Golden Knights vs Blackhawks: Vegas seeks reset in Chicago

Golden Knights look to reset in Chicago as small mistakes test identity

The Vegas Golden Knights enter Sunday night still searching for traction after another tight loss underscored how thin the margin has become.

Vegas (17-10-11, 45 points) visits the Chicago Blackhawks (16-18-7, 39 points) at United Center as part of its first road trip of the new year, sitting second in the Pacific Division, one point behind Edmonton and tied on points with Anaheim. The Golden Knights have lost four straight games in regulation, with two of those losses coming by one goal, while allowing a season-low 19 shots in each of their last two games.

After Friday’s 4-3 loss in St. Louis, head coach Bruce Cassidy was blunt about what continues to separate Vegas from results.

“Good teams find ways to win,” Cassidy said postgame Friday. “Right now, we’re finding ways to lose.”

Identity under pressure

The Golden Knights have not strayed far statistically from their foundation. They remain among the league leaders in shot suppression and continue to play low-event games. What has slipped is execution at decisive moments.

“Three of their goals started directly as a result of us having the puck on our stick,” Cassidy said after the loss to the Blues. “You’ve got to take care of the puck a little better.”

That message carried into Saturday’s practice, where Cassidy stressed staying disciplined rather than chasing offense to compensate for recent results.

“We still give up under 20 shots,” he said Saturday. “I don’t want us to get away from our game because we got some bad breaks and say, ‘Okay, we’ve got to outscore teams every night.’ That’s when you start cheating.”

Defenseman Kaedan Korczak echoed that sentiment, noting that breakdowns have been more situational than structural.

“We’re just finding ways to lose games right now,” Korczak said Friday. “Simple mistakes that we’re usually on top of are ending up in the back of our net.”

The dads’ trip factor

Sunday’s game also comes during the Golden Knights’ annual dads’ trip, a tradition that has historically coincided with strong road play. Entering this trip, Vegas owned an 11-0-1 all-time record in games played with the dads in attendance, though that streak snapped Friday in St. Louis.

Still, the presence of family has helped steady the group during a frustrating stretch.

“It keeps the mood light,” defenseman Zach Whitecloud said Saturday. “It gives you perspective on how lucky we are to do this job, even when results aren’t going your way.”

Cassidy added that the trip often reinforces connection and focus, even amid adversity.

“Our guys are always excited for it, and I think the dads are too,” he said.

What to watch

Pavel Dorofeyev has quietly been one of Vegas’ most consistent offensive drivers. The winger leads the Golden Knights in points over the last five games and has scored 16 goals on the season, including a third-period goal Friday that tied the game in St. Louis.

Mark Stone remains a catalyst as well, with 11 goals and 32 points in 23 games, while Vegas continues to generate offense by committee rather than relying on extended-zone play.

Vegas is 2-9-7 when trailing after two periods but is tied for the league lead with six third-period comebacks, underscoring both its resilience and the importance of starting on time.