Knights on Ice — Santa Has Already Come To Town

There’s no other explanation as to what’s going on at T-Mobile –other than Santa is filling Christmas stockings with one Vegas Golden Knights gift after another.

Back-to-back Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins come to town and Santa put some coal in their stockings, sending them packing with a loss. Adding insult to injury, former Penguins’ goaltender Fleury shuts them down, allowing only one goal.

Then the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning arrive. Santa was delayed in Strip traffic and didn’t show up until after the first period when Tampa Bay scored two goals. But once he did, he surprise the Lightning with three unanswered goals. And to really crush their Christmas spirits, he allowed them to tie the game late in the third period, only to see Vegas score with 2.3 seconds left in the game, leaving Tampa Bay under the mistletoe with no one to kiss.

Last night, the Washington Capitals took on Santa and the VGK. The last two seasons, the Capitals have earned the President Trophy, which is awarded to the team that accumulates the most points in the 82-game season —120 points in 2015-2016 and 118 points in the 2016-2017. That averages out to 1.45 points per game. This year the VGK have 48 points in 34 games, which works out to be an average of 1.41 points per game. Yes, your first year expansion team is on pace for contending for this trophy in their first year. I know everyone is saying they’re playing way over their heads and this will soon come to an end. Oh yeah? It’s 34 games into an 82-game season, so when, exactly, is this supposed to end?

I don’t know; no one does, of course. But here’s what I will share with you. Enjoy this ride, because the VGK are the talk of the NHL. No longer are teams smiling when they land in Las Vegas. They know if they’re not prepared, they’ll be smoked early by the VGK’s overwhelming speed.

Their fast starts and overall velocity have led to seventh times in the 18 home games that they’ve scored in the first 10 minutes. They’ve won all seven of those games. And last night, the VGK had the first 10 of the 12 shots taken in the game—against the President Trophy holders.

Indeed, Vegas scored three goals in the first 14:55 of the game, so fast they had Washington wondering what just happened. Here’s what happened: The VGK is not your normal expansion team; they work hard, there are no superstars, they play as a team, and they’re coached well.

Tuch scored at 2:37. Lindberg scored at 7:39.Karlsson scored at 14:55. They held the Caps scoreless on four Power Play chances.

Marc-Andre Fleury recorded his first-ever shutout with the VGK, making 26 saves. He had 44 shutouts in 13 seasons with the Penguins. Since returning from his injury, Fleury has given up all of four goals in three games.

Once again, the third goal in a 2-0 game was important goal. Last night, it took away whatever wind the Caps were trying to catch in their sails. The 3-0 final could have easily been 6-0, as Washington’s goaltender Braden Holtby kept it close.

The Stanley Cup champion Penguins came. The Stanley Cup finalist Predators came. The league-leading Lightning came. The back-to-back President Trophy Capitals came.

And they all left Las Vegas with the same result: nothing in their Christmas stockings.

The VGK are now on a four-game winning streak; they’ve won eight of the last nine games.

When you look at the top teams in the NHL this season, St. Louis, Chicago, L.A.,  Winnipeg, San Jose, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay all have something in common. They’ve all come to T-Mobile in Las Vegas and have all left with a loss.

I don’t know if you believe in Santa, but if you do, you can bet your shiny red nose that he’s a VGK fan.  on it.

The next game is on the road Wednesday in Anaheim.