The Golden Knights open a three-game road trip at league-co-leading Winnipeg on Thursday night, with follow-up games in Edmonton and Minnesota
LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights have won three straight and seven of nine, they lead the Pacific Division, they're sitting third in the Western Conference, and they're tied with the fourth-most points in the league.
A showdown with league co-leading Winnipeg takes place Thursday night, and according to coach Bruce Cassidy, his troops are programmed to win.
"It's tougher to describe than you think, but programmed to win means you prepare appropriately," Cassidy said before the Knights left for a rugged three-game trip that will also tour through Edmonton and Minneapolis. "You don't sit around and enjoy a win any more than you have to. You're getting ready for the next one."
This seems to have been the right approach for a very streaky team since opening night.
Upon winning a game, the Golden Knights have won a second straight or more every time other than one occasion.
The Golden Knights opened the season with three straight wins, and since then have enjoyed streaks of four games (Oct. 22-28), two games (Nov. 2-6 and Nov. 13-15), three games (Nov. 21-25) and the current three-game streak they're on since Dec. 3. The only time they've sandwiched a win with losses was Nov. 29, when they beat Winnipeg, 4-3, in Las Vegas.
Tonight, the Jets are looking for revenge.
And Cassidy knows his team, which is tied for fourth since Nov. 21 in allowing just 2.33 goals per game, can't rest on laurels.
"You don't assume because you won on Friday night, that you're going to carry that over to the next game," he said. "So you get yourself ready to win and prepare properly."
As in, being programmed to win.
As a coach, Cassidy said while he's let his players enjoy the current 7-1-1 win streak, he also stays demanding to bring out the best in one of the league's most talented rosters, one that happens to be getting healthy in time for a tough junket.
"I think guys that are programmed to win hate losing more than they like winning," Cassidy added. "They can't stand losing. So you know when that happens, they're right back into, 'Let's fix this mode.' I think that's what good teams do.
"I think you avoid those long losing streaks when you're programmed to win. Your expectation is to win ... a little more focused the next time out. You don't let things slide."