These three Vegas Golden Knights stars must step up in the upcoming three-game road trip. Otherwise, the team's in trouble.
The Vegas Golden Knights just got off a disappointing two-game homestand. They were outscored by the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets, 7-2, during their two-game stay at T-Mobile Arena. Suddenly, fans are starting to panic.
"Will we lose the Pacific Division to those pesky Los Angeles Kings?"
"Oh no! It looks like Jack Eichel isn't scoring 100 points this season (he's projected to hit 102)!"
"What will we do if we don't have home-ice advantage for the first round?"
To prevent that means having a strong three-game road trip. The slate isn't as easy as people think, either. The Golden Knights will face the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Colorado Avalanche during that swing. The action starts on Saturday, so prepare to clench your butt cheeks.
That also means the gang must improve some things and make minor adjustments. A good start would be fixing the zone entries, where the Oilers and Jets suffocated Vegas. As a result, the Golden Knights only mustered 48 combined shots in those two games. Something must change quickly.
That starts with three Golden Knights picking up the pace. Yes, Tomas Hertl has been out of commission for the past two weeks. That has affected the offensive dynamic of Vegas, leading to slower starts (two first-period goals in their last five games). However, that doesn't mean these three names can't start contributing themselves and impacting the lineup for the better.
1.) Ivan Barbashev
Once upon a time, Ivan Barbashev had four goals and eight assists between February 26 and March 22. But he's been mostly silent since March 22, only adding two assists to his total. In those six games, he's only taken eight shots on goal.
That's not going to cut it if you want to win the Pacific Division. This isn't the first time it's happened, either. He didn't score a goal in the four February games leading up to the 4 Nations Faceoff.
In fact, the stats show it. In 17 games where he has three or more shots, the winger has seven goals and six assists. Getting more out of Barbashev means getting him more involved in Bruce Cassidy's attack.
2.) Reilly Smith
I like Reilly Smith. I really do. He's made an impressive impact on the Vegas Golden Knights organization, scoring 125 goals and 166 assists. The "Original Misfit" even won a Stanley Cup with the franchise. Plus, he's become a beloved figure in the Las Vegas community. However, some things must change for him.
He's only scored one goal and four assists since his return to Las Vegas. Smith has also taken 24 shots during his reunion tour, leaving some fans frustrated. In fact, his shooting percentage for March was only 5%. It's imperative that the "Misfit" gets going during the three-game road trip.
One game to watch for is April 6 against the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks are tied for seventh in allowing the most short-handed goals (seven). That could be where Smith strikes and rebounds for the Golden Knights.
3.) Keegan Kolesar
Both Barbashev and Smith had a goal in the past month minimum. Having them step up during the road trip is vital for maintaining the division lead. However, Keegan Kolesar's case is far more drastic.
The winger hasn't scored since February 27. He has three assists during that span, making him an absent figure. While the native of Brandon, Manitoba, has been an impressive forechecker and a physical presence, he must instigate the lower-line scoring.
