The Vegas Golden Knights head into the Winter Olympics break atop the Pacific Division, a position that seemed improbable given their injury-riddled season. After sweeping a back-to-back set — a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and a 4-1 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday — the Knights improved to 57 games played with a division lead.
The team has weathered a barrage of injuries: multiple players on injured reserve, four different goaltenders logging extended minutes, and rookies filling the fourth line. Losing streaks have punctuated the season, but the Knights still sit first in a Pacific Division that has underwhelmed as a whole.
“I think it’s both, to be honest,” coach Bruce Cassidy said of balancing satisfaction with the standings against the need for improvement. “We’ve been grinding the last 10 days. It looked like we were turning the corner. We got on a good roll, and then we took a step back on the trip out east.”
The two wins provided a much-needed boost. Goaltender Adin Hill delivered his best performance since returning from a three-month absence due to a lower-body injury, making 32 saves against the Kings. “I felt like, for the most part, I just kept things simple,” Hill said. “I was at the top of the crease and I was seeing the puck well.”
Hectic schedule ahead
At least eight players — nine if Jonas Rondbjerg is cleared from his lower-body injury — will represent their countries in Milan at the Olympics. The intense competition, second only to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, could leave the Knights even more fatigued upon return.
“I think, as a team, everyone feels good about the way we ended things,” defenseman Noah Hanifin, an Olympian, said. “Getting out of that little slump we were in and pulling together two big wins, we played the right way.”
The Knights also received solid goaltending from Akira Schmid in the win over Vancouver.
What awaits on other side
When the Knights return from the break, they face a grueling five-game road trip starting in Los Angeles and moving to Washington D.C. with only one travel day. They will play five games in seven days, including a back-to-back in Buffalo and Detroit, before hosting the Minnesota Wild on March 6 — which also happens to be the trade deadline.
The Knights have already made a major move, acquiring defenseman Rasmus Andersson, but with the division tight, further moves are possible. Defenseman Brayden McNabb is expected back before the break, while the status of Brett Howden, Colton Sissons, Brandon Saad, William Karlsson, and Carter Hart remains uncertain.
“We got work to do if we want to be back where we started the year,” Cassidy said. “Our expectations were we would be one of the Stanley Cup favorites. People can decide that for themselves whether we’re a favorite or contender. That’s the level we want to get back to, and we’ll have 25 games to do that.”
