Recap: It took :28 seconds for the Golden Knights to take control of the game in Anaheim. Chandler Stephenson scored on Vegas’ first shot and added another later in the period. The Golden Knights took a comfortable 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
William Carrier stretched Vegas’ lead to 3-0 early in the middle period. Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner kept the Ducks scoreless through 40 minutes.
Anaheim would eventually score to get within two but Vegas swiftly responded. William Karlsson regained the three-goal advantage with his 12th and Shea Theodore scored his 7th of the season.
Vegas’ record improves to 34-11-2 after their 5-1 victory in Anaheim. The Golden Knights get a few days off and prepare for the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. The game against Colorado is scheduled for 6:30 PM PT. (Recap by Jason)
Analysis: The Golden Knights didn’t play well, and they still were not even on the same planet as the Ducks. Anaheim is horrible, Vegas is very good. Now, the real game, Wednesday against Colorado. (Analysis by Ken)
Upcoming stories from the Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center
- Carp’s Sunday column
Ken’s Three VGK Stars
*** Max Pacioretty
** Robin Lehner
* Chandler Stephenson
John Gibson… pic.twitter.com/PG5iKDB3bo
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 25, 2021
Active Pietrangelo is Elite Pietrangelo
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 25, 2021
Let the bumslaying commence!
That was a nifty pass by Pacioretty.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) April 25, 2021
DOC (Go Knights Go)
NINE STRAIGHT !!!!!!!!!
Get in, get out, 2 points.
Another solid win for Panda.
Two more forwards go down, Nosek & Roy. (5 total hurt right now).
Tim
We have a few weeks hopefully everyone can heal before the playoffs start. I’d love to see them give Jack Dugan a chance there’s something about bringing young guys up that gets my juices flowing. Well it’s a best of 9 between us and Colorado just don’t blink.
Ken Boehlke
I’d love to see a few young AHLer get a chance.
Pistol Pete
Dugan got an assist tonight on the lone goal. 24 pts in 28 games. Pretty strong. Wonder if the analysts deem him ready for a shot this early. He’s big and I think pretty tough so that should help. I am thinking he’s destined to get to at least the level of a Janmark.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
With all the injuries maybe these young guys get a chance?
Dugan or Krebbs (sp)?
Mike StG
Doc, I like both Dugan and Krebs as possible Black Aces in the playoffs. Dugan is 23, bigger, tougher and more physically mature than Krebs (20 y/o and pretty limited to jr play). I think Dugan is a legit possibility to contribute to Vegas this season or postseason. It would be great to see them both suit up and play a few games, esp with several injuries on the front end. Maybe after the COL series when rankings might become clearer?
Daryl
That little bit in your analysis is spot on. VGK didn’t play well but the Ducks are so horrible that it didn’t even matter. The upcoming games against COL is all that matters. Lehner should be in net which will be his only be his second game against a team with a winning record
Mike StG
The phenomenon of good teams beating up on lousy teams is not limited to the West. Caps are 14-2 against BUF/NJD, FLA is 13-3 against DET/CBJ. The playoff caliber teams in all divisions are wiping the floor with bottom teams while playing each other about even. So, no one really knows how’s the top teams in each division stack up against each other until the final four. Constantly talking about how the imbalance in the West diminishes VGK, COL & MIN is pointless and only speculative.
Daryl
While you might be right, those Comme ts are being made by others from all divisions. “Experts” from across most platforms say similar things, this is the weakest division in hockey. Maybe it goes back to the Pacific Division which was easily the weakest division.
DOC (Go Knights Go)
I agree Mike. All the speculation goes away in just 2-3 weeks. None of that will matter in the playoffs.
If PDB continues the rotation then I expect Flurey will be in net Wed?
Daryl
It would be nice to see Lehner play a game against an actual good team
Daryl
Let me clarify my statement. I’m not saying COL or VGK cannot win the Cup although in my personal opinion, VGK has too many needs that need met/fixed (PP) to actually win it. My point about the weaker conference is when you compare stats and even records. Stats and records really have nothing to do with the playoffs, only when trying to compare teams.
Ken Boehlke
We are 9 games away from no longer having to talk about it. That’s when we will learn how good VGK really are.
Daryl
I’m just ready for VGK to play someone new
Mike StG
10-4 on that Daryl. Looking forward to next season when divisions and schedules should get back to normal. Our Pacific will be interesting with the loss of the Yotes and addition of the Kraken (I’ll bet no one prognosticates them finishing last place!). Will get to see McJesus a few times, our beloved Nate Schmidt, Sid and Ovi once, the perfection line from BOS, and the Carolina Jerks! Been a tough 15 months!
Daryl
Yes it has… Hockey will once again get back to being hockey
sb
We’ll all have a clearer picture where Vegas is with respect to other top teams after they play those four games against Minn and Colorado. The big problem is the PP just as it was in the prior Playoffs vs Washington, SJ and Dallas. The PP does not produce the goal that needed to win. Same story, different year.
Hdbiker7851
Well sb same chapter same page concerning the PP. It needs a fix of some kind. Its amazing four years same problem. Surely they could study the successful ones and copy that assumes they have the right personnel. They obviously don’t have the right pp coach or it appears that’s the case in my opinion they have the players.
Mike StG
sb, You are mis-remembering history and overstating the problem. Here are the percentages from the last 3 playoff years for VGK:
2018 – 18.5% (10th of 16 teams, yet we beat 2 teams with higher pct – WIN (4th @ 24.5%, and SJS (5th @ 23.4%)
2019 – 27.6% (2nd best of 16 teams, but we got bounced in 1st rd)
2020 – 18.2% (11th of 16 teams, made it to CF. Of the 3 teams with highest PP% in the playoffs, two didn’t make it past the qualifying round, and the 3rd lost in Rd 1)
Yes, the PP does need improvement from its current season average of 18.2%, but 5v5 play is more important to success and Vegas is at the top of the league in that category. That’s where the majority of the game is played, and if there are few penalties called and less PP opportunities what does it matter statistically if you’re 25% or 20% and you have only 1 or 2 PP chances? Also of note, the PP has improved recently – 4 for 14 in the last 4 games (28.6%). Let’s hope they continue that trend. I think Janmark is helpful, with his speed, zone entry and puck possession skills.
Daryl
Yes the PP has improved but improved against who? The might Ducks who are absolutely awful. They played the Ducks 3 times, SJS 2 times and LAK twice. If they can’t score on the PP against those teams then I don’t know what to tell you
Mike StG
That sorta becomes a no-win circular argument. Their PP sucks, well it got better, but it got better against crap teams. So, I guess it didn’t get better… or did they??
They HAVE been pretty bad against Minny (2-17), and about their season average @18% against Blues (4-21) and Avs (3-17). So I guess the 6 games we have left with 3 of them will tell us something.
Daryl
Exactly… The games upcoming will tell us if their PP has improved. I get what you are saying about previous games, but I want to see how they do against the teams that matter. I hope you are right though