Are the Las Vegas Golden Knights Ready for the Playoffs?
The Las Vegas Golden Knights are still searching for their first championship and some believe it will happen in 2023.
The Knights are currently leading their division with 28 wins, 15 losses, and 58 points. That means unless the team experiences a last-second breakdown, they will likely make the postseason.
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What happens when they get there is the bigger question here. Will the Knights be the same team that has run roughshod around some of the league’s toughest opponents? Or will they be dominated by the few teams that have managed to beat them? These are all things to consider.
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The Knights' 58 points this season is the fifth-best points total in the league. The Bruins actually lead that stat with 72 points scored, creating a nice gap. If you look at the Bruin’s GA stat, you see they have only allowed 93 goals. Compare that to Las Vegas allowing 130, and you see a stark contrast in defense.
The Bruins aren’t the only team that trumps Las Vegas in that category, as 12 other organizations also beat them. As for their total goals, they sit with 147, making them 12th. How are the Golden Knights going to accomplish anything if they are middle of the pack when it comes to key stats like this?
Related: Last week in Las Vegas sports news
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The Knights do have some good stats, however. One of their best is penalty minutes which is good enough for the best in the league. This implies that the Golden Knights are very disciplined compared to their competition. That could end up being a deciding factor in the playoffs.
The only problem is that Las Vegas is only 16th in penalty kill minutes. That means the Golden Knights aren’t capitalizing on their shorthand opportunities and ganging up for a goal. If they aren’t able to improve that number, it could make getting past the first round difficult.
How bad are they at power-play points? They again sit in the middle of the pack here. Now, none of this means that the Knights aren’t a great team. They just lack a capable offense.
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Source. YouTube[/caption]
Las Vegas needs to keep their players healthy and hope that their goalie combination holds up. Both of those are pretty big ifs, especially compared with their unproven track record. In fact, the Jets, the Stars, the Wild, and the Bruins all have allowed fewer goals this season.
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There is one thing that Las Vegas has, however. Something that could make it very difficult for an opponent to beat them in the playoffs. Las Vegas is one of the only teams in playoff contention with a nine-game winning streak. Some of these came against the very opponents the team could face for the Stanley Cup.
For example, the Knights are 2-0 against the Maple Leafs, 3-0 against the Jets, and 1-1 against the Bruins.
On the other hand, they are 1-1 against the Kraken, 0-1 against the Stars, and 0-1 against the Flames. This is why Las Vegas is very much a mixed bag. Their lackluster stats could be the downfall of the team.
Next: Things the Las Vegas Raiders fanbase deserves to be angry about
The Knights are currently leading their division with 28 wins, 15 losses, and 58 points. That means unless the team experiences a last-second breakdown, they will likely make the postseason.
How will the Las Vegas Golden Knights do in the playoffs?
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Source. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1217156458912211&set=pb.100018536063121.-2207520000.&type=3[/caption]What happens when they get there is the bigger question here. Will the Knights be the same team that has run roughshod around some of the league’s toughest opponents? Or will they be dominated by the few teams that have managed to beat them? These are all things to consider.
A look at Las Vegas' season stats
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Source. YouTube[/caption]The Knights' 58 points this season is the fifth-best points total in the league. The Bruins actually lead that stat with 72 points scored, creating a nice gap. If you look at the Bruin’s GA stat, you see they have only allowed 93 goals. Compare that to Las Vegas allowing 130, and you see a stark contrast in defense.
The Bruins aren’t the only team that trumps Las Vegas in that category, as 12 other organizations also beat them. As for their total goals, they sit with 147, making them 12th. How are the Golden Knights going to accomplish anything if they are middle of the pack when it comes to key stats like this?
Related: Last week in Las Vegas sports news
Another problem for the Knights
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The Knights do have some good stats, however. One of their best is penalty minutes which is good enough for the best in the league. This implies that the Golden Knights are very disciplined compared to their competition. That could end up being a deciding factor in the playoffs.
The only problem is that Las Vegas is only 16th in penalty kill minutes. That means the Golden Knights aren’t capitalizing on their shorthand opportunities and ganging up for a goal. If they aren’t able to improve that number, it could make getting past the first round difficult.
How bad are they at power-play points? They again sit in the middle of the pack here. Now, none of this means that the Knights aren’t a great team. They just lack a capable offense.
Biggest what-ifs
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Source. YouTube[/caption]Las Vegas needs to keep their players healthy and hope that their goalie combination holds up. Both of those are pretty big ifs, especially compared with their unproven track record. In fact, the Jets, the Stars, the Wild, and the Bruins all have allowed fewer goals this season.
Why Las Vegas might be a mixed bag in the playoffs
[caption id="attachment_23291" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
Source. YouTube.[/caption]There is one thing that Las Vegas has, however. Something that could make it very difficult for an opponent to beat them in the playoffs. Las Vegas is one of the only teams in playoff contention with a nine-game winning streak. Some of these came against the very opponents the team could face for the Stanley Cup.
For example, the Knights are 2-0 against the Maple Leafs, 3-0 against the Jets, and 1-1 against the Bruins.
On the other hand, they are 1-1 against the Kraken, 0-1 against the Stars, and 0-1 against the Flames. This is why Las Vegas is very much a mixed bag. Their lackluster stats could be the downfall of the team.
Next: Things the Las Vegas Raiders fanbase deserves to be angry about