No Longer A Myth

The Tahoe Knight Monsters are not my favorite team due to their team name, but it's hard not to appreciate the success they're having in their inaugural year in the ECHL. The Knight Monsters ended the 13-game point streak that the Rapid City Rush were on last night with a 5-4 victory over the Rush, and they find themselves sitting in sixth-place in the ECHL's Western Conference, a mere eight points back of the conference-leading Toledo Walleye. While nothing is locked up yet, they are 15 points clear of ninth-place in the conference, so it seems like the Knight Monsters may be headed for the postseason. Despite The Hockey Show co-host Jason labelling them as "America's Team", you likely want to keep an eye on these Knight Monsters - just like their secondary logo above - as they seemed poised to make some noise heading into the playoffs!

The Knight Monsters are getting solid contributions from all facets of their roster this season. Manitoban Sloan Stanick, who played junior with the Price Albert Raiders, has burst onto the ECHL scene with 22 goals and 58 points in 55 games to lead the team in scoring in his first full professional season. That total has him seventh-overall in ECHL scoring. He was named as an ECHL All-Star this season, December's ECHL Rookie of the Month, and he should be in the running for the ECHL's Rookie of the Year if he can keep his point-per-game average going. Did I mention he's the top-scoring Canadian in the league?

Teammate, fellow ECHL All-Star, and former UNB Reds forward Simon Pinard is also having himself an incredible second year in the ECHL with the Knight Monsters. The Quebec-born Pinard leads Tahoe in goals with 26 while amassing 47 points, and his 26 goals have him tied for second-overall in goals for the entire ECHL. His eight power-plays have him tied for fifth-overall in the ECHL, and he shares the Tahoe lead in game-winning goals with Stanick with four. While he's always been a prolific scorer throughout his career, Pinard is unquestionably one of the offensive leaders on the Knight Monsters and in the ECHL.

Former Brandon Wheat Kings and Calgary Dinos goaltender Jordan Papirny has stabilized the Knight Monsters' goaltending situation. While Jake Vikman has played more games, Papirny's stats are superior in every regard. In 21 games this season, Papirny is 12-6-3 with a 2.56 GAA and a .918 save percentage to go along with three shutouts - the first three of his professional career - as he's given the Knight Monsters a chance to win when Vegas Golden Knights prospect Vikman isn't between the pipes. Papirny's numbers suggest that he likely should be the starter, but the Golden Knights are paying for their prospect's development. C'est la vie in the ECHL.

Beyond these three key players, they have eight forwards in double-digits in goals, all ten forwards in double-digits in points, four of six regular defenders in double-digits in points, and all the Knight Monsters are averging just short of 3400 fans per game. Considering that they only have seats in two-thirds of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, that's not a bad total for fans. Everything points to the Tahoe Knight Monsters being a success this season both on and off the ice, and they are on the verge of potentially making the playoffs in their inaugural season in Nevada!

Where does this season end? Again, it seems like the playoffs are inevitable, but the Knight Monsters could finish as high as the third-seed in the Western Conference or be as low as the eighth-seed depending on how the remaining fifteen games go. Nothing will be given to them as they've found out this season, but the Knight Monsters sit with a 33-20-4 record on the season - better than the Norfolk Admirals, the Idaho Steelheads, and the Rapid City Rush who they beat last night - as they look to improve their playoff standing.

Make no mistake: the Tahoe Knight Monsters are for real. While they aren't quite "America's Team" as Jason would have you believe, it seems that a lot of people believe in the Knight Monsters. And they are looking to make everyone into believers that they can win thw whole thing as they near a Kelly Cup Playoffs spot!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!