Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 | 2 a.m.
The Vegas Golden Knights are playing some of their best defensive hockey of the season.
In their last three games, they’ve outscored their opposition 8-3, including back-to-back games where Vegas allowed just one goal.
That stretch of three games includes a 1-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers, in which the Golden Knights were blistered by shots in the third period. Edmonton outshot Vegas, 16-2, in the third period of that game, but the Golden Knights did not break.
While Vegas has been playing winning hockey all season, this is the first time that it’s been playing a complete game, in the sense that its defense has matched its offense.
“Having our health is going to make us even that much better,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “You can distribute our minutes more evenly, and people will be slotted in where they can have the most success.”
A big reason why Vegas had such an uptick in defensive success is that it’s playing with a full roster consistently for the first time this season. From opening night, the Golden Knights already had names on the injury list, but now, nine weeks into their playing with a nearly complete lineup.
Defenseman Zach Whitecloud returned to practices this week and is expected to make his return against the Winnipeg Jets (Thursday) or Edmonton Oilers (Saturday).
With Whitecloud’s return on the horizon, nearly returning the unit to full health, the Golden Knights are slowly showing their true defensive identity.
This is where Cassidy has wanted the team to be since the beginning of the season, striving to be the “best defensive team in the Pacific Division.”
“We’ve taken it to heart that we needed to play better,” Cassidy said. “Coming out of the Colorado game, I don’t think we were good enough defensively even though we got a point up there. We knew after that road trip we had to tighten up.”
“Sometimes there’s enough veteran guys in there that a little video and a little work on the ice can go a long way.”
Success on defense has contributed to scoring on the other end of the ice. Just two defensemen have minus stats on the roster. Brayden McNabb has the highest plus/minus on the team at 18 and has just three points. His plus/minus total is the third-best in the league.
Shea Theodore has the fourth-highest point total with 22, which ranks eighth amongst defensemen in the league. Theodore is also leading the Golden Knights in minutes per game, averaging 22:24.
Earlier in the season, Vegas was sufficing three goals per game, but nearing the halfway point, its defensive unit really hit its stride.
“It starts with Hiller (Adin Hill), but our forward have done a great job being in the right spots and coming back,” Theodore said. “I don’t think we’ve given up a lot of rush goals, and that’s been key in slowing some of their (opponents) guys down.”
Between the pipes, Adin Hill is posting his best numbers of the season. In games against the Oilers and Stars, he has made 66 saves on 68 shots. He was also named to Team Canada for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
While he’s been tested in these last few games, Hill has met the challenge, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. He was named the third star of the NHL’s 3 Stars of the Week for his 1.00 goals against average and .971 save percentage in wins over Edmonton and Dallas.
“Hillsy’s been great. He’s always there,” Theodore said. “It’s good to see him get the nod for Team Canada. He’s been playing great, and hopefully, that will continue.”
The Golden Knights are hitting a high point, and they’ll be tested this week. They face the two best teams in the Central Division, Winnipeg and Minnesota, and the Oilers, for a third time, all on the road.
When it comes to predictions and another potential Stanley Cup run, the Central Division is Vegas’ biggest challenge. According to Money Puck, the Golden Knights have a 93.7% chance to make the playoffs but a 9% chance to make it to the Stanley Cup Final.
Dallas and Winnipeg both have higher odds, with Colorado and Minnesota following closely. The Pacific Division is also considered to be substantially weaker than the Central Division.
The start of the playoffs is still five months out, but Vegas has a chance to take out two of the best teams in the NHL, inch closer to a season sweep of the Oilers and continue proving that this team has hit its midseason form.