Golden Knights and Mammoth surge into 1st-round meeting as the NHL playoffs reset the stakes
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas and Utah head into their first-round meeting playing well at just the right time, and while some elements could carry over, the way games play out in the NHL playoffs are far different from the regular season. Matchups often become much more important than whatever supposed momentum a club takes into the postseason. The Pacific Division champion Golden Knights, (minus)-190 favorites according to oddsdmakers, host the Western Conference No.
1 wild-card Mammoth in Game 1 on Sunday night in their best-of-seven series. Vegas closed the season by going 7-0-1 under coach John Tortorella after he replaced Bruce Cassidy on March 29. “I'm not really a big believer in momentum,” Golden Knights center Jack Eichel said.
“I think every game and shift has a life history of its own. I think you can take some things away from the way we've been playing for sure and what's made us successful. But that's the beautiful thing about the playoffs.
Everyone's slate is completely clean, and every night you have to prove yourself. ” Utah went 6-2 before ending the regular season with a 5-3 loss to St. Louis , a game played after the Mammoth's playoff seeding and matchup were decided.
“We’re a very confident team right now," Mammoth wing Clayton Keller said. "I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, lots of excitement, and great for our group to get into the playoffs and feel that. ” Andersson's comfort level grows Rasmus Andersson spent his first nine-plus seasons in Calgary, so he had to get used to a lot of change when the Golden Knights traded for him in January .
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