The Golden Knights are no strangers to finding themselves deep in playoff series. Tonight’s Game 6 will be Vegas’ 11th in their nine-year history. They have a 6-4 record and have won four in a row and five out of six.
The spot they currently find themselves in has been the most successful out of the four possible options for a series to arrive at a Game 6.
Up 3-2 following a win
2018 – at SJS – 3-0 Win
2021 – vs COL – 6-3 Win
2023 – at EDM – 5-2 Win
2025 – at MIN – 3-2 Win
Up 3-2 following a loss
2019 – vs SJS – 2-1 Loss (2OT)
2020 – at VAN – 4-0 Loss
2021 – at MIN – 3-0 Loss
2023 – at DAL – 6-0 Win
Down 3-2 following a win
Down 3-2 following a loss
2021 – at MTL – 3-2 Loss (OT)
2024 – vs DAL – 2-0 Win
After a win in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, VGK have gone on to win not only the series, but Game 6 itself, every single time. Also, the Golden Knights have scored within the first seven minutes of all four games.
VGK have asserted their dominance in this situation time and time again. In 2018, they smoked the Sharks from start to finish to book a trip to the Western Conference Final. In 2021, they fell behind on the first shift of the game but evened the score less than a minute later before taking control late in the 2nd. In 2023, Reilly Smith scored on the first shift of the game, and then Jonathan Marchessault’s natural hat trick buried the Oilers in the middle frame. And finally, last year, VGK capitalized on an early power play and then took over the game in the 2nd.
Not once in the four games have the Golden Knights trailed at any point in the 3rd period, and the only game that finished within a goal saw the Wild cut the 3-1 lead to 3-2 with less than four minutes to go.
This spot is extremely difficult for the team, down 3-2 in the series, as VGK experienced in both 2021 and 2024. The path is double as long for the team trailing in the series, which is why 80% of the time, the team that wins Game 5 goes on to win the series, and about 60% of those, they get it done in Game 6.
As for Utah, this is all new to them. Most players on the roster have never tested themselves with their backs against the wall in an elimination game. Even fewer have done it this deep into a series. They don’t know how they are going to react.
Vegas does, and that bodes well for the Golden Knights.
knights fan in minny
No double OT tonight Win it in regulation time
Larry
Wild Bill is at practice in a regular uniform…. NO RED!!
knights fan in minny
Good to hear
JB
That’s great. When he’s ready, who sets? Hertl?
Larry
They seem to be extending more and more rope to Hertl to keep him playing and the hope he might actually do something productive like putting the puck into the net, they would probably sit C. Smith though I think Kolesar would be a better option.
Pistol Pete
Barbashev-Eichel-Dorofeyev
Marner-Karlsson-Stone
Howden-Hertl-R. Smith
C. Smith-Dowd-Sissons
Scatch Kolesar
I am assuming he won’t change 4th line.
knights fan in minny
That might be the kind of message 48 needs a night in street clothes and see what Wild Bill brings after a long layoff Well
Larry
KEN, by the way cause I kept forgetting to ask, how did Connelly look during his practice time with VGK??
DruBlu
With Howds and Mitchy having become the new Karly/Smitty shorty duo, now if Wild Bill returns, we could have two shut-down PK pairs. Might they go with something like this for 2 PK teams?:
R. Smith-Karlsson
McNabb-Theodore
Howden-Marner
Hanifin-Andersson
I honestly don’t know. Not the expert on this.
George
To bring back Wild Bill 5.9 million. They have to remove a comparable salary. Sooo Hertl 6.75 or Hill 6.25 have to go. No more playoff over the cap silliness of before. I say give him time in practice to get NHL ready maybe bring him back next series after an extra week of conditioning and letting Thomas know he is on the clock.
Larry
Pistol Pete, even if Karlsson would be at 80-85% initially starting out, that line you proposed very well might be among the best second lines playing, there could not possibly be any other line as cerebral.
Leonard Wise
I like your lines Pete!
DruBlu
Can we please just stomp these hairy pachyderms back to extinction? Aren’t mammoths supposed to be big and slow?
Jose
Lets beat Utah first before worrying about wild Bill.
Larry
With 5 minutes to go in the second period, this time of play and lack of pace by VGK is a recipe for disaster, need to get to the end of the period and regroup and reenergize!
Larry
They decided to reenergize early with the best sustained pressure since the greatest 5 minutes of hockey….in other words Game 5 of the Finals!