Vegas Sweeps the Kings

[geschrocks33]

Looked at some stats this morning. This is crazy to me:


Jonathan Quick in the 1st round. 4 GP, 1.55 GAA, .947 SV% and he goes 0-4. :stare:

That has to be one of, if not the best performance put up by a goalie in a series where they get swept.


That being said, I told someone at the beginning of the playoffs that I thought Vegas' shot to make a run would depend on Fleury.

MAF - 4GP, 4-0, 0.65GAA, .977 SV%, 2 SO. :speechless:


Lets get some playoff discussion going folks

 

[cburt]

Absolutely phenomenal!

 

[jernst2]

Vegas needed ONLY 7 goals to sweep the Kings
YET
Boston & Pittsburgh got 7 in single games !!
AND
San Jose had 8 in a game!!!
CRAZY!!

 

[TanguayFan]

It was the most entertaining series of the first round, IMHO. Every game was close, every game was FAST, every game was just a little bit chippy.

I have never seen a team that works as hard, from top to bottom, as the Golden Knights did in that first round. If they keep that up, they can easily beat any team in the NHL. Their forecheck was incredible.

 

[chefjason]

Am I the only one that has a hate on for Vegas, watching them play yeah they are good but man I just can't get past how much of an advantage bettman gave them to start the team over past expansion teams that I hope they loose, that being said, MAF played very well

 

[gobuffalo2331]

It's amazing to see how good they're playing. What was quite the sweep. They need to score more goals tho. MAF bailing them out every game it seems

 

[Nick2317]

Am I the only one that has a hate on for Vegas, watching them play yeah they are good but man I just can't get past how much of an advantage bettman gave them to start the team over past expansion teams that I hope they loose, that being said, MAF played very well

I don't like how the whole draft went down ...Gm's bribed vegas into taking certain players and were given extra picks etc for it ......

 

[Bossy22]

So you guys wanted to see Vegas get 43 points this year? The nhl is a business and Vegas is big money. Did the nhl make them cup contenders? No one could of predicted this! It was a perfect storm of shrewd picks, players peaking and Pittsburgh making a top goalie available. This would never happen again and that’s what makes it so fun!!!

 

[pathshot]

I don't like how the whole draft went down ...Gm's bribed vegas into taking certain players and were given extra picks etc for it ......

They paid $500M to not enter the league as punching bags. The other teams knew the parameters in which they were entering and had a year to make roster adjustments and prepare. The negotiations are the same things that took place when Columbus and Minnesota entered the league; teams just had a bit less they could protect. And that money? Spread among the teams as league revenue - so it's not as though they weren't compensated for having to give up a player.

I can't believe as a Kings fan I'm defending the Knights, but your view of expansion is strangely myopic. You've missed what it brought the league - including one of the most heartwarming stories in seeing a city that went through hell just as the season was starting. Yes, they had a greater advantage joining the NHL than any team short of the Edmonton Oilers, but that's the part you're choosing to be salty over? Negotiations?

 

[Matches]

MAF is my early pick for the Conn Smythe. His play and stats were amazing.

I had Vegas going up against the Preds in the Conference final and the Preds winning, but if MAF keeps playing like that, they're the favourites for the Cup in my books.

 

[tiger tiger]

I don't like how the whole draft went down ...Gm's bribed vegas into taking certain players and were given extra picks etc for it ......

That's not Vegas' fault. Hard to refuse offers from other GM's when it totally helps your team.

I don't know who made the decision, but if it was Bettman, then having only the one expansion team, totally was a benefit to Vegas. The talent pool wasn't split like Minny and CBJ when they entered the league. Same with Sens and TB, Panther and Ducks. Nashville and Atlanta went in as single expansions, one year after the other.

IMO, I think a lot of GM's didn't plan ahead enough for the expansion. Maybe there was some assumption that there was plenty of time or that it would be easy to protect players. Or GM's were too worried about the present, and not looking into the future.

I remember when the Nucks traded McCann for Gudbranson. Nucks gave up a 2nd and 4th pick too (5th coming back). At the time, they were saying dmen are expensive and that it's a steep price to pay.

However, McCann was automatically expansion protected. Gudbranson was not, and they would have a hard time protecting Gudbranson over Ekblad, Yandle and Demers (who they just signed to a big contract.) So Vancouver actually gave up McCann and picks for a guy that Florida would have had to unload cheap before the expansion.

Then Florida goes and misjudges their own talent. To protect Bjugstad from taken, they ask Vegas to take R. Smith, and as a bonus for doing that, they add in Marchessault. Thanks for 2/3 of the top line.

Wild gave up Tuch so that Wild wouldn't take Dumba, and grab Haula instead. 2/3 of 2nd line.

I know hindsight is 20/20 and that GM's may have underestimated how much they would have to give up to protect certain players. But a little bit of planning ahead would have helped a few teams out.

 

[tiger tiger]

But IMO, the x-factor in all this is Gallant. He is a superb coach. Watching the type of game they play, it's amazing. Their transition game is awesome. So quick to turn the play the other way. They all support each other, and everyone knows where they are supposed to be and do. Also, the get their sticks on everything and in passing lanes to create turnovers and break up plays. Watching their games vs LA was a beauty from a strategic and execution POV.

 

[creasecollector]

Great stats! This was probably the best series that has ever ended up in a 4 game sweep in NHL history!

 

[newfiecomicguy1]

I liked the Kings since they drafted Luke Robitaille and Jimmy Carson. Then they got Gretzky and they were my favourite team after the Leafs. Surprised and disappointed that they got swept. Vegas really are a solid team. It will be interesting to see what happens with the Kings team especially Doughty.

 

[pathshot]

Great stats! This was probably the best series that has ever ended up in a 4 game sweep in NHL history!

Definitely the closest, though I wonder if this is close to a record for fewest goals scored in a best-of-7. The theoretical fewest is 4; this one had 10 - with half of them in one game.

EDIT: Wikipedia for the win: Fewest Playoff Goals Scored in a Series by Both Teams: 10, (7 by the Vegas Golden Knights and 3 by the Los Angeles Kings), (9 by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and 1 by the Minnesota Wild)

So this was the closest, sh*ttiest offensive series ever.

 

[cburt]

But IMO, the x-factor in all this is Gallant. He is a superb coach.

True. Some have said he already won the Jack Adams way back in December.

I've been as surprised as anyone with their success. But having watched them a lot seeing as they are in the west - I could see these guy's were the real deal. And they continue to prove it. It's kind of exciting to see how far they could go.

 

[odjickfan]

So you guys wanted to see Vegas get 43 points this year? The nhl is a business and Vegas is big money. Did the nhl make them cup contenders? No one could of predicted this! It was a perfect storm of shrewd picks, players peaking and Pittsburgh making a top goalie available. This would never happen again and that’s what makes it so fun!!!

The Pens knew that they couldn't protect Fleury from the expansion draft. I always found it strange that they didn't try to move it for draft choices or some kind of prospects before the expansion.