Monday Morning Headlines: Golden Knights Aim For Fourth Consecutive Win As Pacific Division Foes Falter

On this week's edition of Monday Morning Headlines, we take a look at the current Pacific Division standings, how the Vegas Golden Knights can manage Shea Theodore's injury and how former Golden Knights are doing around the NHL.

The Golden Knights faced off against the Vancouver Canucks in their first game back after the 4 Nations Face-Off. The month of January wasn't too kind to the Golden Knights and although the start of February was a bit rocky, the Golden Knights had turned the corner a bit before the break. 

The Golden Knights' 3-1 win marked their third consecutive and separated themselves by just two points from the Edmonton Oilers for the Pacific Division lead. While the Golden Knights look to be trending in the right direction, the Oilers are heading in the opposite. They're losers of their last three games and have three difficult opponents on their schedule in the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, all of which will be played on the road. 

The Golden Knights can't influence the results of the Oilers' fixtures but can take care of their own business.  Vegas will play the Los Angeles Kings on the road before returning home for a five-game homestand. If they can take advantage of home ice, they might be able to separate themselves in the standings just a bit. Doing so without Theodore could be difficult but a team with aspirations of winning a Stanley Cup will need to find a way to manage a major injury.

Kaedan Korczak stepped into the lineup against the Canucks and played a solid game which should feed some confidence into the coaching staff and management that he can play every night while Theodore recovers.

Former Golden Knights

Toronto Maple Leafs' Max Pacioretty suffered another injury, adding to the incredibly long list. He's played in 37 games with the Maple Leafs, scoring five goals and 13 points. In this new stage of his career, the 36-year-old has added a physical element to his game, throwing 105 hits. The game has looked a bit too quick for him at times when he's played higher in the lineup, but he has been effective when playing in the bottom six. 

Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki snapped a three-game pointless drought but remains on an eight-game goalless drought. Despite the recent struggles, the Golden Knights' 13th overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft has scored 15 goals and 54 points in 57 games. 

Ottawa Senators' Michael Amadio and David Perron continue to struggle in Ottawa, and the team's recent play has suffered. In the midst of a playoff push, the Senators have lost four games in a row, all of which were in regulation. Perron has scored just one goal and four points in 19 games, and Amadio's season has been just as poor. He's recorded a measly five goals and 14 points in 47 games. 

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