The Golden Knights are returning home from their best road trip of the season.
It’s not often you can say that when the team gets outscored 10-9 during a three-game trek. That doesn’t normally produce positive results.
But the Knights played three games in four days against the best teams in the Western Conference — the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild — and won two of them.
It’s less than 10 days from Christmas, and the Knights are two points behind the Jets for the top spot in the NHL. They’re fourth in the league in points percentage, trailing Winnipeg, Minnesota and the Washington Capitals.
One thing is certain: The Knights deserve to be in that mix. They deserve to be in the discussion for the best team in the league. This trip proved it.
“You’re playing three very good teams out West. We’ve put ourselves in that category,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We know there’s other ones, but to me, you can go on the road and win, check well for the most part and not spend a bunch of time in the penalty box and just play the right way.”
Offensive dominance
This trip was the Knights’ first game action following a much-needed five-day break where they wrapped up 10 games in a 17-day span.
Another three games in four days — with their fifth back-to-back of the season sprinkled in — might not have been the worst thing for them. The Knights have secured points in all of their back-to-backs this season, so they’re doing something right.
“I guess we’re used to it now with all the back-to-backs this year,” center William Karlsson said.
The Knights dominated the shot total in all three games — outshooting the Jets (84-43), the Oilers (89-55) and the Wild (57-50).
The shot total against the Oilers remains the biggest mystery after losing 6-3 on Saturday. But Cassidy said that was probably the best display of offensive energy of the weekend. The Knights just gave up too much defensively that led to a four-goal second period.
The return of Goal-ofsson
The one spearheading the charge offensively has been a healthy Victor Olofsson.
The left wing scored four goals on the trip to give him seven on the season. Despite missing 20 games with a sprained ankle, Olofsson is on pace for 38 goals.
It’s not just that Olofsson has found the scoring touch, but it’s how the goals have come. He scored the game-tying power-play goal Thursday to force overtime, then scored the eventual game-winner Sunday against the Wild to cap his second multigoal game of the season.
“He’s got a great shot, obviously. So lethal,” center Jack Eichel said. “He’s been super hot and scored big goals for us.”
Olofsson has returned to his post on the first power-play unit, not because of any ineffectiveness of right wing Pavel Dorofeyev, but Olofsson’s quick release is a weapon the Knights can exploit.
The Knights are 4-for-12 on the power play in the past four games. Two of those goals have come off Olofsson’s stick.
Home sweet home
The Knights at least will be able to enjoy the holidays from home. Seven of their next eight games will be at T-Mobile Arena.
It’s going to be an important stretch to bank some points. Only one of those games — Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks — is against a playoff team.
The first five games are against division opponents, which will be crucial in padding their lead atop the Pacific Division.
There’s no reason to think the Knights can’t come out of this stretch successfully given how they performed on the trip.
^
Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Canucks at Golden Knights
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: T-Mobile Arena
TV: KMCC-34
Radio: KKGK (1340 AM, 98.9 FM()
