After a thrilling 4-3 victory in the dying seconds over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights vaulted into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with 46 points and are on pace to do achieve something no expansion team has done before them.

Since the NHL's first wave of expansion in 1967, no first-year team in NHL history has been so successful to this point in the season. And even if the Golden Knights play .500 hockey the rest of the year, they will be the first expansion team to finish with a winning record.

Led by Jonathan Marchessault’s 31 points, the Golden Knights have had one of the most potent offences in the league, sitting third in the NHL with 3.45 goals scored per game.

Much of the Golden Knights’ success also needs to be attributed to their stellar play on home ice. Vegas is tied for the best home record in the NHL, with a 14-2-1 record at T-Mobile Arena so far this season.

Below is a look at every NHL expansion team's numbers in their first season of play.

Golden Knights' unprecedented success as an expansion team

 
Debut Team Exp. fee First playoff year 1st year Points % Thru 33 GMs
1967-68    Oakland Seals $2M 2 15-42-17 0.318  
  Philadelphia Flyers $2M 1 31-32-11 0.493  
  Pittsburgh Penguins $2M 3 27-34-13 0.453  
  St. Louis Blues $2M 1 27-31-16 0.473  
  Los Angeles Kings $2M 1 31-33-10 0.486  
  Minnesota North Stars $2M 1 27-32-15 0.466  
             
1970-71 Vancouver Canucks $6M 5 24-46-8 0.359  
  Buffalo Sabres $6M 3 24-39-15 0.404  
             
1972-73 Atlanta Flames $6M 2 25-38-15 0.417  
  New York Islanders $11M 3 12-60-6 0.192  
             
1974-75 Kansas City Scouts $6M 4 15-54-11 0.256  
  Washington Capitals $6M 9 8-67-5 0.131  
             
1979-80 Edmonton Oilers $7.5M 1 28-29-13 0.431  
  Hartford Whalers $7.5M 1 27-34-19 0.456  
  Winnipeg Jets $7.5M 3 20-49-11 0.319  
  Quebec Nordiques $7.5M 2 25-44-11 0.381  
             
1991-92 San Jose Sharks $45M 3 17-58-5 0.244 7-23-3
             
1992-93 Ottawa Senators $45M 5 10-70-4 0.143 3-27-3
  Tampa Bay Lightning $45M 4 23-54-7 0.315 12-19-2
             
1993-94 Florida Panthers $50M 3 33-34-17 0.494 13-15-3
  Anaheim Ducks $50M 4 30-43-11 0.423 19-19-2
             
             
             
1998-99 Nashville Predators $80M 6 28-47-7 0.384 13-17-3
             
1999-00 Atlanta Thrashers $80M 7 14-57-7 0.238 9-20-4
             
2000-01 Columbus Blue Jackets $80M 8 22-47-8 0.348 9-17-7
  Minnesota Wild $80M 3 26-35-12 0.445  
             
2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights $500M 22-9-2 0.697 22-9-2