Can this winning streak in Vegas continue?

Continued from B5

PICK A GOALIE, ANY GOALIE ...

Marc-Andre Fleury carried the Golden Knights through the first three wins of the season, allowing four goals on 107 shots. When he went down against Boston with a concussion, backup goalie Malcolm Subban continued the stellar play in back-to-back wins against the Bruins and Sabres. But then he suffered a lowerbody injury during a game against the Blues, forcing Vegas to turn to its thirdstring goalie.

Like Fleury and Subban before him, the 23-year-old Oscar Dansk has held the fort. Making his first career start against a Chicago team that scored 10 goals in a game earlier this season, Dansk stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 4-2 win.

“A lot of people weren’t expecting us to win this hockey game,” Gallant said after the game. “Chicago’s a hell of a hockey team, a great team. We’ve got minor-league goalies up here.”

HOUSE ODDS

Yes, the Golden Knights beat the Blackhawks. And they won against a Blues team that has the best record in the Central Division. But they also have played the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes twice — teams that are not in a playoff spot.

Vegas has also played six of its first eight games at home.

That last point is particularly relevant to anyone who has seen The Hangover or taken advantage of one of the many all-you-can-buffets at four in the morning.

“Everyone knows they have a game to play,” Blackhawks forward Ryan Hartman told the Chicago Tribune. “There are probably some guys that go and have a good time, but at the same time, they’re ready for the game.”

You sure about that?

DUMB LUCK

Smoke and mirrors? In Vegas? No, it can’t be.

Seriously, don’t bet against the house. And don’t expect the Golden Knights to continue winning this way.

Vegas ranks in the bottom-five in shots against (33.8 per game) and is in the bottom-five in shots taken (29.9 per game). At the same time, the Golden Knights have the third-best save percentage (.930) and are converting on 34 per cent of their shots on net. Those are some pretty unsustainable numbers, but what’s interesting is the Golden Knights are not relying on one player for the offence.

Eight of their forwards have two or more goals, including Oscar Lindberg (three goals), Reilly Smith (two goals and seven points) and minor-league call-up Alex Tuch (two goals and one assist in four games).

BURIED IN THE DESERT

When Gallant said it is “team first” in Vegas, he means it. The best example of this is the decision not to play Vadim Shipachyov.

Normally when you give a free agent a two-year, US$9-million contract, as the Golden Knights did with Shipachyov, you feel compelled to give the player every opportunity to make the signing a success. But the 30-year-old Shipachyov, who came over from Russia, has never found a fit in the desert.

Despite scoring a goal in his first game, he has averaged a little over 10 minutes in just three games this season.

Now, after being demoted twice to the minors, the team is allowing him to seek work somewhere else.

It’s another way of showing that no player is bigger than the team.