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Vegas Golden Knights: Three Western Conference Finals Predictions

By Richard Cardinale

LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 10: Vegas Golden Knights Defenceman Deryk Engelland (5, right) scuffles with Winnipeg Jets Center Matt Hendricks (15) during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets on November 10, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 10: Vegas Golden Knights Defenceman Deryk Engelland (5, right) scuffles with Winnipeg Jets Center Matt Hendricks (15) during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets on November 10, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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2) Special teams will play a vital role in the Golden Knights success.

LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 15: (L-R) James Neal #18, William Karlsson #71 and David Perron #57 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Perron assisted Karlsson on a second-period power-play goal against the Edmonton Oilers during their game at T-Mobile Arena on February 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – FEBRUARY 15: (L-R) James Neal #18, William Karlsson #71 and David Perron #57 of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after Perron assisted Karlsson on a second-period power-play goal against the Edmonton Oilers during their game at T-Mobile Arena on February 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

It’s important not to give any man-advantage opportunities to a team that’s as skilled as the Winnipeg Jets. They can hurt you from anywhere in the lineup, and that could pose a problem for the Golden Knights. The depth on Winnipeg is much stronger than Los Angeles and San Jose.

They also have a tremendous power play as they sit in at 25% conversion rating on the power play. Players like Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien thrive in that role. It’s important to stay out of the box against this team as much as possible.

On the flip side, the Jets don’t have the best penalty kill percentage as they come in at 74.2%. So when the Golden Knights do go on the power play, they need to make it count. The Golden Knights themselves don’t have a great power play percentage as they come into this series at 17.5%.

Vegas struggled mightily on the power play but got better with the man advantage in the series against the San Jose Sharks. They’ll need to continue that trend if they want to beat a tough Jets team.

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