Knights, Avs aim to continue surprising starts (Oct 27, 2017)
LAS VEGAS -- Two teams that are exceeding preseason expectations square off Friday afternoon when the Vegas Golden Knights host the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights (7-1-0) have won four games in row, including a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, during the best start for an expansion team in the NHL's 100-year history.
A win over the Avalanche would match the longest win streak (five) by any team during its inaugural season, a mark set by the New York Rangers in 1926-27 and equaled by Edmonton Oilers in 1979-80.
"It's been unbelievable," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. "Everything has gone our way. Whoever is playing with our group, it's not all about skill and talent, it's about how hard they've worked."
Colorado (5-4-0) is coming off a 48-point season that was the worst for a team in the salary-cap era. The Avalanche snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over Dallas on Tuesday night.
"They're a good team obviously," Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon, the 2014 Calder Trophy winner, said of the Golden Knights. "Obviously, they're surprising everybody in the league. I think we've surprising some people as well. We're 5-4. We felt like we've played some good hockey, too, and we hope to continue that on Friday."
Vegas has lost only once during its historic start -- 6-3 to Detroit at home on Oct. 13 -- despite playing three different goaltenders because of injury.
Starter Marc-Andre Fleury sustained a concussion late in the second period of the loss to the Red Wings. He took a knee to the head from Anthony Mantha during a goalmouth scramble but remained in the game, uncharacteristically allowing four third-period goals.
Backup Malcolm Subban took over and won the next two games before sustaining a lower-body injury in the third period of a 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
Oscar Dansk, who began the year in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, finished that game up and is scheduled to make his second consecutive start on Friday.
"I don't think we have (many) superstars here, but we just find a way and work hard and support each other," Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault said. "I think we're finding our identity as a team right now."
"To be honest, it doesn't feel like we're an expansion team," said left winger Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who played three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers before being selected by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft. "I know there's a lot of talk about it. The organization was smart. We have a lot of character in the locker room.
"We just try to work every game, shift after shift. Some nights maybe that won't work. but so far it has for seven of them."
The Friday contest is the final game of a seven-game homestand for the Golden Knights, who begin a six-game East Coast road trip on Monday night at the New York Islanders.
Vegas will wear its white road uniforms at home for the first time this season in honor of Nevada Day, a state-recognized public holiday celebrated on the final Friday of October every year to recognize the state's admission to the union.
Seemingly the only thing not going the way of the Golden Knights so far this season is the signing of Russian center Vadim Shipachyov. The team granted permission to Shipachyov's agent to seek a trade, according to multiple media reports.
Shipachyov, who signed a two-year, $9 million contract in May, was assigned to AHL Chicago to open the season. After being recalled Oct. 14, he scored the game-winner in his NHL debut. Shipachyov then went without a point in his next two games and was assigned back to Chicago on Tuesday.
