‘Huge homestand’: 7 straight games at T-Mobile Arena crucial for Knights

By Justin Emerson

Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 | 2 a.m.

If there was ever time to do it — to go on a run, to create separation in the division standings, to evolve into the team everyone thought the Golden Knights would be — this is it.

The Golden Knights are one game into a seven-game homestand, the best chance to date for Vegas to bank points in the standings and solidify itself as a playoff team. The second game is noon Tuesday against Anaheim — hours before the Strip closes for New Year's Eve.

“It’s a huge homestand. We’ve had a pretty tough schedule over the last month and a half, so we’ve got to take advantage of this time because we’re going to be heading out on the road right after,” forward Mark Stone said. “These seven games are important. We want to make sure we’re using it and using it wisely.”

He’s not wrong.

The Golden Knights have made two trips to the Central time zone or further and played four sets of back-to-backs in December alone. They get a reprieve now, not traveling for two weeks and not playing another back-to-back until March.

It’s a bit of a scheduling oddity, with seven games in a row at home followed by a four-game road trip, the All-Star break, a bye week and another four-game trip. The Golden Knights will play at home on Jan. 11, then not again until Feb. 8.

“You’ve got to make sure you’re winning your games at home,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s been a good building to us, but we’ve got to start playing a lot better hockey in our own building.”

The Golden Knights’ road record hasn’t fluctuated much in three seasons. In Year 1, they were 22-14-5 away from T-Mobile Arena and 19-20-2 the next season. This year, they are 10-8-3, on pace to split the difference between the two.

The difference in home record has been noticeable. From 29-10-2 in the first year to 24-12-5 last, the Golden Knights are 11-7-3 after Saturday’s win against Arizona. It’s not terrible, but it’s below the pace of both the previous seasons.

“We’ve not been as good as we want to be at home, and it’s on us to be better right now,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said.

The Golden Knights were in the same spot last year — in the playoffs at the end December, but with little room for error in the standings. Then they went on a 10-1 run in February and March last season, and suddenly the only question was which seed Vegas would get.

If the win over Arizona on Saturday was any indication, maybe another string of wins run starts during the longest homestand of the season. Now seems like a good time.

“Just to get that win was more important,” forward Paul Stastny said. “We have that long homestand, we’ll have a little more rest in between and we’ve got to be ready to go to establish ourselves on home ice.”

Justin Emerson can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Justin on Twitter at twitter.com/@j15emerson.