Special teams has been a major reason for the Golden Knights’ success through the first seven games of this postseason. They’ve outscored their opponents 5-1 on power play and penalty kill situations and have added three empty net goals and scored one to tie Game 5 late with the goalie on the bench. Add it all up, and it means when the game is at anything other than 5-on-5, the Golden Knights lead 9-1 in seven games.
The main catalyst for this dominance has been VGK’s excellent work when down a man. Either killing penalties or against the empty net, they’ve been stupendous. Dating back to Game 4 of the First Round, the Golden Knights have now killed 14 straight penalties, including at least three in each of the last four games. Plus, Brett Howden added shorthanded goals in Games 4 and 5.
At 5-on-6, the Golden Knights have allowed just five shots on goal in a little more than four minutes of action. Just two of those shots came from high-danger areas, and they blocked seven shots. Cole Smith, Mitch Marner, and Ivan Barbashev have all added empty net goals as well, helping VGK close out Game 1 of both series and the clinching Game 6 against Utah.
Every aspect of the VGK penalty kill/empty net defending has been on point. It has started with faceoffs. The Golden Knights have won 27 of 48 faceoffs while down a man. Every single Vegas center is above 50% so far in the playoffs. Howden has been the most effective, winning 5 of 6 (83%), with Colton Sissons right behind him at 80% (4 of 5). Nic Dowd has taken the lion’s share of them, winning 52%, and Eichel (57%) and Marner (100% on 1), have also pitched in. Typically, that has led to quick clearances, which allows the entry defense to get to work.
Overall entry denial percentage is not publicly made available, but just in Game 1 against the Ducks, Vegas denied more than half of the entries Anaheim tried. The Utah series was not quite as effective, but still has to be either the best or among the best in the league. VGK have not allowed a single rush chance on any of the 20 penalties they’ve killed, indicating not only is it hard to get into the Vegas zone, but it’s impossible to get a quick chance as well.
I just think the whole group has really worked off one another very well, being aggressive, knowing when not to be aggressive. I think they’ve handled themselves really well that way. -John Tortorella
Finally, goaltending.
Is there something or someone who has impressed you on the penalty kill in the playoffs? -SinBin.vegas
Goaltender. He’s made some really good saves. He was our best player in Game 1. You don’t have, knock on wood, the penalty killing we have going right now without your goaltender making saves. -Tortorella
Hart has posted a .971 save percentage on the penalty kill during the playoffs, stopping an incredible 34 of 35 shots. He has erased all 10 high-danger chances the Golden Knights have allowed, and has racked up 2.0 goals saved above expected on the kill.
He leads all goalies remaining in the postseason in penalty kill save percentage, goals against average, goals saved above expected, and high-danger save percentage.
Simply put, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill hasn’t broken down much, but when it has, he’s been near perfect cleaning it up.
The Ducks shredded the Oilers on the power play in the First Round, scoring on eight of 16 chances. In Game 1, VGK held them to five shots on goal in eight minutes of power play time killing all four penalties. In a series that’s expecting to be pretty tight at 5-on-5, and Anaheim may have the advantage at 4-on-4, special teams are going to be crucial, and VGK’s PK is peaking at the perfect time.
23
Hart leads all goalies remaining in the postseason in penalty kill save percentage, goals against average, goals saved above expected, and high-danger save percentage.
========================
iow, Hart, now that he has been working off the inactivity rust, is the difference maker the Vgk needed in goal. and from months ago, the comment of the year was “a Hill to die on”
Larry
Gee, face offs actually do matter? Who woulda thought such an outlandish concept?? Sorry KEN couldn’t resist.
TS
Carter is the reason we’re still in the hunt!! What a huge challenge for this young man to step in and face as the #1, and he has most definitely impressed!!
He reminds me of Fleury, but even more agile, acrobatic– if that’s possible!
TS
Oh, yeah, Hart is years younger than Fleury was– we could be seeing our #1 for years to come– what a concept- a goalie we can depend on!!
Larry
TS even though Hart is/was much younger than Fleury, it woukd be extreeeeeeemely wishful thinking that he would be be considered more agile or acrobatic.
TS
Larry, i like what i see! This young man is already impressing, and he IS young– he is only gonna get better as he matures. He has been out of commission for a couple years, is no doubt still getting his G memories back i n full, along with the fitness he may hv lost. What a concept– a YOUNG, eager player!!
Larry
TS we can only hope that this will be the case.
Regardless to how this season will unfold, we will be younger and faster next year with the infusion of ready for prime time HSK players, and if we do end up sending Hill to the Cassidy led $&)($ oilers we will have money to pursue a offensive winger as well ( sorry just peering into the future lol).
former season ticket holder
Where is #55? He has been mostly invisible …. push him down to the 4th line, bring in R Smith to play with Karly, get the esp working again, especially on the PK
SHS
Who would you bench from the current fourth line among Dowd, Smith and Sissons? I wouldn’t bench anyone. IF Koley can’t get it going on Karly’s line, I’m afraid he’s going to sit in favor of Reilly.
Rob S.
No, do *not* mess up our fourth line by putting Kolesar on it! Why in the world would you *not* simply scratch Kolesar for Reilly Smith!? Kolesar essentially brings nothing to the table except physicality—and we have plenty of that with the entire fourth line, Barbashev, and Hertl up front and McNabb and Andersson on the blue line. (Heal up soon, Lauzon.) I particularly “enjoyed” that stretch in the first five minutes of the third period last game when Kolesar took a dumb penalty and then failed to convert a chance directly in front of the goal.
Moreover, Karlsson and Reilly Smith have proven chemistry together that might help ease Karlsson back in and ignite Smith’s game—and, between the two of them, they might even resurrect the ghost of Tomas Hertl.
I realize Torts might not be aware of this but if, as he says, he is leaning on the assistant coaches, this is something they should know.
Pistol Pete
There is just no way Torts is not perfectly well aware of the history of the Karlsson-Smith combo. He coached against the VGK many times to name just one reason. He and his staff have their reasons for keeping Smith out. It can always change.