The Vegas Golden Knights have shined brightest when their backs are against the wall. This statistic shows their acumen under pressure.
The Vegas Golden Knights have mastered the art of the comeback. They've won 14 games after trailing, putting them tied for the top at 51 points. However, there's another statistic that shows they're better when the pressure's on.
A +28 goal differential that leads the NHL? It's no wonder the Golden Knights have plenty of come-from-behind wins this season. They've turned it up in the third period, making them a threat to steal the game. Friday's game against the San Jose Sharks was no different as the Golden Knights doubled them up, 6-3.
Here's the situation, dear reader. The Sharks entered the third period up, 3-2. The Golden Knights are out of sorts, giving up the puck and letting Adin Hill get hammered. It only gets worse when Alexander Holtz gets called for a tripping call against Alex Wennberg. But a funny thing happened.
It started with a turnover, leading to a Brayden McNabb toe-drag goal. A short-handed goal is always a good thing, right? What's even better is another short-handed goal, where Jack Eichel scored the game-winner. The rest, as they say, is history.
It's been a part of Bruce Cassidy's mantra for the team this season. Whether they allowed the first goal or found themselves down after two periods (6-7-0 record), Cassidy's club has found ways to overcome the odds. But Friday's game isn't the first time the Golden Knights have pulled out an impressive win.
The comeback has been the go-to weapon for the Vegas Golden Knights
On December 12, the Vegas Golden Knights were down against the Winnipeg Jets, 2-1. They were about to lose their first matchup in seven contests against the Jets, being walled by the great Connor Hellebuyck. Then a funny thing happened.
Gabriel Vilardi and Dylan DeMelo get called for tripping penalties 13 seconds apart in the third period. It led to a game-tying goal from Victor Olofsson on the power play with 1:49 left. The Golden Knights would win the game on an Ivan Barbashev overtime winner. After that came two short-handed goals, one by Brayden McNabb and the other by Jack Eichel.
Another example is on October 25 against the Ottawa Senators. Tanner Pearson draws an interference penalty against Nick Cousins, leading to a power play. It also leads to "fun must be always," as Tomas Hertl scored the game-tying goal. Keegan Kolesar followed that up with the go-ahead goal, giving the Golden Knights a crucial win.
The point? Bruce Cassidy's team knows how to find the equalizer through drawing penalties. When a team's hustling to preserve a lead, the Golden Knights smell blood and act accordingly. Veteran players like Eichel and Pearson know when to get calls, making life easier for the special teams. The result? Third-period magic that leads to wins.
It goes back to discipline
As mentioned earlier, the Golden Knights are more disciplined because of Cassidy's style. Instead of playing desperation hockey, he instills a combination of wearing down the opponent and forcing the opponent into mental mistakes. It leads to opportunities like the Nick Cousins penalty or the turnovers against San Jose.
Coming back from adverse situations also galvanizes a team. If you can handle being down by a goal late in the game, you can handle anything. That's the mentality the Golden Knights have this season, which is creating some opportunistic wins.
Bits like this make them a Stanley Cup contender this season, taking that momentum into the Stanley Cup playoffs. That goes back to a newfound focus on getting the details right, whether it's provoking the opponent to trip you or turn the puck over. Who knows? Maybe they'll get another celebration on the Las Vegas Strip come June.
