Playoff-bound Golden Knights host Coyotes (Mar 28, 2018)

LAS VEGAS -- Thanks to Monday night's 4-1 victory over Colorado, it's finally okay to use the "P" word around Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant.

That's "P" as in playoffs, a word that Gallant had banned from being used during the season as he stressed that the expansion Golden Knights stick to the old one-game-at-a-time mantra and not get caught looking ahead, even when Vegas had a 12-point lead in the Pacific Division.

With an "x" placed by their names in the standings emblematic of having officially clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Golden Knights (48-21-7) will try to finish their historic regular-season on a strong note starting with Wednesday night's game against the resurgent Arizona Coyotes (26-39-11) at T-Mobile Arena.

"When you start the season in training camp your goal is to make the playoffs," Gallant said. "That was a goal but that really wasn't something we were looking at from day one to be honest with you. It's a great feeling. Last night was a great feeling.

"But, you know what? We've still got two weeks of the regular-season left. We've got to play hard every shift. We've got to play hard every game and try and get more points and be on a roll when we go into the playoffs."

Vegas is only 7-5-3 in its last 15 games and had lost four of its previous six contests (2-2-2) before Monday's win over the Avalanche.

"We haven't played a full 60-minute game in a while," left winger Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said following practice Tuesday afternoon. "We are going to be playing better and better teams, so we are going to have to find a way to do that, because in playoff time, it's those moments where you are a little bit not as good, those are the moments that cost you the most."

Vegas holds a five-point lead over the surging San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division with one meeting still remaining between the teams Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights are 27-9-2 on their home ice.

"Having the home advantage (in the playoffs), especially with our fans, is the most important thing that we have," Bellemare said. "We feel comfortable playing at home and having that extra game is important. So all those games starting (Wednesday) are important for sure."

This is the final of five contests between Vegas and Arizona, who last played on Dec. 3 at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights won all four of the previous meetings but two of them were decided in overtime.

"We played them a lot in the early parts of the year," said Coyotes center Derek Stepan, who has eight points in the last five games. "I think we're a different group in here. I know for our group, this is an important game for us, we want to make sure that we don't let them get all five."

The Coyotes, who began the season 0-10-1 and were 9-27-5 heading into 2018, have played much better of late with a 14-7-2 record in their last 23 games, including an impressive 4-1 victory at Eastern Conference leading Tampa Bay on Monday night.

This is the fifth contest of a season-long six-game, 5,862-mile road trip for Arizona, which concludes Thursday at Los Angeles.