Golden Knights face Anaheim Ducks before NHL Christmas break | Golden Knights

Christmas shopping in the Cassidy household is almost done. Bruce Cassidy isn’t taking credit for the packages that have arrived at his door every day for the past few weeks.

There’s one more early gift the Golden Knights coach wants before the team heads into the next three days – another win at T-Mobile Arena.

The Knights (22-8-3) will look to win their fourth straight game and eighth in their last nine games when they host the Anaheim Ducks (13-15-4) on Monday at 7 p.m.

The Knights have played 10 of 12 home games. So far, things have turned out the way the Knights hoped.

They took care of business in their first two games, outscoring their opponents 9-3 and securing two division wins in the process – Thursday against Vancouver and Saturday against Seattle.

Anaheim marks the third of a five-game series against Pacific Division teams, and the Knights can clinch the four-game season series with a win. The last meeting took place on December 4th in Anaheim, where goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov needed just 19 saves for a comfortable 4-1 victory.

Samsonov made a save in Saturday’s 6-2 win over the Kraken 21, paving the way for Adin Hill, who will likely return to the crease in search of his 15th win of the season (14-5-2).

“It’s human nature to sometimes downplay the level of opposition,” Cassidy said. “Are we looking forward? Yes, we are looking more forward to see where we are going, what the schedule is to allow for practice time and more than who the opponent is.”

The best way the Knights can kick off Christmas is with a full 60-minute performance. They allowed their first goal in five straight games and trailed by less than three minutes on Saturday.

Cast changes

The slow start forced Cassidy to make some changes at the front, including moving Pavel Dorofeyev and Victor Olofsson midway through the opening period.

The new-look top line-up of Brett Howden, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone responded with two of the Knights’ three goals in the first period. Eichel, Stone and Howden each had a plus 4.

Dorofeyev’s offense has dried up, he has now gone 10 games without a goal and only three assists in that span. Cassidy’s hope for getting Dorofeev to the top was to put him on the offensive.

Instead, it was Howden – now with 13 goals this season – who made the most of the opportunity.

Cassidy spoke to Dorofeev on Sunday and told him to keep playing through it. He said Dorofeev did a good job playing away from the puck and winning battles. Goals just don’t come true for him.

Dorofeev “is perceived as a goalscorer. “Scorers go through things when they don’t score,” Cassidy said. “He doesn’t cheat. You just have to stick with it and try not to force plays and I think maybe that’s what happened and you’re looking for easier ice.”

Cassidy felt the group responded well to the changes starting in the second period, but the Knights no longer want to make that a habit.

Especially considering where they stand in the standings.

Looking for separation

The Knights are two points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the top spot in the Western Conference and have two games left. Only the Washington Capitals (.719) have a better point rate in the league standings than the Knights (.712).

Getting closer to them would give the organization a nice Christmas.

“Games are of course very important in the division. “We want to create as much separation as possible,” said defender Nic Hague. “We’re still trying to get to our game and know where it can be. Every night is another step in that direction.”

Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.

Next

Who: Ducks at Golden Knights

When: Monday, 7 p.m

Where: T-Mobile Arena

TV: KMCC-34

Radio: KKGK (1340 AM, 98.9 FM)

Line: Knight -340; a total of 6½