The Vegas Golden Knights have had an incredible debut season thus far. They currently sit at first place in the Western Conference, and have far surpassed expectations of a first-year expansion team. The team has been particularly strong at home in Las Vegas, where they hold a 19-3-2 record, for the best at-home record of any team in the league.

At the onset of the All-Star Weekend, Alex Ovechkin took some time to explain to the media why he thinks the Golden Knights have been so successful on home ice.

His response is a doozy.

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“I think it’s the atmosphere over there,” Ovechkin said. “It’s not a regular rink. It’s kind of like an unbelievable show, you get excited. It’s like you in a nightclub. It’s like a party. Everybody dancing over there. It’s like, ‘Holy Jesus, are we in a hockey game or is this like a pool party out there?'”

Ovechkin also made sure not to discount the team’s sheer skill.

“They’re very, very tough to play against,” he said. “They jump in right away. They have tremendous skill and they have tremendous speed, and they use it. When you’re not ready, you’re probably going to be in a tough position.”

While the Capitals won’t play the Golden Knights in Las Vegas again this season, they’ll face off against each other again this Sunday at Capital One Arena. The Caps will be hoping to avenge a dominating 3-0 loss they suffered at Vegas’ hands just two days before Christmas.

When asked how he thinks the Caps might win against the Knights in their next meeting, Ovi noted that there’s not as much dancing in DC, which might cause boredom for players accustomed to the high-energy life of Las Vegas.

“I hope they’re gonna be a little bit sleepy,” Ovechkin said.

A team lagging on the ice because of boredom is a far cry from a team lagging due to too much excitement, but maybe it will work out in the Caps’ favor anyway.

Headline photo: Sam Morris