The Vegas Golden Knights do not look as untouchable as they once did. January has made that clear. They are still leading the Pacific Division. But the margin is thin. One more bad stretch could send them sliding down to the fourth seed.

Their latest loss showed all the cracks.

Vegas fell 4 3 to the Anaheim Ducks. They struggled to control the game. They struggled to respond. And when it ended, Shea Theodore was clearly unhappy with how things went.

This loss marked the Golden Knights’ fifth straight defeat. That is rare for a team built to dominate. The energy looked flat. The urgency came too late. Coach Bruce Cassidy tried to shake things up. Nothing worked early.

Vegas only found life in the third period. They scored 2 goals. But by then, time was already against them. The comeback never fully materialized.

After the game, Theodore did not hold back. He admitted the team made some good plays. But he said it was nowhere near good enough. With just 2 games left before the Olympic break, he wanted the team feeling confident. Instead, he felt they were chasing games and relying on late rallies. He said that habit has to stop. Vegas needs to start better.

The numbers tell the same story.

Vegas did almost all their damage late. Anaheim only needed 22 shots to score 4 goals. Defensive breakdowns were obvious. On the other side, Vegas had 31 shots. But most came without rhythm or flow. The early offense never arrived.

That imbalance cost them.

Now the pressure builds. Games against the Vancouver Canucks and LA Kings are coming up. Those matchups will say a lot about where this team truly stands.

The question is simple. Can the Golden Knights fix things before the Milano Cortina Olympics pause the season. Or will this rough stretch continue to chip away at a team that suddenly looks very human.