The stars come out as Golden Knights clinch Western Conference Final berth
Derek Hegna
Host · Writer
In my preview of Game Six earlier this morning, one of the points mentioned how the Vegas Golden Knights needed their stars to continue producing.
Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden were turning into lights-out shooters that could score at a moment’s notice. Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel were making plays that most NHL players would never even attempt to create. Carter Hart was turning into a wall in net at key points throughout the postseason.
If the Golden Knights wanted to secure their fifth appearance in the Conference Finals in nine years, they would need similar performances, if not more.
As was the case in the first round against the Utah Mammoth, the Golden Knights saved their best performance for last, soundly defeating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Thursday to close their second round series out in Game Six.
Just past the one minute mark of the opening period, the fireworks began. Marner found a way to get behind Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe, then warded off the contact before shaking him off. Marner would then pull off a move reminiscent of William Karlsson (who, ironically enough, landed a perfect stretch pass to start the sequence) in the inaugural season and tuck the puck over a sprawling Lukas Dostal between his own legs to open the scoring and score his 10th point of the series.
The penalty kill would then get the opportunity to make more magic again. With Cole Smith off for tripping, Marner would catch a pair of Anaheim defenders watching the puck, allowing Howden the opportunity to slip behind them and directly to the back door. Marner would then find hit a beautiful seam pass before Howden fired a one-timer into the net, jumping back to sole possession of first in the NHL with eight goals in the playoffs, at least temporarily.
"I was telling Mitch that I don't think I've ever had a shorthanded goal before. He's been making unbelievable plays to set me up,” said Howden during his postgame press conference.
Funnily enough, Howden’s shorthanded goal was actually his third of the playoffs, which ties him for the single-postseason record with the likes of Wayne Gretzky.
The power play, not to be outdone, would add to the first period beating. Taking advantage of a high stick from Alex Killorn, Shea Theodore would rip a shot through traffic in front of the net to give the Golden Knights a three-goal cushion after 20 minutes.
Anaheim got some much-needed life in the second period, gaining momentum after Mikael
Granlund fired a shot that beat Hart clean on the power play to cut the deficit to two goals.
It would be as close as the Ducks would get towards mounting a comeback, as Dorofeyev, as he said in Game Five, did his job when the moment called for it.
In the opening minutes of the third period, Dorofeyev would restore the three-goal lead by taking Ivan Barbashev’s backhand pass and firing it past Dostal. He would then wrest the league lead in goals away from Howden with a solo effort that beat Dostal shortside to put the final dagger into the Ducks.
Hart put together another excellent performance in net, stopping 31 of 32 Anaheim shots to close the door on another series.
The Golden Knights are now at the halfway point of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the Colorado Avalanche awaiting in the Western Conference Final. Game One is already scheduled for May 20 at 5 pm PST at Denver’s Ball Arena.
