren't as good as they are at T-Mobile Arena. Here, they have a record of 178-80-20. However, the Golden Knights have a points percentage above .500 on the road. Their record away from Las Vegas is 143-99-30.
That's good for a points percentage of .581. Their best season came during the Stanley Cup-winning campaign, where they 26-7-8. The Golden Knights had a points percentage of .732 during that season, which helped them win the Pacific Division and the Stanley Cup. 60 of their 111 points came away from Las Vegas, accounting for 54% of all points.
The worst season on the road? It's not 2024-25 since they've only played five games. Therefore, it's not worth examining small sample sizes. That honor goes to the 2018-19 season where the team finished 19-20-2. That's good for a points percentage of .488 and 40 points. The fewest points the Golden Knights have gotten on the road were 2019-20 and 2020-21, with the team earning 38 points in shortened seasons.
It's always a good feeling getting the proverbial monkey off a team's back. When you finish October without a road win, your fans become anxious.
What will happen if they don't do well on the road?
Will this damage their Stanley Cup chances?
But beating the Edmonton Oilers always helps. That's especially true when it's the first road win of the season. It could lead to a solid run that continues the team's early success. That's needed when you're looking to bring the Stanley Cup back to Las Vegas and have a massive party on the Strip.