Panthers At Golden Knights: 3 Keys To The Game

Now won't this be a little bit different of a reunion?
Throughout this season, players who make up the Golden Knights have had a lot of reunions with former teams. Just Thursday, in fact, former Penguins icon Marc-Andre Fleury was named first star of the game for Vegas in a victory over Pittsburgh.
Similarly, Cody Eakin returned to Dallas last weekend, and James Neal played in Nashville for the first time since leaving the Predators the previous
What happens on Sunday, however, is different.
This time, it's Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant going against his former team, the Florida Panthers. His assistant coach with Vegas, Mike Kelly, was also his right-hand man in Florida the past three years.
Which in addition to franchise centerpieces Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith both also going against the Panthers, their former teams, adds some extra juice to Sunday's game.
Especially given the manner in which Gallant and Kelly were dismissed in November 2016.
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Sunday's game will start at 5:00 PM (PT) at T-Mobile Arena.
Here are three keys to today's game.

1. Gallant Says It's Not About Revenge
Those outside of the Golden Knights are touting this game as a grudge match, given the manner in which Gallant was dismissed from the Panthers last November after leading Florida to its best record in team history the prior year.
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Gallant, however, insisted on Saturday at City National Arena that he doesn't view this game as a grudge match. He said he's very thankful for his time in Florida, provided how the Panthers gave him a chance to be an NHL head coach and enhance his career.
Regardless of what Gallant says, though, this is still a juicy storyline.
And it's also worth noting that as much homework as the Golden Knights do for every opponent, that Gallant is probably more intimately familiar with the personnel on the Panthers than any other team in the league.
How will Gallant be able to use that knowledge to Vegas' advantage?

2. Marchessault And Smith, Too
Since we don't want to make the subject of these reunions seem like overkill, we'll simply point out this stat when referring to linemates Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith going against their former team for the first time.
Of all the 30 other NHL teams, the combined 19 goals and 49 points the Golden Knights have gotten from former Panthers is greater offensive contributions than they've received from their selections from any other team in the Expansion Draft.
NHL Team/Goals Scored By Golden Knights Acquisitions From Those Teams
Panthers (Smith/Marchessault): 19
Wild (Haula/Tuch): 18
Blue Jackets (Karlsson): 15
Predators (Neal): 15
NHL Team/Points Scored By Golden Knights Acquisitions From Those Teams
Panthers (Smith/Marchessault): 49
Wild (Haula/Tuch): 36
Blue Jackets (Karlsson): 26
Predators (Neal): 24
Blues (Perron): 24

3. Opening Up Space
When the Golden Knights were off on Saturday, the LA Kings lost. So did the Ducks. And the Calgary Flames.
While two of these defeats - from the California teams - came in overtime and earned them points, it was still an occasion of all the other top teams in the Pacific Division losing.
And given the cold streaks - some moderate, others more pronounced - that Pacific Division teams are going on, coupled with the Golden Knights going 5-0-1 in their last six games, and Vegas is starting to get in a bit more of a secure position in the standings.
They still trail the Kings by two points, sure. But Vegas has played three fewer games.
The Golden Knights have also played two fewer games than the Ducks and Flames. They still have six and seven-point leads on these teams, respectively. Vegas has played the same amount of games as the San Jose Sharks and has a four-point lead.
The Canucks are eight points behind, Oilers 14 and the Arizona Coyotes are 23 points back.
With the Golden Knights playing a Florida Panthers team on Sunday that is 29th in the overall NHL standings, at home, there's certainly an opportunity to stay hot.
And given how the division standings currently look, a Vegas win could give this team a pretty substantial lead on many of its divisional rivals.
Not to mention, a win would put the Golden Knights back into first place in the Pacific Division.