VGK’s Experience Leads Team Early And Wins Game 5 Late

It may have taken the Golden Knights 85 minutes to win Game 5, but the signs for success were apparent from the initial puck drop. In the opening moments of Game 5, the Golden Knights decided to use their experience, force, and will to intimidate the less seasoned Mammoth. Beginning 24 seconds into the match, VGK’s Nic Dowd landed two brutal body checks, and Ivan Barbashev and Nick Howden each recorded one hit each. The quick flurry of hits slowed down the Mammoth’s preplanned fast start and shook one of their best offensive weapons. While it started over a week ago, Dowd hadn’t forgotten about his promise from Game 1.

Vegas’ early dedication to physicality frustrated Utah, which led to errant passes, missed shots, and poor body language. The Golden Knights brought back the hit parade later in the frame, and the Mammoth let their emotions get the best of them and took three straight penalties. The three minors committed weren’t for a haphazard high-stick, an unfortunate trip, or an overzealous hockey play. Nope, they were emotional, physical, and retaliatory types of infractions. Sure, Utah scored first, but their lead only held for two minutes.

It was widely known how much more experience the Golden Knights had over the Mammoth coming into the opening round of the playoffs. Through five games, Utah’s talent has found the back of the net in almost every game. The Mammoth’s Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther have five combined goals in five games this series, but they are also giving the puck away at a much higher clip than they did in the regular season and can’t avoid undisciplined penalties.

By the 25-minute mark, Cooley was a mess. The dynamic 21-year-old took two penalties and had no attempts or shots on net. Dowd and the Golden Knights have been trying to get under his skin by playing the long game, and it’s finally paying off.

While playoff experience aided the start of the game for Vegas, it also came into play late in regulation and then 25 minutes later in double overtime. Down one with under a minute remaining, the Golden Knights veterans calmly handled their 6-on-5 situation like it was a Wednesday in November. Their composure carried over with them into overtime and double overtime.

After failing to convert on a rare OT power play, Vegas shrugged it off and continued pressing Utah. The same occurred when Reilly Smith took a penalty in double overtime. It was anything but doom and gloom for the perennial postseason participant. Vegas nearly killed the entire penalty but didn’t need to. Experienced playoff goal scorer Brett Howden bailed Smith and the rest of his team out.

From Barbashev and Dowd’s early game physicality to the late game goal scoring ability from Howden, experience mattered in Game 5. Chances are, postseason exposure will likely come into play on Friday as the Golden Knights try to eliminate the immature Mammoth in Game 6. One team has been here before, many times, the other hasn’t, and it’s showing.