Golden Knights will use break to prepare for Sharks in second round

LAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights earned a break with their historic sweep of the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference First Round, and general manager George McPhee said he is happy about it.

"I think this will be good for us," McPhee said Wednesday, one day after Vegas won 1-0 in Game 4 at Los Angeles, becoming the first NHL team to sweep its first Stanley Cup Playoff series in its inaugural season. "We're finally getting healthy for the first time in what feels like six months."
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Vegas will play the San Jose Sharks next beginning at a date to be announced. San Jose completed a sweep of the Anaheim Ducks with a 2-1 home win Wednesday.
McPhee, speaking before the Golden Knights knew their second-round opponent, said that though the time off before the second round is not like the mandated five-day break during the regular season, when players don't skate or practice, this break will be beneficial from a health standpoint.
"We were banged up far more than anyone would know," he said, "and we were really thin down the stretch."
Vegas dealt with key injuries late in the regular season to top-six forwards Reilly Smith (upper body) and David Perron (undisclosed). Smith returned in the regular-season finale April 7 against the Calgary Flames after missing 15 games. Perron returned for Game 3 against the Kings after missing eight games.
The Golden Knights hope to have defenseman Luca Sbisa (upper body) available for their next game. He has not played since Feb. 27.

McPhee also said the time off will help them prepare.
"We're not going to Mexico," he said. "We're going to be practicing, training hard and working on our structure."
Vegas, the first team to advance this season, will have home ice in the second round.
"I have no idea what to expect next series," McPhee said. "We played some really sound hockey. What lies ahead, we don't know. We'll know in a couple weeks."
Vegas averaged 3.27 goals per game in the regular season, fifth most in the NHL, but reached the second round on the strength of its defense and goaltending. The Golden Knights outscored the Kings 7-3, averaging 1.75 goals per game.

Marc-Andre Fleury finished with a .977 save percentage, a 0.65 goals-against average and two shutouts (both 1-0).
McPhee said it was important that he selected goaltenders in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21 who could make good leaders. That's certainly a quality McPhee sees in Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"We wanted to be as good as we could be," McPhee said. "To get a player like that to play the way he plays, to bring the leadership he brings, it was something we had to have."
McPhee said he's not reflecting on Vegas' achievements and that there is a lot of hockey left to be played.
"We're just trying to be as good as we can be," the GM said. "I don't know what kind of validation we need. We're just trying to be a good hockey club."