The Vegas Golden Knights (6-1-0) enter play tonight sitting second in the Pacific Division. The away team, the Chicago Blackhawks (5-2-2) are also sitting second place but in the Central Division. This could be the Golden Knights’ biggest challenge yet.
The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-2 win against the struggling Arizona Coyotes. The Golden Knights, on the other hand, won 3-2 in overtime thanks Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.
Although the Golden Knights battled hard to the end Saturday and came out on top, they lost goaltender Malcolm Subban, who sustained a lower-body injury midway through the third period and is expected to miss at least a month.
Although the season is still early, this game could prove if the Golden Knights are legit, or are just a fluke.
Here’s what we need to watch for..
How Will Oscar Dansk perform in his first NHL start?
Golden Knights fans got their first look at the rookie Oscar Dansk and he did not disappoint. Dansk made 10 saves on 11 shots, including five of those in overtime.
Dansk will now be the Golden Knights No. 1 goalie for the foreseeable future and will hope to keep up the best start for an expansion team in NHL history.
Dansk signed a one-year contract with the Golden Knights this summer, and now is the time to prove that he deserves a spot in the NHL.
Can the Golden Knights keep Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews off the scoresheets?
The Golden Knights have not seen many players with the high-caliber scoring attack that Toews and Kane bring to the ice.
Kane has started the season right where he left off with 11 points in nine games (four goals, seven assists). Toews has tallied eight points.
If the Golden Knights want to make this a memorable experience for Dansk in his first NHL start, the defense will have to be at its best.
Have the Golden Knights finally found an answer to their power play?
The Golden Knights scored two power-play goals Saturday. That’s as many as they scored in the six games prior. Colin Miller and Reilly Smith’s goals were the difference makers that gave the Golden Knights their sixth win of the season.
The Golden Knights currently sit 25th in the league with a 13.8 percent power-play percentage. Chicago’s penalty kill unit is one of the strongest in the NHL, so this will prove to be a strong test for Vegas. But if they get those opportunities with the man advantage, it is imperative Vegas capitalizes if they want any chance at winning this game.
How to watch
When: 7 p.m. PT
TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, NHL.TV
Radio: Fox Sports 98.9 FM/1340 AM