The Vegas Golden Knights are marching on to Round 2! After a six-game series victory over the Utah Mammoth, the Golden Knights have inched closer to their goal of winning the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.
As we put a bow on Round 1 and look ahead to Round 2, let’s take a look at the biggest reasons why the Golden Knights defeated the Mammoth.
Carter Hart….Good Enough
Carter Hart may have the biggest story heading into this series. Hart had played in only one playoff game before, with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2020. Furthermore, the Golden Knights dealt with inconsistent goaltending in the regular season. If there was something that could derail the team in the playoffs, it was the goaltending.
Hart was not perfect in the series, but he was good enough. In Games 3-5, he surrendered four goals in each game, but also faced a high amount of shots, especially in Game 5, when he stopped 38. He finished the series with a 2.72 goals-against average (GAA) and a .898 save percentage (SV%). Those are not eye-popping numbers, but he was good enough.
Will the Golden Knights need more from Hart moving forward? Yes, but Round 1 showed he will compete every second of the game and will not be deterred by facing a high-powered offense. The grit he showed against the Mammoth may be more valuable than eye-popping numbers in this instance.
Depth Shined Alongside the Stars
To win in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a team needs its stars to shine on the big stage. Furthermore, a team needs its other players to provide as well. The Golden Knights got both in Round 1.
Brett Howden is easily the standout performer of the series. If there were an MVP award for the series, it would have been his. After scoring just 12 goals in the regular season, Howden scored four of them in the series, including two shorthanded goals, with the second one coming in overtime in Game 5. Howden is not a star by any means, but he certainly rose to the occasion in Round 1. His four goals are tied for the team lead.
Other depth players on the roster contributed in big ways. Defenseman Shea Theodore scored two goals and recorded four points, including the overtime-winning goal in a crucial Game 4 win. Forward Colton Sissons scored twice, including a huge insurance goal in the third period of Game 6.
As far as the stars go, they shone. Mitch Marner, in his first playoff series in Vegas, recorded two goals (both in Game 6) and five assists in the series. Jack Eichel had an impressive nine points, while Pavel Dorofeyev scored four goals, including a hat trick in Game 5.
It takes a complete team effort to win in the playoffs. The Golden Knights got just that.
Special Teams Dominance
This just might be the biggest reason why the Golden Knights beat the Mammoth. The power play could have been better, scoring just four goals in the series. However, the penalty kill is where the Golden Knights took control.
The Mammoth just went 1/16 on the power play. They did not score with the man advantage after Game 3. Furthermore, the team’s penalty kill prevented the Mammoth from flipping momentum in key moments. The Golden Knights killed a four-minute power play early in the third period of Game 5. In Game 6, the penalty kill did not allow any quality chances, helping to prevent the Mammoth from getting a key goal in a game that was close until halfway through the third period.
Of course, we cannot score shorthanded goals. Howden’s heroics will hold a fun place in team history. If the Golden Knights go on to win the Stanley Cup, Howden’s shorthanded winner in Game 5 will go down as one of the biggest goals in team history.
Looking Ahead to Round 2
The Golden Knights will play the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. The Ducks are coming off a six-game victory over the Edmonton Oilers, ending their two-year run atop the Western Conference. The Golden Knights were swept in the season series by the Ducks in the regular season, but still hold the all-time series lead with their divisional rival, 27-10-1.
Be sure to check in with The Hockey Writers for more Golden Knights-related and league-wide coverage as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue!
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