Vegas Clinches Playoff Spot in Their First NHL Season

I was wrong I have to admit it, in our final preview for each team back in October us members at Tailgate agreed to set up the preview in a format where we covered teams from the Original Six up to the most recent expansion teams. Although I gave Vegas kudos for creating a solid roster and should be a fun team to watch aside from the fact they were new to the league living in the city of sin, I predicted they wouldn’t be a playoff team. Instead, I fold my cards and I shove my chips into the middle and tell the city of Las Vegas, you win, and a job well done. The Golden Knights clinched a playoff spot Monday night after beating down the Colorado Avalanche 4-1, Vegas proved that they are indeed “Vegas Strong”. Since the tragic night of October 1^st during the Las Vegas mass shooting that killed 58 citizens, injured hundreds of other, and shook the entire city of Las Vegas, the team played each game with a little different kind of hunger. Not only did the Golden Knights shock the NHL world with their play but they brought the community closer and got them to buy in to what exactly they were trying to do each game, win and prove everybody else wrong. So, they did.

Vegas is the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their first season since the 1967-1968 expansion of the league. Not only have they earned that record, but they have also shattered records for most points by an expansion team, most home wins by an expansion team, and most road wins by an expansion team. I am sure there other records set as well but that is besides the fact now, fans and other organizations know they are a legitimate contender when the playoffs start in a couple weeks, and if you don’t believe in them, buy in.

The Knights have 103 points with a 48-21-7 record which is good for second place in the Western Conference while owning a six-point lead in the Pacific Division for the number one spot over the Sharks. There is only one team that Vegas hasn’t earned at least a point against this year and that is the New York Islanders who only play each other twice a year, they are third in team scoring in the entire league, and seventh in goals against.

William Karlsson is leading the team in goals with 40 and a league high plus/minus of +42. Karlsson has had an outstanding year in Vegas, and it doesn’t seem many people expected him to reach the heights he did but hey, good for him. Jonathan Marchessault leads the team in points with 72 (25+47=72), which is just three more total points than Karlsson. Marc-Andre Fleury has shined as the team’s starter in his age 33 season posting a 28-11-4 record in 43 games with a .931 save percentage and a 2.12 goals against average and four shutouts. Malcolm Subban who has served as the primary back-up for Vegas has an 11-3-2 record in 16 games as it finally seems he may live up to his first-round draft pick status.

There is no doubt Vegas has put together a fantastic first season in the NHL, and with the way their roster is compiled they have a lot of veterans with playoff experience including three-time Stanley Cup winner Marc-Andre Fleury. All this team needs to do is keep playing the way they have all season using their speed and relentless scoring come playoff time, having head coach Gerard Galant is most definitely an edge for the Knights. What won’t factor into being an edge for the Knights is the so-called “vegas-flu”, a term that has been dished out around the league hinting that when away teams come in with a day off before a game, perhaps some Las Vegas shenanigans are being done by the away team players. In the playoffs it is all business, and surely the Knights will be a fun team to watch in a couple of weeks.

Written by Nick Gendreau