Golden Knights HC Sees Weakness Becoming Strength

The Vegas Golden Knights still look like a team built to battle deep into the playoffs. They have the roster, the coaching, and the scars that come from long spring runs. Nothing about their makeup feels accidental, and nothing about their mindset feels rushed.

In a Western Conference crowded at the top — with the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, the streaking Dallas Stars, and the Minnesota Wild with Quinn Hughes — Vegas knows there’s little margin for error. Every matchup feels heavy. Every point feels earned.

And yet, for all their structure and experience, one issue has quietly dragged the Golden Knights down at the worst times: overtime. Close games slipped away. Extra points vanished. It wasn’t loud, but it was costly.

Vegas Quietly Overcoming Overtime Flaw

Cassidy had acknowledged the problem earlier this season, noting that Vegas was often pressing instead of trusting its structure once games moved past regulation. That lack of patience showed up on the scoreboard more than once.

If that trend lingered into April, it could have hurt them badly in the standings. Instead, it may be turning into something else entirely.

After losing six straight overtime games and then falling in a seventh via shootout, Vegas appears to be figuring it out. Over their last six games, they’ve won two in overtime and split their last two shootouts — a small sample, but a meaningful shift.

That progress showed again in their most recent win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Down 2–1 late, Ben Hutton tied the game with his fourth goal of the season, a simple wrist shot that brought life back into the building. Minutes later, Brayden McNabb — scoreless all year — fired home the winner from a sharp angle with under seven minutes to play (video below).

HOLY SMOKES BRAYDEN MCNABB 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/u8UGoqmKy6
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 14, 2025

Cassidy Shares Key to Winning Tight Games

Following the victory over Columbus, head coach Bruce Cassidy reflected on a road trip where Vegas earned nine out of ten possible points, their only blemish coming in a shootout where Pavel Dorofeyev scored with 14 seconds left to force overtime, part of the NHL’s buzzer-beater bonanza that day.

"I would say we’re not at the top of our game now, but we’re in every game and we know how to play in these games. We don’t usually take ourselves out of it. We have moments where we scratch our heads, trust me," Cassidy said with a slight chuckle. "But we get out of that, take ourselves out of it, and we’re doing a better job of getting out of it quicker now. So that’s what I think of our team. We know how to win. We know how to not panic."

Tomas Hertl echoed his coach’s sentiment earlier in the season, pointing to simplicity and smarter decisions with the puck as key fixes. He explained the team didn’t need hero plays in overtime — just better patience, smarter puck management, and making the other team work.

EICHEL WITH THE SWEET FEED TO MARK STONE AND VEGAS WINS ANOTHER IN OT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/7rBifAQgRj
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 12, 2025

Golden Knights Becoming Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

That comfort matters. Tight games are the currency of playoff hockey. If a team can’t manage a one-goal lead or deficit late, structure falls apart fast. Vegas, instead, looks calm. Even when things wobble, they settle back into form.

Cassidy later pointed to the third period as Vegas’ strongest frame. That alone speaks volumes. Good teams survive early mistakes. Great teams elevate when the clock tightens and space disappears.

Mitch Marner has been electric on the wing, and Jack Eichel continues to drive play like one of the league’s true matchup nightmares. Their talent drives Vegas forward, but the bigger story is subtler.

The Golden Knights are learning to live inside discomfort, embracing the tight moments that decide games. With Anaheim tied alongside them atop the Pacific Division, every point now carries added weight. Those same moments may ultimately become Vegas’ biggest strength when the games matter most.

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