Vegas Golden Knights vs Utah Mammoth Series Hub

^ Optional
* Not open to the public

Game 6
VGK -120
UTA +100
O/U 5.5 (O -115)

Series Price
VGK -500
UTA +375

Series Correct Score
VGK in 6 -140
VGK in 7 +230
UTA in 7 +375

VGK

William Karlsson: Injured on 11/8. Not expected to return for First Round. Skated with Silver Knights in practice on 4/27 in red no-contact jersey.

UTA

Jack McBain: Played in Game 1, missed Games 2-4. Skated after morning skate before Game 5.

Game 6 
VGK
Barbashev-Eichel-Dorofeyev
Howden-Marner-Stone
Smith-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

VGK
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Peterka-Kerfoot-Carcone
McBain-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 5 
VGK
Howden-Eichel-Barbashev
Smith-Marner-Stone
Dorofeyev-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

UTA
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Kerfoot-Hayton-Carcone
Peterka-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 4 
VGK
Barbashev-Eichel-Dorofeyev
Smith-Marner-Stone
Howden-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

UTA
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Peterka-Kerfoot-Carcone
O’Brien-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 3 
VGK
Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Howden-Marner-Dorofeyev
Smith-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

UTA
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Peterka-Kerfoot-Carcone
O’Brien-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 2 
VGK
Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Howden-Marner-Dorofeyev
Smith-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

UTA
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Peterka-Kerfoot-Carcone
O’Brien-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 1 
VGK
Marner-Eichel-Stone
Barbashev-Howden-Dorofeyev
Smith-Hertl-Kolesar
C.Smith-Dowd-Sissons

McNabb-Theodore
Hanifin-Andersson
Lauzon-Korczak

Hart

UTA
Keller-Schmaltz-Crouse
Yamamoto-Cooley-Guenther
Peterka-McBain-Carcone
Kerfoot-Stenlund-Tanev

Sergachev-Weegar
Schmidt-Marino
Cole-Durzi

Vejmelka

Game 5
It still blows my mind that the Golden Knights have trailed in the 3rd period of every single game in this series and yet have a chance to win it in Game 6. It defies history, as Vegas stands alone as the only team to ever be up in a series after facing deficits in five straight games to open a series. Yet, somehow, it feels like the Golden Knights need to find a way to avoid falling behind in the 3rd in Game 6. Toying with the hockey gods only works for so long.

It’ll be interesting to see what Tortorella does with the power play units after another lackluster performance. The obvious answer would be to go back to the five-forward look and hope the regular season success can be rekindled deep into this series. My gut says that’s not the path Torts is going to take though, and I’m not sure why. We’ll see.

Finally, a quick note on goaltending. Carter Hart is currently ranked 19th out of the 21 goalies in the playoffs in goals saved above expected. That’s mainly because he’s allowed a bad or weird goal in every single game. Crouse in Games 3 and 5, Carcone in Game 4, and own goals credited to Weegar and Stenlund in Games 1 and 2. On the flip side, he’s been excellent in the overtime sessions and is a massive reason why VGK are even still alive, let alone up 3-2. This has pretty much been the story of his entire playing career in the NHL. He has the talent and ability to make some big saves at big times, but when the game is over there’s typically three or four goals on the board and a confusing one in the mix. He hasn’t been as bad as the numbers have said, but he certainly has not been good in this series… at least during regulation.

Game 4
Tip goals have been a godsend to the Golden Knights so far in this series. VGK have scored three in four games, leading the NHL in the postseason, after they scored just 19 in 82 games in the regular season. Clearly, there’s a focus on getting the puck on the sticks of the defensemen and then funneling pucks through. Are these goals replicable playoff goals that will keep coming or has the variance popped in the first four games of the series? That may end up telling the story of Games 5-7.

Something that dawned on me watching the game again was how concerned we were coming into the series about odd-man rushes and how unbelievably well VGK have limited them in this series. Think back, can you think of a single two-on-one that the Mammoth have had, let alone full-on one-on-zero breaks? It just isn’t happening, which is a great sign because Vegas’ defense is still active in the attack, and it’s not backfiring.

After watching four games not once, but twice, it’s still impossible to determine which team will get the upper hand in the final three games of this series. The possession stats simply don’t tell the whole story and that comes into better focus every time I go back over all of the chances. VGK need more zone time to get great chances than UTA do, but VGK are consistently getting it. The goals in the series are even at 13 a piece, and it feels that way with the series tied at two. The Golden Knights have been closer to danger than the Mammoth, but they’ve also overcome adversity better. We’ve got ourselves one heck of a series, and it’s going to be a war to find those last two wins.

Game 3
The play by Marner to Howden had a chance to really set the table for this game and instead, it got Vejmelka going and helped allow the Mammoth to settle in. VGK had a few nice shifts early in the 1st period, but aside from that chance, there wasn’t a ton to really feel like absolutely deserved to be goals.

In the end, it just comes to a game of moments, and upon rewatch, the number of truly dangerous moments wasn’t as far in VGK’s favor as it felt live. Now, that certainly doesn’t mean they should have been down 4-0 or lost the game by two goals, but the 32-12 shots on goal number and 37-15 scoring chances per NaturalStatTrick don’t really represent the game while the score was still close.

It sounds like Tortorella is going to mix up the power play units for Game 4, and it seems like a decent idea. It’s fair to be a little hesitant because they are still 2 for 9 with the top unit scoring both, but they could use a different look after the 0 for 4 in Game 3. It’s going to take 5-on-5 success to truly tip this series back in Vegas’ favor long-term, though. They are absolutely close to good things happening in this series, they just need to actually make them happen. It’s been the downfall in the past, can’t let it be the downfall again.

Game 2
The number one thing that stood out in Game 2 was VGK’s inability to capitalize on icings by the Mammoth. Utah sent the puck the length of the ice over and over again which is what made it feel like the Golden Knights had offensive zone time galore, especially in the 1st period. But, not once did VGK do anything with those opportunities. Aside from a few tip chances, there wasn’t a ton going on around the net in the offensive zone.

Utah has backed off on their forecheck a bit, now looking more for turnovers above the circles or at the blue line rather than deeper into the zone. Again, VGK did a good job of avoiding most of it, but it meant more bodies above the puck for the Mammoth so far fewer clean transition chances leading to easy possession into the O-Zone for Vegas. The one time it really bit the Golden Knights was on the Guenther goal. Cooley is the only one truly forechecking while Yamamoto drifted back towards the wall. Hanifin fired it right into him and then it was just up to Guenther to find open ice to release that insane shot. VGK’s minds are on quick, simple, smart exits because of the expected pressure, but when it’s not there, they have to adjust and make smarter plays.

The most glaring issue for Vegas is an obvious one though. They need more offense from the best players on the team. The 2nd line of Marner, Dorofeyev, and Howden was completely useless offensively and Stone and Eichel were being carried by Barbashev. So far, Barbashev and McNabb have been Vegas’ most effective players on the front and back ends. Others need to join, and surpass, them if the Golden Knights are going to generate the amount of offense needed to win this series.

Game 1
VGK played an extremely solid opening game. They limited mistakes incredibly well, especially in the defensive zone which led to Utah’s rush game never really getting off the ground. In a weird way, no VGK player had a great game while none of them played a poor game. There were moments for a lot of guys but for the most part everyone pretty much played a solid game without much special.

While there were far more “maybe” moments for Utah, Vegas was able to erase just about all of them with good sticks, good positioning, and when needed, good goaltending. The one concern I have moving forward is that VGK’s truly most dangerous offense seemed to be reliant upon big Mammoth errors. Of course, the goal scored by Dowd came off a failed clearance by Weegar and a few of the other chances (most notably from Hertl, R. Smith, and Stone as well as the two-on-one for Marner/Andersson and the breakaway for C. Smith) all came off loose pucks that Utah either overskated or missed. To keep winning games in this series, VGK will have to find a way to generate more that they create on their own rather than being gifted.

*Will air live on YouTube.com/@SinBinVegas.*

Before Game 4 @SinBinVegas Twitter Space

4/30 – Longest game in franchise history puts Mammoth on the ropes

4/28 – Mammoth fall short in OT to Golden Knights despite valiant comeback effort

4/27 – At Utah Mammoth games, there’s one bit of fashion that’s all the rage

4/27 – Weegar relishing leadership role in return to playoffs with Mammoth

4/25 – Utah’s NHL playoff moment: Mammoth try to sever Vegas ties as a rivalry grows

4/25 – Mammoth WAGs bring playoff style to Utah ice

4/24 – Liam O’Brien Could Be Unlikely Hero for Mammoth in Playoffs

4/22 – Logan Cooley is shining for the Mammoth in his playoff debut: ‘It’s what you dream of’

4/20 – Mammoth remain positive despite poor third period performance in loss to Vegas

4/20 – Logan Cooley emerges as villain in Mammoth’s Stanley Cup playoff debut

4/19 – Can the Utah Mammoth beat the Vegas Golden Knights in round one?

4/17 – Utah Mammoth announce playoff schedule, watch parties, in-arena festivities