Golden Knights happy with play heading into holiday break

The Golden Knights, near the halfway point of their season, have already endured plenty of swings in the standings.

They alternated wins and losses with regularity in October. They endured a four- and three-game losing streaks in November. And in December they’ve been precisely what many expected the Knights to be: one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

The twists and turns have been wild enough to give anyone watching whiplash. But the Knights are happy with how things ended up heading into their three-day holiday break.

“Rough start, definitely a rough start for us,” left wing Jonathan Marchessault said. “But the last month has been better. We’ve been more consistent. Obviously, there’s games we’ve let go and we’re not perfect, but we’re definitely going to try to be.”

The Knights entered Monday 7-2-2 in December. Their 14 points this month were the most in the league.

Their offense and defense have improved, the latter because of a system tweak in the defensive zone. The goals, on the other hand, might just be coming due to improved luck.

The Knights spent the first two months of the season generating the third-most 5-on-5 scoring chances in the NHL but saw few end up in the net. They scored the sixth-fewest 5-on-5 goals in that span.

In December those chances are going in with more regularity, and the team is deriving confidence from that.

“We didn’t have puck luck the first 15 games,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I think the puck is going in the net now. We’re competing a little harder now.”

Busybodies

The Knights entered their three-day holiday break after playing 40 games, tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most in the NHL. That’s why they’re not upset with the break’s timing, even though they were 9-2-2 in their last 13 games entering Monday.

“It would be nice to keep rolling, but the body needs rest for sure,” left wing William Carrier said. “The body will take the break.”

Glass update

Knights rookie center Cody Glass, who has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury, skated at City National Arena on Monday with owner Bill Foley watching from above.

Coach Gerard Gallant said Glass has skated for the last “three or four days” and will be re-evaluated after the break.

Saville makes cut

Knights prospect Isaiah Saville made the U.S. roster for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.

Saville, 19, was selected by the Knights in the fifth round of June’s draft. The goaltender has a 3.04 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage in his freshman season at Nebraska-Omaha.

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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.