Golden Knights untarnished by first-year success

LAS VEGAS -- Every few days, it seems, you have to plumb deeper in the NHL record book to add another line item about the Vegas Golden Knights.
On Wednesday, the Golden Knights defeated the Calgary Flames 7-3 at T-Mobile Arena, passing the 1993-94 Florida Panthers for most points recorded by a team in its inaugural season with 84 (40-16-4). The Panthers finished with 83 points in their first season.

Vegas also established another first-year mark with home wins with its 23rd. The Hartford Whalers previously had the most home wins (22) by a team in its inaugural season in 1979-80.
(That Whalers team featured aging legend
Gordie Howe
, who played all 80 games.)
Other expansion teams have been good defensively, playing a heavily structured system and sparked by strong goaltending.
But what has set the Golden Knights apart from other successful first-year teams is the ability to score a lot of goals. Just like Wednesday night, when they exploded for seven against the Flames.

"It was more like an '80s game," Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. "The players enjoy them but the coaches don't enjoy them as much."
The seven goals matched a season high. Vegas defeated the Colorado Avalanche 7-0 on Oct. 27, and scored six goals on three other occasions this season.
The Golden Knights' depth was illustrated Wednesday as seven different players scored. Six players had multiple-point games, including forward Alex Tuch, who had the game-winner, making it 4-3 at 13:58 of the second period.
Tuch credited another component to Vegas' success.
"Our defensive corps is really deep," Tuch said. "Almost every defenseman can play on the power play and be successful.
"It is huge. A lot of teams just have one main power-play (unit), but lately we've going back and forth. Tonight, my power-play unit was able to score a goal (by William Karlsson) and it was a big goal."
With the rewriting of the NHL record book, the Golden Knights are redefining first-year teams including how they address - or not address - the topic.
"It's a great accomplishment so far," Gallant said. "We're real happy and we're playing well. But to be honest with you, we don't talk about expansion anymore. We really don't.
"We know it's our first year and that. We're talking about playing well and getting points. We've got another six weeks to play and that's what the goal is, battle hard, get as many points and see what happens April 7."
That day is their regular-season finale, at Calgary. Vegas is leading the Pacific Division, ahead of second-place San Jose Sharks by 10 points and leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL standings by a point.
"The records?" said Tuch. "Someone told me that we had the most points. That's cool. But we have 20-something games left, so we're not really worried about records."

Gallant's demeanor is impressive on the bench and it carries over to his players.
"Calm, cool and composed," said Tuch, adding, "unless he's yelling at the refs."
For the Golden Knights, any feeling of shock over their first-year feats wore off long ago, according to goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 28 saves.
"Maybe earlier, a little bit, it was more surprising," he said. "But now I think this is what we expect from ourselves. We expect winning games and having a chance every night.
"We're not shooting for any records. We don't play to break records. It's definitely nice when you hear stuff like that."
This was close to what Fleury and his teammates were saying last month in Calgary when they defeated the Flames 4-2 on Jan. 31, then equaling the NHL mark for wins by an expansion team (Florida and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) with 33 victories.
They pulled off a Houdini-like feat with three goals in the final 1:46, including two in 10 seconds, handing the Flames a devastating loss.
The game on Wednesday was also a tough one to take for the Flames, who are fighting for their playoff lives. Calgary (30-22-9, 69 points) is two points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

The key moment came at 1:29 of the third period when the Flames appeared to tie it 4-4 when Sean Monahan scored. Gallant challenged and the goal was overturned when video review determined Monahan was offside.
Less than two minutes later, Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa scored, at 3:17, and the Golden Knights led 5-3.
"That one is so frustrating," Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "That's a bad loss….Our responses were awful. Our response to everything were awful tonight. We had some good stretches in this game.
"I don't know what's going on. I don't know what it is. It's frustrating when we let things get out of hand."
The Golden Knights found a way to respond in a wide-open game, another calling card of their special season.
Just when the pixie dust might seem to be fading, they've found a way to bounce back at nearly every turn this season. It was a strong response after a 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday at home.
"We played a good game the other night," Gallant said. "But tonight we were more passionate."