Golden Knights Need To Adopt Lil Jon’s Strategy

Wherever? Shots. Anywhere? Shots. 

The Vegas Golden Knights are struggling to score goals as of late, scoring two or fewer goals in five of their last six games. They have lost six of their last seven games without captain Mark Stone and have dropped to third in the Pacific Division standings. 

With one game left before the bye week and break for the NHL All-Star Game, the Golden Knights need to follow the playbook of a certain coach. 

It's a silly skit that was made for promotional purposes, but the message in it still rings true, no matter how cliche it is. Put the puck on the net, and good things will happen. After the team's third-straight loss on Friday, head coach Bruce Cassidy was concerned about his team's urgency on offense.

"These are things where more urgency will probably lead to more second chances, and we will probably start to get ourselves out of it. That is the biggest concern I have, and that is the urgency to get us out of this (scoring slump)," said Cassidy.

Again, it sounds cliche and simple but playing hard, getting to the net, and keeping things simple should be the Golden Knight's game plan heading forward.

"It's one of those things that if it doesn't go in, you have to keep shooting. Sometimes if you are not a guy that is a pure shooter, then you have to get to the front of the net, get inside, and maybe one goes off a foot," said Cassidy.

If the Golden Knights are looking for proof of how effective this strategy is, they don't have to look far. In several of the Golden Knight's recent games, opponents have scored off of fortuitous bounced. Shea Theodore's skate was a backboard for a Filip Chytl goal Friday night against the Rangers. Alex Pietrangelo deflected two goals into his own net against the Dallas Stars, and Brayden McNabb and Kaedan Korczak did the same against the Devils.

The Golden Knight's only goal of the game Friday against the Rangers fittingly came off one of these strange bounces, this time in their favor. Phil Kessel shot the puck from below the goal line and banked in a goal on Jaroslav Halak. No goals off the rush or on the powerplay, just one from below the net.

"It's not all going to be pretty plays, and you can't hope for a free one. I think that is the biggest thing. It's a good league, and you are probably not getting a lot of free goals. So you are going to have to sort through it and stick with it," said Cassidy.

The overall shot quantity for the Golden Knights has been good, as they are averaging around 30-35 shots these last few games. It's the lack of second and third efforts that are absent, especially with the missing net-front presence of Mark Stone.

Good teams find a way to win games, even without their captain, and the Golden Knights are simply not going through this.

"You've got to be sick of freaking losing at some point. It shows in your play and in your urgency… we're a veteran group. Guys have to push each other now and do whatever it takes to get a win here and treat games like playoff hockey," added Cassidy.

The Golden Knights and New York Islanders will play this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.