But, among goalies who have played multiple games this postseason, Vegas goalie Carter Hart is tied for second in high-danger save percentage (.909) behind Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres (.926). The Golden Knights also have the third-best penalty kill percentage (93.8) this postseason, giving them a chance to contain Anaheim’s high-powered offense.
2. Ducks’ scoring depth
Anaheim had four players with more than a point per game (Jackson LaCombe, Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier) in the opening round against Edmonton. The Ducks are also the only team with eight players of at least five points this postseason. During the regular season, the Ducks had three 60-point scorers, all 22 years old or younger, in Gauthier (69 in 76 games), Carlsson (67 in 70 games) and rookie Beckett Sennecke (60 in 82 games).
Despite having four wins in six playoff games so far, Hart had a sub-.900 save percentage (.898) in the first round and particularly struggled in the Vegas’ Game 3 loss at the Utah Mammoth (.667 save percentage; four goals allowed on 12 shots faced). Anaheim had a slightly better 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (53.2) in its series against Edmonton (46.8) than Vegas (52.0) did in its series against Utah (48.0). This regular season, Anaheim was one of the NHL’s most-improved teams in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (52.2; seventh) compared to last season (46.3; 30th) under new coach Joel Quenneville.
3. Vegas’ defensive structure
Per NHL EDGE IQ, the Golden Knights had the third-lowest average Projected Goal Rate (PGR) against (5.23 percent) during the regular season, indicating their defense did not allow as many high-quality scoring chances compared to other teams.
Vegas also ranks second in offensive zone time percentage at both all strengths (43.8) and even strength (43.7) this postseason. Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner had seven points (two goals, five assists) in the first round, including two goals, one assist and seven shots on goal in the series-clinching Game 6 win. Marner had two shorthanded assists in the first round and leads Vegas in both 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (60.7) and 5-on-5 shot attempts differential (plus-35) this postseason.
Since Vegas hired John Tortorella as coach, the team has 11 wins in 14 games (regular season and playoffs combined). But three of the Golden Knights’ four wins against Utah in the first round were comeback victories, with each featuring a game-tying or go-ahead goal in the third period, indicating there could be a window for Anaheim to continue its opportunistic play.
The Golden Knights and Ducks will play their first head-to-head playoff series; Anaheim went 3-0-0 against Vegas this season, sweeping them for the first time in franchise history. Two of Anaheim’s Western Conference-leading 26 comeback wins this regular season came against the Golden Knights.
