The Vegas Golden Knights head into their home game Sunday night against the New Jersey Devils leading the Pacific Division by two points over the Edmonton Oilers, thanks in large part to a veteran defense that has allowed the seventh-fewest goals in the league.
But the Golden Knights have given up five goals in each of their past two games, a 5-2 loss Monday at the Los Angeles Kings that saw Vegas allow four consecutive goals in the third period, and a 7-5 victory over Chicago on Thursday in which the Golden Knights struggled to hold on after building a 5-1 first-period lead.
For a team that is trying to win its second Stanley Cup in three years, coach Bruce Cassidy acknowledged his team, which has struggled with defense in front of its own net recently, needs to improve in that area heading into the stretch drive.
“Well, we have to,” Cassidy said. “It’s the slot battles, probably the most important battles in hockey, at both ends. You’ve got to control those areas. To me, that’s where you put out the fires in your own end.”
Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo agreed.
“Obviously, we’re giving up five (goals), which is not where we want our game,” Pietrangelo said. “I think if you look at us over the years, being a good defensive team is what makes us good. The goals will come off good defensive plays.”
Cassidy pointed to the Golden Knights’ first game this season against the Devils, a 3-1 victory in Newark, N.J., on Feb. 6, as an example of how his team needs to play defensively. The Golden Knights outshot New Jersey 40-15, including 32-10 over the final two periods.
“It was one of our better games,” Cassidy said. “We did a lot of things well that night. We ended up winning 3-1, and it wasn’t that close. Again, not being disrespectful to New Jersey, but we were on that night. I would expect that they will be much better (Sunday). They were off for whatever reason.”
The Devils, tied for second in the Metropolitan Division with Carolina with 72 points, scored twice in the third period to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 3-1 on Saturday in Salt Lake City and will play the second half of a back-to-back set.
Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Curtis Lazar scored for the Devils while goalie Nico Daws stopped 24 of 25 shots. New Jersey improved to 2-1 on a five-game road trip that will conclude Tuesday at Dallas.
Meier scored what proved to be the game-winner 14 seconds into the third period to break a 1-1 tie. It was his first goal in nine games, and just his second goal in the past 21 games.
“If you get chances, you know it’s going to come eventually,” Meier said. “You just have to keep working. You’re not going to score on every chance. You try to keep going and not get frustrated.”
Hischier’s first period goal against Utah was his 400th career point. He became the sixth Switzerland-born player to reach 400 NHL points, joining Roman Josi, Nino Niederreiter, Kevin Fiala, Mark Streit and Meier.
“It was a good effort,” Hischier said. “We played well from the get-go. We played really well through the whole lineup.”
