One of the NHL’s newest and most hotly-contested rivalries is set to begin a new chapter tonight.

On Thursday, the Golden Knights begin a run of five straight Western Conference opponents before the Olympic break, starting with the Dallas Stars.

Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV

Date: Thursday, January 29

How To Watch: ESPN+, SCRIPPS

Right now, the Golden Knights appear to be on the wrong side of being streaky. Last time out, they fell to the Montreal Canadiens to drop their fourth game out of their last five. Inconsistency continues to be a theme this season for the Golden Knights, and they need to find some way to get it out quickly.

Here is how one of the more challenging games left on the docket can be a starting point.

If there is one thing the Golden Knights need to avoid like the plague, it is taking unnecessary penalties.

While the exploits of the Golden Knights and Pavel Dorofeyev on the power play have been excellent, the Stars are one of the few teams that have an edge against them on the man advantage. Dallas boasts the league’s most efficient power play unit, clocking in at a 29.9% success rate and lead by Vegas nemesis Wyatt Johnston’s 17 goals. A lack of discipline could lead to the Golden Knights once again falling on the wrong side of a blowout.

It feels as though the formula for beating the Golden Knights has become too apparent: take advantage of their mistakes.

The numbers unfortunately back this up, with the Golden Knights featuring the sixth-most giveaways per game (16.1) and sitting in the bottom five in save percentage (.877). Too many mistakes have ended up in the back of their own net, and Bruce Cassidy’s attempts to clean things up have had varying degrees of success. Starting with this game, the Golden Knights will have to be more responsible with the puck to help their goaltenders out.

If there is one thing the Golden Knights do have in their favor, it is that they rise to the challenge when the situation calls for it.

Dorofeyev’s equalizer against the Canadiens marked the 68th third period goal for the Golden Knights, placing the team second in that category. Whether aiming to hold a lead or trying to chase to force overtime, something about the final stanza pushes the team into overdrive. If the Golden Knights can establish themselves early on, their late-game effectiveness could prove crucial in securing a big win.