Missed Defensive Assignments, Missed Opportunity, Golden Knights Drop Game 2

Finding a goal in Game 2 for the Vegas Golden Knights (1-1) proved to be as difficult as finding a single-zero roulette wheel in a Vegas casino, losing 3-1 to the Anaheim Ducks (1-1) at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night. Stellar play by Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal and two missed defensive assignments by the Golden Knights that led directly to Anaheim goals proved to be the difference in the game.

While the first period was scoreless, it was not for a lack of opportunities. Anaheim got a golden opportunity early in the first period to get the game’s first goal when the Golden Knights took four-consecutive penalties. First, Tomas Hertl was assessed a two-minute minor for high-sticking John Carlson at 3:14, next Mitch Marner was whistled for delay of game for shooting the puck out of play, and then when things seemed that they could not get any worse for the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel took a double-minor for high-sticking Mikael Granlund at 5:33.

The Anaheim power play clicked at an amazing 50% in the first round against Edmonton, but went 0-4 in Game 1 and followed that up with an 0-4 in the four-consecutive first period chances in Game 2. The Golden Knights penalty kill was so effective that Anaheim recorded zero shots during a combined 1:42 of 5-on-3 play. The Golden Knights penalty kill has been stellar thus far in the playoffs, boasting a 95% success rate prior a perfect five-for-five performance in Game 2.

Other than the Golden Knights penalty kill, the other story of the first period was the shot discrepancy. The Golden Knights went 12+ minutes without a shot, including a two-minute power play opportunity where they did not even attempt a shot. The Golden Knights recorded a shot from Hertl at 16:46 of the first and did not get another until a Ben Hutton shot on goal at 3:57. Overall, the Golden Knights were outshot 13-4 in the first.

The Golden Knights must have noticed the shot discrepancy in the first because they came out firing in the second, recording three shots on goal in the first minute of the frame and outshooting Anaheim 11-7 in the period. Despite the Golden Knights firing a higher volume of shots in the second period, it would be Anaheim that would get the game’s first goal. A defensive lapse by the Golden Knights left rookie Beckett Sennecke (2) wide open in front of their net, which allowed him to receive a Jeffrey Viel pass from below the goal line and immediately wrist the puck from in tight, beating Golden Knights netminder Carter Hart to his blocker side at 11:23 of the second. It was only the second time in eight playoff games that Anaheim netted the game’s first goal.

With exactly two minutes left in the second, Anaheim got a fifth power play opportunity and a chance to take a two-goal lead, but the Golden Knights penalty kill was once again up to the task and the score remained 1-0 heading into the third period.

The Ducks got that elusive two-goal lead at 6:36 of the third on another missed defensive assignment by the Golden Knights. Leo Carlsson (4) was left alone down low in front of the Golden Knights’ net and was able to receive a beautiful backhand, cross-ice pass from Troy Terry and chip the puck up and over the glove Hart who had no chance on the play.

The Golden Knights got their third power play opportunity of the game with 8:23 left in regulation and nearly scored on a wild scramble in front of the Anaheim net. With Dostal sprawled flat on the ice, exposing a wide-open net, Ducks forward Mikael Granlund made a glove save on a Golden Knights shot attempt, killing what little momentum the Golden Knights had generated from the man-advantage.

Down by two, the Golden Knights pulled Hart for the extra attacker with over four minutes remaining in regulation, but Anaheim quickly scored into the empty net to go up 3-0. Just when the shutout seemed inevitable for Anaheim, the Golden Knights got a late power play during which Mark Stone (3) deflected an Eichel shot with just six seconds left to ruin Dostal’s shutout bid, which would have been Anaheim’s first shutout of the entire season.

With the series now knotted 1-1, the venue will switch to Honda Center where Game 3 will take place on Friday night.

Notes

Dating back to the regular season, Tomas Hertl has now gone 28 games without a goal.

Ivan Barbashev had his seven-game playoff points streak snapped.

Statistics

Shots on goal for the game favored the Ducks, 28-22.

Hits were even at 39 apiece.

Faceoff winning percentage favored the Golden Knights 63.2% to 36.8%.

Blocked shots favored the Golden Knights 19-14.

The Golden Knights had 19 giveaways, while the Ducks had 15.