Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP
Vegas Golden Knights’ Mark Stone (61) and Shea Theodore (27) celebrate a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta.
Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020 | 2 a.m.
The Golden Knights open the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop against the Vancouver Canucks, a Pacific Division rival.
Vancouver is the last team in the league to have not beaten Vegas in regulation, as the Golden Knights are 8-0-2 all-time against the Canucks. They have never met in the playoffs though, so tonight will be their highest-stakes meeting to date.
Here are three keys to victory in Game 1, sponsored by Credit One Bank.
Stopping Quinn Hughes
The most important player on the Canucks isn’t yet old enough to drink. That’s 20-year-old Quinn Hughes, who will be tasked with slowing down Vegas’ top lines on defense and also helping the attack from the blue line. The Calder Trophy finalist had 53 points to lead all rookies regardless of position and tied for fourth among all defenseman. The Golden Knights didn’t see this kind of skill on defense in the Chicago series, so keep an eye on how they handle Hughes, who figures to get plenty of ice time.
Improved special teams
The power play wasn’t terrific against the Blackhawks but it didn’t need to be. Vegas pounded Chicago into submission at 5-on-5 and never needed to rely on special teams. The Canucks are better than the Blackhawks, and come with their own prowess, particularly on the power play. They connected at 30.4% in their first-round series, second-best in the league, but their penalty kill was only at 75%. Vegas’ first-round series wasn’t won or lost on special teams, but the second round could be.
Take care of the bottom six
Just like the Chicago series, the Golden Knights’ most obvious advantage is its depth in the bottom six. There’s been a lot of talk about the third line of Nick Cousins, Nicolas Roy and Alex Tuch and rightfully so — they’ve been great. Vancouver has the high-powered forwards at the top of the lineup that have a chance of matching the Golden Knights’ horses. Where the Canucks can’t match up is in the depth. Look for the Golden Knights to take advantage with the third and fourth lines.
