Entering Monday’s NHL action, the Knights needed seven points to clinch a playoff berth. Los Angeles (84 points, 10 games remaining) played at Minnesota on Monday, and a Kings loss would bring the Knights’ magic points number down to six.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller (6) celebrates his second period goal against the Calgary Flames at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant on the bench as his team takes on the Florida Panthers during an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Vegas Golden Knights celebrates their 4-0 over the Calgary Flames at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) attempts to catch the puck as Calgary Flames right wing Michael Frolik (67) look for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Vegas Golden Knights left wing David Perron (57) controls the puck as Calgary Flames center Mikael Backlund (11) follows behind during the second period of an NHL hockey game at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) celebrates his third goal of the night during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Calgary Flames at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Ryan Reaves, second left, fights with Calgary Flames right wing Garnet Hathaway (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Calgary Flames at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, March 18, 2018. Richard Brian Las Vegas Review-Journal @vegasphotograph
Gerard Gallant may have revealed a secret when the Golden Knights coach dropped this little nugget about the importance of Sunday’s victory: “Get to 97 points, and that was a goal.”
Gallant seemed to be alluding to a preseason target set by the Knights, a point total that, based on history, would make them the first expansion team to qualify for the postseason since the NHL expanded for the 1967-68 season.
“But there’s no X beside our name right now, so that’s the key,” Gallant said, referring to the symbol used in the NHL standings to indicate teams that have clinched a playoff berth.
“Getting closer to it.”
While Nashville remains the lone Western Conference team with an X and is leaving everyone in their hot sauce-covered dust in the race for the top seed, the Knights (46-21-5) hold a cozy eight-point lead over San Jose in the Pacific Division with 10 games remaining.
They can reduce their dwindling magic points number further when the struggling Vancouver Canucks (25-38-9, 58 points) visit T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday to cap a four-game homestand.
“I think we know our recipe to success,” goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. “We’ve talked about it as a team. With the coaches, we had some videos showing what we’ve done wrong, what we’ve done right in the past that’s working for us. You never want to go through phases where nothing goes your way, but it happens. It’s a long season.
“We’ve played a lot of games lately and we’ve just got to make sure … we’re back at our regular selves, the way we can play. The playoffs are around the corner, so we’ve got to get our game together before it starts.”
The Knights ended a two-game slide Sunday with a 4-0 win over Calgary behind a natural hat trick from center William Karlsson and a 42-save effort from Fleury.
Entering Monday’s action, the Knights needed seven points to clinch a playoff berth. Los Angeles (84 points, 10 games remaining) played at Minnesota on Monday, and a Kings loss would bring the Knights’ magic points number down to six.
If the Knights win the Pacific Division title and Nashville claims the conference’s top seed, the Knights would meet the No. 1 wild card in the first round of the playoffs.
Colorado (39-25-8, 86 points with 10 games remaining) currently holds that spot in a dramatic turnaround one season after it finished with the worst record in the league.
The Avalanche, who play the Knights in a home-and-home Saturday and Monday, are led by Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon.
“Our mindset right now is we’ve got to get back to playing the hockey we were a few weeks ago,” defenseman Jon Merrill said. “You can’t wait till the playoffs. (We’ve) got to get our game going in the right direction right now and start trending in the upward direction and start really peaking right now and get our game ready for playoffs.”
One area the Knights hope to improve against Vancouver is their starts.
Calgary had a 20-6 advantage in shots on goal in the first period on Sunday, and the Knights have allowed the first goal in four of their past six games (1-3 record).
“I think we’re waiting too long to get engaged in the game, and when you do that in playoff mode, teams are going to bury you,” forward Ryan Reaves said. “You can’t wait until the third period like we’ve been doing to turn it on and try and mount a comeback.”
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.