Going into their biggest game of the season, the Vegas Golden Knights mindset is to make one more play than the Dallas Stars.
Going into their biggest game of the season, the Vegas Golden Knights mindset is to make one more play than the Dallas Stars.
Through the first six games of the series, each game has been decided by a goal or two goals with the second goal coming with an empty net, meaning each game has been decided by one play. The Golden Knights live and die by this motto and will do so in Game 7.
They understand they'll spend shifts taking a lot of pressure from the Stars but will try to bend and not break. They've always been a team that believes in quality shots and not quantity and will wait for the right opportunity to be aggressive.
Jack Eichel has been a player who's been able to make that one play that decides a game and he spoke about the team's mindset.
"Every game's been a one-goal game with an empty net here and there, it's been a tight-checking series with a margin of victory being so small and it usually comes down to a play," said Eichel. "I imagine it'll be the same tonight, especially with the Game 7 and we obviously want to be on the right side of it. We've got to make one more play than they do. That's it really. Find a way to win a hockey game. That's really all that matters."
Head Coach Bruce Cassidy made a similar statement about tonight's Game 7.
"Hopefully someone makes a play. We just want to be on the right side of those. How do you make those plays? Usually, you got to be prepared going into the game and in a good mindset and I think our guys are."
The Golden Knights want to be patient and opportunistic. Many of their even-strength goals have come from forcing a turnover by the Stars or cycling the puck until they get the shot they are looking for.
The Golden Knights feel loose. Most of the team has been in numerous Game 7s and understand what needs to be done in order to win. There's a greater emphasis on each and every play and no shifts can be taken off.
The Golden Knights know what it takes to win and now they'll have to do it.
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