Missed Defensive Assignments, Missed Opportunity, Golden Knights Drop Game 2

Other than the Golden Knights penalty kill, the other story of the first period was the shot discrepancy. The Golden Knights actually went 12+ minutes without a shot, including a two-minute power play opportunity where they did not even attempt a shot. The Golden Knights recorded a shot from Hertl at 16:46 and did not get another until a Ben Hutton shot on goal at 3:57. Overall, the Golden Knights were outshot 13-4 in the first.

The Golden Knights must have noticed the shot discrepancy in the first because they came out firing in the second, recording three shots on goal in the first minute of the frame and outshooting Anaheim 11-7 in the period. While the Golden Knights were firing a higher volume of shots in the second period, it would be Anaheim that would get the game’s first goal. A defensive lapse by the Golden Knights left rookie Beckett Sennecke (2) wide open in front of their net, which allowed him to receive a Jeffrey Viel pass from below the goal line and immediately wrist the puck from in tight, beating Golden Knights netminder Carter Hart to his blocker side at 11:23 of the second. It was only the second time in eight playoff games that Anaheim netted the game’s first goal.

With exactly two minutes left in the second, Anaheim got a fifth power play opportunity and a chance to take a two-goal lead, but the Golden Knights penalty kill was once again up to the task and the score remained 1-0 heading into the third period.

The Ducks got that elusive two-goal lead on another missed defensive assignment by the Golden Knights. Leo Carlsson (4) was left alone down low in front of the Golden Knights’ net and was able to receive a beautiful backhand, cross-ice pass from Troy Terry and chip the puck up and over the glove Hart who had no chance on the play.

The Golden Knights got their third power play opportunity of the game with 8:23 left in regulation and nearly scored on a wild scramble in front of Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal, but Ducks forward Mikael Granlund made a glove save on a Golden Knights shot attempt while Dostal was sprawled flat on the ice, leaving a wide-open net.

Down by two, the Golden Knights pulled Hart for the extra attacker with over four minutes remaining in regulation, but Anaheim quickly scored into the empty net to go up 3-0. Just when the shutout seemed inevitable for Anaheim, the Golden Knights got a late power play during which Mark Stone (3) deflected an Eichel shot with just six seconds left to ruin Dostal’s shutout bid, which would have been Anaheim’s first shutout of the entire season.

With the series now knotted 1-1, the venue will switch to Honda Center where Game 3 will take place on Friday night.

Notes

Dating back to the regular season, Tomas Hertl has now gone 28 games without a goal.

Ivan Barbashev had his seven-game playoff points streak snapped.

Statistics

Shots on goal for the game favored the Ducks, 28-23.

Hits were even at 39 apiece.

Faceoff winning percentage favored the Golden Knights 63.2% to 36.8%.

Blocked shots favored the Golden Knights 19-13.

The Golden Knights had 19 giveaways, while the Ducks had 15.

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