The Golden Knights arguably had the MVP of the NHL's conference finals, while an Avalanche center was the biggest disappointment. We look at those superlatives and two others.
The NHL's conference finals went by quickly in these Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Vegas Golden Knights handled the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in a sweep. In the East, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens in five games, winning four straight after losing Game 1.
Looking back at the short-lived Eastern and Western Conference finals, here are the players who stood out for better or worse, along with the best game of the round.
MVP: Carter Hart, G, Vegas Golden Knights
Honorable mention: Nikolaj Ehlers
After the 2018 Canadian world junior goalie missed about two years of NHL action to face and be acquitted of a sexual assault charge, there wasn't much expectation attached to Carter Hart when he returned to the NHL.
However, Hart has been a star for the Golden Knights in this post-season, especially against the Avalanche.
Hart has won his last six games with strong numbers. Particularly in this past series, the 27-year-old posted a .944 save percentage and a 1.75 goals-against average. It's all the more impressive given that Hart was going up against Avalanche stars, such as Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Cale Makar (albeit for two games).
The recent performances from Vegas' netminder have propelled him to be a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Most Disappointing: Brock Nelson, C, Colorado Avalanche
Honorable mentions: Scott Wedgewood, Noah Dobson
Brock Nelson has been very disappointing for Colorado, not just in the Western Conference final but in this entire post-season.
He finished the series against the Golden Knights with zero points despite averaging 18:40 of ice time as the Avalanche's second-line center.
There is the argument that Nelson is more of a defense-minded forward, as he is a Selke Trophy finalist. However, his minus-4 rating was the second-lowest on the team in that series.
Although Colorado's stars didn't exactly shine, the team desperately needed secondary scoring to stay alive, and Nelson couldn't provide that in the slightest.
Unsung Hero: Eric Robinson, LW, Carolina Hurricanes
Honorable mention: Dylan Coghlan
Eric Robinson had an exceptional series for the Hurricanes.
Going into the Eastern Conference final, Robinson had just two assists.
Now, after Carolina eliminated Montreal, the left winger has three goals and six points in this post-season.
He tied the league lead in goals for the conference final round and contributed to the scoresheet in all outings except Game 4.
Despite only averaging 11:21 of ice time in this series, Robinson made his presence known for the Canes.
Best Game: Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights, Game 3
Honorable mention: Carolina versus Montreal, Game 3
In Game 3 of the Western Conference final, the Golden Knights made a statement that all but confirmed who was advancing to the Stanley Cup final.
In the first period, the Avalanche dominated the scoresheet, wrapping up the first frame with a 3-0 lead. It seemed that Colorado found its footing in the series as expected.
However, John Tortorella's team stormed back for the remaining 40 minutes of the contest, scoring five unanswered goals and never looking back.
Vegas ended up winning that game 5-3 to suck the life out of the Avalanche and make a comeback highly unlikely.
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