The West’s most prolific scorer other than Connor McDavid since February 1 is Vegas’ Reilly Smith. 

With 22 points (nine goals) in 15 contests, Smith has now registered 60 points in 65 games. As with many of the Golden Knights, this campaign has produced a career high for the age 26, six-year vet who previously topped out at 51 points with the Bruins in 2013-14. As another testament to Vegas’ high-powered offense, Smith should easily eclipse his previous high mark for shots on goal currently sporting a total of 160 that’s barely behind his 173 shot 2015-16 with the Panthers.

Earning more accolades, the Knights’ top line of Smith, William Karlsson, and Jonathan Marchessault, the NHL’s most prolific since February 1, outpace the NHL’s next-best line in that time period (Philly’s Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, and Travis Konecny) by nine points, 37 to 28.

Each linemate also boasts terrific stats in the recent past. Karlsson’s on a 15-point tear in the last 13 games, while Marchessault’s racked up 11 points in his previous eight contests.

So how far will they go in the playoffs? How much would you put down on them, now at 42-18-5, to take the Cup? We are far beyond the point where we can attribute their 89 points in the standings to visiting players contracting the “Vegas Flu”. Their 24-7-2 home record is surely impressive, but their 18-11-3 mark off Knights’ ice is more than solid, and makes you wonder how they might hold up in extended postseason series.

While Nashville (42-14-9) holds a four point lead over them in the conference with 17 games remaining on the schedule for each squad, Vegas sits second in the West, ten points ahead of their nearest Pacific Division challenger San Jose (35-21-9).

With most of the Central Division (other than the Blackhawks at this point) in the thick of the playoff hunt, and four of its seven squads (Colorado, St. Louis, Dallas, and Minnesota) within four points of each other angling for the final division slot and two wild card spots, there’s no front runner to be found. Add in the Pacific Division’s four-way, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Calgary logjam immediately behind Vegas and the playoff race grows even murkier. Just four teams appear out of the West race – Chicago, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Arizona.

So it’s anyone’s guess who Vegas will take on, whether they hold on to the West’s second spot or not.

While the postseason is a very different animal, briefly looking at the Knights’ record against other squads this year might help us gauge which teams give them trouble and which haven’t as much. Add in that many of these games occurred during Vegas’ earlier injured goalie parade and perhaps the previous records mean even less, but what the heck?

They have losing records against only four teams – Philly, the Islanders, the Wild, and Detroit. Since three of those are in the East and we’re looking at the West here, Minnesota’s the only potential pre-Finals squad qualifying using this admittedly flawed criteria. And what do you know? They currently stand in the seventh playoff spot with the top Wild Card in the West. “If the season were to end today” that’s your first round match-up – Wild versus Golden Knights. So let’s check out their previous games…

Minnesota has won both, and they next clash on March 16 in their final meeting on the regular schedule. In their first contest, the Wild rallied putting three goals past Malcolm Subban in the third period to win on November 30 at home 4-2. Not a noticeable difference in shots with Minnesota registering 32 to Vegas’ 31.

Devan Dubnyk was in net and, after having yielded six goals to the Blues in their previous contest, and 18 goals total in their prior four tilts, this game marked a long period of improved results (marred by mid-December injury and a few clunkers since). The Wild also had a few more hits than Vegas (9-6), did better on faceoffs (56% – 44%), and blocked 18 shots to the Knights’ 12. No one scored on the power play. Eric Staal was particularly potent that night with two goals and winning 73% of his faceoffs.

Staal again starred as Minnesota took the second game 5-2 on February 2. His two goals and an assist led the Wild, along with Jonas Brodin’s three helpers and Matt Dumba’s two, as they extended their home point streak to ten games. Vegas had set the record for wins by a first-year expansion team with 34 after defeating Winnipeg the previous evening.

Coach Gerard Gallant said the team looked tired that evening in Minnesota, as Subban made 31 saves. Dubnyk faced 24 shots, tied for Vegas’ third least total on the year. Minnesota edged them on faceoffs 52% to 48%, but Vegas got in more hits (18-13). Both teams scored twice on the man advantage. Maybe the Knights had some type of St. Paul sickness, or perhaps they caught something in Manitoba.

Common denominators? Both road games. No Fleury in net. Eric Staal on fire. Will the Flower be Vegas’ secret sauce on home ice if they play Minnesota in round one or otherwise? So many ifs… and so much more to determine before the playoffs. At least we’ll get to see them face off in Vegas in about two weeks when the playoff picture might be clearer.

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