Looking back is usually not a good thing, as we should always look forward, think positive, and leave the bad behind. But the beginning of this season, especially the first five games, wasn’t what we were hoping for with the VGK. They had a very disappointing loss in their home opener vs. Philadelphia, then embarked on a five-game east coast road trip, their longest of the season. After their fourth game, they had one lone victory, a shoot-out win against Minnesota, before Saturday’s afternoon game in Philadelphia. We all held our breath and hoped for something positive to end what so far had been a disastrous road trip.
Boy oh boy! Did we get what we asked for with Marc-André Fleury’s amazing performance in shutting out the Flyers.
Prior to Fleury’s performance, the fans were beginning to circle the wagons in panic back home in Las Vegas. The social media pages were on fire with fans ready to jump from the Stratosphere tower without a bungee cord attached to them. Granted, a good portion of the VGK fan base consists of new hockey fans and they may have been a little spoiled, considering the magical run that the Golden Knights treated us all to last season. Seasoned hockey fans try not to take this emotional rollercoaster ride that all teams experience in various parts of the season.
But let’s take a look back at the results of the VGK’s first road trip early last season. It was a six-game journey to the east coast and the result was eerily similar to the one the Knights just finished: They lost four games, won one, and lost a heartbreaker in a shootout to Toronto, for a total of three points. In this year’s five-game trip, the VGK won two games and lost three for a total of four points. In the 2017-18 road trip, the Knights scored 18 goals and surrendered 25 in the six games. This year, they scored only nine goals and surrendered 14.
Even with the horrible 2017-18 road trip, the team wound up with 51 wins, won three playoff rounds, and captured the Western Conference Championship. This year’s road trip, even as bad as it was, was better than what the team experienced last year.
Looking back on last year’s road trip, don’t you feel like your premature panic attack over the last 10 days was unwarranted? Your VGK are a good team that has finished their longest road trip of this season and is in better shape than it was last year. And we all know how last year worked out.
Put away the sharp objects and attach a bungee cord to yourself if you’re at the Stratosphere. Your NHL hockey team is poised to make another deep run and they need your support.
Only look back if you have to. In this case, it’s okay.
Tomorrow’s game vs. Buffalo is the start of the longest home stand for the Knights this season. Looking forward from here is what every VGK fan should be doing.
Go Knights Go!
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