Golden Knights Look to Rebound Against Blackhawks After Costly Collapse

Golden Knights Aim for Redemption After Loss to Kings

The Vegas Golden Knights (32-20-6, 70 points) are looking to rebound after a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, a game where they surrendered four unanswered goals in the third period.

Vegas still holds a two-point lead over the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division, but head coach Bruce Cassidy was critical of his team’s performance, particularly how they failed to close out the game after leading 2-1 entering the final period.

“You play losing hockey, you usually lose. That’s what happened,” Cassidy said.

After reviewing the tape, Cassidy was clear that he would not simply move on from the loss. He emphasized that closing out tight games must be a strength for the team, especially as they push toward the playoffs.

Players Demand More from Themselves

Defenseman Braydon McNabb, who scored one of Vegas’ two goals, said the team needs to hold itself accountable.

Captain Mark Stone, who gave Vegas a 2-1 lead late in the second period, also called for improvement, stressing that the team must learn from the defeat and “do a better job” moving forward.

Home Ice Advantage Could Help Vegas Bounce Back

The Golden Knights now have an opportunity to turn things around with their next five games at home, starting with Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks (17-37-5, 39 points).

Vegas has a strong home record of 20-6-3, while Chicago has been the worst road team in the NHL (6-19-4). The Blackhawks are also on a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) and have won just one of their last eight games (1-5-2).

Blackhawks Struggling to Show Progress

Chicago enters the game coming off a 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.

Seth Jones scored a power-play goal in the first period, giving the Blackhawks an early lead.
Clayton Keller tied the game in the second period, and Lawson Crouse scored the game-winner with under eight minutes left.
Goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 34 saves, delivering one of his best performances of the season.

Interim head coach Anders Sorensen acknowledged the team’s struggles in creating offensive chances, noting that Utah’s defense made it difficult for Chicago to find space.

Seth Jones Frustrated with Lack of Progress

Following the loss, Seth Jones voiced his frustration with the team’s inability to improve.

With Chicago sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings, the defenseman stressed that the team has failed to take steps forward in simplifying their game and playing more effectively.

Chicago’s Rare Win Over Vegas in January

Despite their struggles, the Blackhawks did beat the Golden Knights 5-3 on Jan. 18, in what remains one of their few bright spots this season.

Tyler Bertuzzi scored two power-play goals
Seth Jones had a goal and two assists
Vegas outshot Chicago 42-27 but failed to capitalize on chances

The Golden Knights will need to avoid a repeat of that performance if they want to get back on track.

Keys to Victory for Vegas

Stronger Third-Period Play: The meltdown against Los Angeles was costly, and Vegas must improve in closing out games.
Capitalize on Chicago’s Weak Road Play: The Blackhawks have only six road wins all season and struggle to maintain leads.
Test Chicago’s Goaltending: Despite Soderblom’s solid game on Tuesday, Chicago allows too many high-danger scoring chances.

With Edmonton closing in on them in the standings, the Golden Knights cannot afford another costly slip-up. Expect Vegas to come out with a determined effort to put the Kings’ loss behind them and take advantage of a struggling opponent.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Chicago Blackhawks Picks and Predictions February 27th 2025