One small thing Carter Hart must do in Game 2 against the Utah Mammoth

It's no secret that Carter Hart has been fantastic for the Vegas Golden Knights this April. He had a GAA of 1.66 and a save percentage of .930 to close out his last six starts, making him the de facto starter for the Golden Knights. That was enough for John Tortorella to throw Adin Hill in the trash bin in favor of his former Philadelphia Flyers buddy.

Lo and behold, Hart carried that momentum into Game 1. He stopped 31 of 33 shots en route to a 4-2 victory. It was a night where Hart handled the Utah onslaught perfectly, moving into position well and keeping up with the attack.

Certainly, that should warrant plenty of attention and praise from the fans. In fact, he got the game's third star, giving Vegas an unprecedented advantage at goaltender. However, there's one small play that cost the Golden Knights a goal.

Just one.

This one play was the first gaffe of the postseason for the Golden Knights (and even the NHL), leaving Hart's team down a goal heading into the third period. Let's examine that one play and see what the Golden Knights netminder could've done differently.

Carter Hart must be careful with leaving the net against the Utah Mammoth

In the second period, Carter Hart had an unfortunate miscue after Colton Sissons scored. He went to play a dumped-in puck, mishandled it, and couldn't get back to the net in time. The result? Kevin Stenlund scores and Utah regains the lead.

Again, Hart had an excellent game where he stopped 31 of 33 shots on goal. However, that one miscue could've cost the Golden Knights the game. You can't give an inch to a fast-moving team that swarms the puck, especially when you're in a tight contest.

That was the case against the Mammoth on Sunday. All game, Utah was flying up and down the ice, giving the Golden Knights all sorts of fits. That could be problematic if Vegas finds itself in the hole early.

When you leave the net like you play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, you're bound to give YouTubers headaches. Hart knew better than to misplay the puck there and should've stayed in his place. Instead, it careened over to the opposing attacker and led to the second Mammoth goal.

If Hart can have another strong game for the Golden Knights on Tuesday, that will bode well for the team's shot at going up 2-0. The Golden Knights picked up the play and rallied to beat Utah, thanks to his stellar performance. John Tortorella's old friend must hold down the fort and, well, tend the goal.

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