Golden Knights hope to continue asserting themselves in Game Two

Brains over brawn

The Golden Knights were clearly the more physical team in Game One, nearly doubling the Mammoth in hits 51-30.

While the willingness to wear down the Mammoth is appreciated, the Golden Knights will still have to play smart. Cooley and Sean Durzi are already proving to be pains in the series, but Vegas cannot lose focus and turn this into an all-out brawl where special teams become the difference maker. So long as the Golden Knights can keep their eyes on the prize, they can maintain control of the game while also punishing the Mammoth.

Depth charges set

The heroes of Game One were not necessarily who the Golden Knights expected.

The fourth line put on a performance reminiscent of 2018, when the likes of William Carrier, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Ryan Reaves were delivering crushing hits and scoring momentum-swinging goals. This time, it was Colton Sissons and Dowd getting the puck in the Utah net, with the latter ultimately serving as the game-winner. If the fourth line can continue to be a positive while the stars get their games going, the Golden Knights are going to be a tough out for any team, let alone the Mammoth.

Pile on the pressure

This is where the extensive playoff experience gap between the Golden Knights and Mammoth could come into play.

The Mammoth will be pushing heavily to tie the series and maximize their home ice advantage when the action heads east to Utah on Friday, so they are going to want to push the pace early. While the Golden Knights have been content on allowing chances in order to stay aggressive in their own right, any desperation from the Mammoth could lead to chances heading their way. On top of remaining physical, expect a heady defensive effort as Vegas sees if they can spring a sudden advantage and force more mistakes from the opposition.