No. 1 Pacific Vegas vs. No. 1 Wild Card Utah
VEGAS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon's late-season gamble to fire Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the season, and replace him with John Tortorella has looked like a brilliant move at this point. After losing 12 of 16 from Feb 27 through March 28, Cassidy was removed, Tortorella was handed the franchise, and the five-time Pacific Division champions responded with a 7-0-1 run to close the season. Along the way, they outscored their competition 4.1 to 2.0, including wins over division-rival Edmonton and Presidents' Trophy winner Colorado. The 33 goals they scored down the final stretch were the second-most during any eight-game stretch of the regular season. They've gotten exceptional goaltending from Carter Hart, who finished 6-0-0 after returning to the net, with 1.66 goals-against average, allowing 10 goals while making 133 saves.
"We didn't change a ton of our system, just a few places where we can be a little more aggressive, keeping pucks alive, whether it was the O-Zone, neutral zone or D-zone, try and play a little quicker in the D zone, which has led to some more possession time," captain Mark Stone said when asked what the coaching change sparked.
UTAH: The Mammoth lost three of their last four to close the regular season, allowing at least three goals in all four games. It was a stretch of wins after the calendar turn - from Jan. 1 through March 7 - that catapulted them into the playoff picture. But since then, they've shown vulnerability during a 9-8-2 run since March 9. In that stretch, they've scored and allowed an identical 67 points. Over their final 19 games, they averaged 27.8 shots per game, so the opportunities have been there. And that's important to note when you consider the Mammoth registered 26 shots or fewer in all three matchups against Vegas this season. One area Utah can lean on, which has been outstanding in that same 19-game span, has been with the power play. Since March 9, the Mammoth rank fourth with their 29.1% conversion rate. And since March 30, when the Knights began their run, Utah ranks sixth with its penalty kill (69.6%).
"I think all 16 teams that get in are hungry, I don't think that changes a ton," Stone added, when asked about the challenges of facing Utah. "There are two teams that are playing in a playoff series for seven games ... so there are always challenges, but, haven't even played game one yet, so I'll answer that question more after game one probably."
KNIGHT TO SHINE: They may not have been a better player for Vegas since Tortorella took over than Hart. During the Knights' 7-0-1 sprint to the finish, Hart was the No. 1 goaltender with his .930 save percentage among goalies with at least five starts, and also sixth with his goals-against average of 1.66.
"He’s been great," Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore said. "He’s been so solid. You know, I think we’ve given up too many chances. But he’s been big back there. He’s been a backbone kind of ever since he came back.
"And it’s obviously great to have the confidence in him. And it’s good to see him playing well."
MAMMOTH TO WATCH: There's no bigger star to keep an eye on than Utah's Clayton Keller, the voted the team's MVP. He led all Mammoth skaters in scoring for the second consecutive season, posting a team-high 88 points (26 goals, 62 assists) in 82 games. Keller's ability to make things happen was evident late in the season, when he registered assists in 10 straight games from March 26 to April 16 - both the longest assist streak and longest point streak in franchise history. He also recorded a team- and career-high 28 multi-point performances, including his first Mammoth hat trick, when he scored three goals and had an assist at Vancouver on April 4.
ALL-TIME SERIES MARK: 3-3 ... Since the Mammoth relocated from Arizona to Salt Lake City, the Knights have been shutout twice while splitting the six meetings. They won the first two meetings, but have lost three of the last four, including the last one, a 4-0 home loss on March 19. Vegas has been outscored 21-13 in the six meetings.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) skates ahead of Utah Mammoth left wing Michael Carcone (53) during the third period at T-Mobile Arena.