Doing a little bit of scoreboard browsing on a Vegas Golden Knights-less Monday, one particular game caught my eye. The Seattle Kraken were ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, after the second period. Yes, dear reader. You read that right.
For one night, they were playing like the "Greatest Expansion Story of All Time." They were stifling the Kings inside their own home, pouncing on rebounds and relying on Joey Daccord. But would that lead hold? Do they finish the story or end up like a sad grunge song by night's end?
Yes, they did. Behind Daccord's 28 saves, the Kraken were the "Greatest Expansion Story of All Time Ever Told." That score held and Los Angeles saw their hopes of a division crown take a massive hit. Get your Kraken friends some Starbucks coffee today, Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are tasked with taking down the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Tuesday. This isn't the same Avalanche team they doubled up in the season's first game, either.
Gone is Alexandar Georgiev and in came Mackenzie Blackwood, who's been as good as advertised. The netminder has a GAA of 2.23 and a save percentage of .916 in 35 games this season. Along with Scott Wedgewood (2.00 GAA and a save percentage of .919), what was a weakness has turned into the team's glaring strength.
But what if the Golden Knights build off of two grinding wins and steal a victory on Tuesday? What if they bring a three-game winning streak back to T-Mobile Arena on Thursday against the Kraken?
Well, that would change everything. The Avalanche are nearly locked into their third-place position in the Central Division. They have no chance of catching the Dallas Stars and should be safe from the St. Louis Blues surging past them. However, that shouldn't be the only reason that Vegas should beat Colorado.
Why the Vegas Golden Knights must beat the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday
For William Karlsson and Noah Hanifin, beating the Colorado Avalanche would prepare them for the playoffs. The two stars have combined for one assist in the last five games, with the "Misfit" getting it on Victor Olofsson's goal on Sunday.
But it's not just Karlsson and Hanifin that need a kickstart, though. Names like Jack Eichel (0 points in his last four games) and Mark Stone (one assist in his last four games) also need the boost. The Golden Knights don't want a repeat of last year's postseason where the Dallas Stars eliminated them.
Of course, there's also locking down the Pacific Division that matters. Suddenly, you go from being up a point entering Saturday's game against Calgary to seven. That magic number becomes four and you're in the driver's seat once again. Now, you can rest players for the stretch run and avoid devastating injuries. Beat a playoff team and life gets easier. Speaking of playoff teams...
There are no playoff teams after Tuesday's game in the regular season
Let's say William Karlsson gets a feed in the high slot from Noah Hanifin in Tuesday's game. It's similar to Olofsson's game-winner on Sunday, getting the Golden Knights a late lead. Life is good and you can celebrate. What lies ahead afterward?
That's where life becomes even easier. That same Kraken team comes to town on Thursday for a home game. After that? A reunion with Jonathan Marchessault and two Canadian teams. Yes, both Canadian teams are on the outside looking in for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Kings must worry about facing the Avalanche and Oilers to close out the season. Suddenly, life gets harder as they look for a Hail Mary to save the division. Doesn't that sound cool?
But there's a catch. The Kraken have played tough hockey recently. They've outscored their opponents, 12-2, in their last three games. That could be problematic for the Golden Knights on Thursday. Therefore, they shouldn't take them lightly.
For now, Vegas should focus on the Colorado Avalanche. They have a "golden" opportunity to put the division on lockdown and secure their spot. With that, they'll avoid a first-round matchup with the Kings or Oilers and focus on a wild card team. Funny how life works, huh?