The Vegas Golden Knights have rediscovered their identity during a four-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 20-10 after losing eight of their previous nine games. Head coach Bruce Cassidy credits a renewed commitment to forechecking and puck pursuit for the turnaround.
“I think our team has always defended well. By that, blocked shots, taking care of the slot, finishing your one on ones,” Cassidy said Tuesday. “Checking, that’s the 200-foot game. That’s forechecking, neutral-zone forecheck, takeaways, using your feet to create offense when the other team has the puck.”
The Knights (21-11-12) swept a back-to-back against St. Louis (4-2 on Saturday) and San Jose (7-2 on Sunday) as part of the streak. They scored 28 goals combined in the previous nine games.
“We’ve checked pucks back better than what we did at the start of the year. Quicker, more efficiently now we’re executing better when we get them back,” Cassidy said. “We’re getting a lot of offense from that. It’s not just a breakout, a great transition play. We’re getting more of that.”
Defenseman Shea Theodore returned from a month-long absence due to an upper-body injury and has goals in his first two games, giving him 22 points in 33 games. His presence alongside Noah Hanifin has helped the team exit the defensive zone faster, Cassidy noted.
With Brayden McNabb out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Jeremy Lauzon has stepped in alongside Theodore, recording two assists and a plus-4 rating. “The game comes way easier playing with a guy of that caliber,” Lauzon said. “He’s unbelievable to play with, and he makes my job really easy. I try to make his job easy by playing physical, winning pucks and getting him the puck so he can make plays.”
Cassidy also pointed to improved offensive-zone motion and the adjustment to center Mitch Marner’s style of play as factors. Marner’s move to center, necessitated by injuries, has allowed the Knights to balance their lines with him and center Jack Eichel on separate units, creating more scoring chances.
The Knights will aim for a season-high fifth straight win Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
