What to know about UHC’s next opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights

The Utah Hockey Club is back on its feet after beating the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Wednesday, ending its four-game losing skid. But if there’s one message the team has emphasized from the start, it’s that you can’t dwell too much on wins or losses.
You have to have a short memory, as team captain Clayton Keller says.
Utah HC’s next test is a big one: the third-place Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. The Golden Knights lost 6-3 to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, ending their four-game winning streak. They’ll have two days to let the loss sink in before attempting to make up for it against Utah HC.
An evenly matched playoff series against the Dallas Stars saw the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated in the first round last year. Lots of people counted them out this season, predicting them to either miss the playoffs or get in by the skin of their teeth.
They’re setting out to prove those doubters wrong.
Through 11 games, the Golden Knights have scored the most goals in the NHL. They’re in first place in the Pacific Division and they show no signs of slowing down.
“They’re playing really well — especially in the (offensive) zone,” said Utah HC coach André Tourigny.
He mentioned four specific aspects that make the Golden Knights good:
“(It) will be a great test,” Tourigny said. “Two good hockey teams. Let’s play our ‘A’ game and figure out (at the final buzzer) who the winner is.”
The Golden Knights joined the NHL as an expansion team at the beginning of the 2017-18 season. They dropped a lot of jaws that year by reaching the Stanley Cup Final, though they ultimately lost in five games to the Washington Capitals.
All was well for them eventually, though, as they won the Stanley Cup in 2023.
The Golden Knights are star-studded. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Tomáš Hertl headline their forward group, while Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin are enough to make even the best teams wary.
Being the first major professional sports team in Las Vegas, the Golden Knights earned a lot of fans quickly. Much like Utah HC, they turned a lot of people into hockey fans. Every game features true Las Vegas entertainment, such as glowing drummers and choreographed sword fights at center ice.
Sportico released its annual franchise valuations list on Wednesday, where they estimated the Golden Knights to be worth $1.77 billion — the 12th-highest value in the league. Considering the ownership group paid $500 million for the expansion rights, that’s a pretty good return on their investment.