The Vegas Golden Knights have one simple goal as they head into their final nine games of the regular season — just make the playoffs.
That’s quite a change for Bruce Cassidy’s squad, which looked in prime position to win another Pacific Division title heading into the Olympic break with a four-point lead.
But the Golden Knights (32-26-15, 79 points) enter Saturday night’s home game against the Washington Capitals (36-28-9, 81 points) in third place, just three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who have a game in hand, and five points in front of Seattle, which has two games in hand.
Vegas has gone just 5-10-1 since the Olympic break and has lost eight of its last 11 games, including a 4-3 overtime loss to second-place Edmonton on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena.
“We’re just trying to get our game together and get in (the playoffs),” Cassidy said. “It’s been a battle for us since the Olympic break to win games.”
Mark Stone scored twice, his first goals since Feb. 5, and Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist against the Oilers, who defeated Vegas for the third time in three meetings this season. Evan Bouchard scored the game-winner eight seconds after Vegas failed to score on a power play in overtime.
“Every single game is going to be like a playoff game,” Barbashev said. “We need points. Fortunately we got one today. Probably would have been better with two.”
It was the fourth multi-goal game of the season and the 32nd of Stone’s career.
“It’s fine,” Stone said. “Obviously fighting it a bit, but trying to do what I can to help this team and trying to get us going in the right direction … to give ourselves a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. We’ve got nine big games left to put ourselves in the dance. There’s no guarantees. We’ve got to wake up in the morning and put our best foot forward and be ready for every game.”
Washington kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a 7-4 comeback victory over Utah on Thursday in Salt Lake City. Alex Ovechkin led the way with his 34th career hat trick, which moved him past Brett Hull (33) into fourth place on the NHL’s all-time list. Wayne Gretzky is No. 1 with 50.
Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 926, scored twice in the second period to rally Washington from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game. Washington outscored the Mammoth, 4-1, in the third period, with Ovechkin scoring an empty-netter to seal the win and complete his hat trick.
“Just amazing what he does for our group,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “You could feel it on the bench. Our guys, the confidence that it builds when you get a couple go in the back of the net for us.”
Washington goes into Saturday’s contest in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are six points behind both the New York Islanders and Columbus for third place as well as the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
“We’re going to try and take it game-by-game,” Carbery said. “I know it’s a cliche. It’s going to be a difficult road but we’re just focused on one game. We got two points tonight. We’re staying in the fight, and that’s what we have to focus on going into Vegas.”
