(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Often, the most exciting part of a hockey game is the last few minutes when the coach calls the goalie back to the net for an extra attacker. One team desperately tries to hold onto the lead they worked all night to build up, while the other throws everything they have left to try and rescue it.

In Vegas games this year, though, it’s been boring, which has been music to the Golden Knights’ ears.

Through 12 games, the Golden Knights have played 8:16 with the opposing goaltender on the bench. Three times VGK have shot the puck into the empty net to seal the game (vs Carolina, at Calgary, at Carolina) while the other team has only landed four shots on the Vegas goal.

I think in general, even going back to last year, we’ve done a really good job with it. We’ve done a good job of not taking ourselves out of the good ice to go challenge a puck that we have no chance at. -Bruce Cassidy

The per 60 rates Vegas have racked up defensively so far are staggering, considering the added player on the ice and the game-state allowing the offense to throw caution to the wind and go all out. Extrapolating those eight minutes out to a full game, Vegas has allowed just 29 shots against and 4.35 expected goals against.

Think about that, if the other team played the entire game without their goalie, just trying to attack and score goals, the Golden Knights’ defense would still rank 21st in the NHL in shots against.

One of the main reasons for success has been the way the Golden Knights have been able to limit access to their own zone.

I also think through the neutral zone we’re able to force a dump or limit clean entries and that helps too because now they have to go win a puck back. -Cassidy

That’s exactly what occurred last night as the Red Wings were forced to dump the puck in time and time again and never truly had a chance to set up and attack using the extra player.

Cassidy pointed back to a game in December of last season when the Golden Knights allowed a late goal to Dallas as a turning point.

We made some adjustments to make sure we kept our forward a little lower, a lower triangle so we always had three guys at the net. We’ve kind of stuck with that for the most part. -Cassidy

So far, it’s four for four this season, and the way it’s looked, it’s been easy work.