(Photo Credit: @TBLightning on X/Twitter)
A power-play goal allowed in each of their last four games marks the Golden Knights’ longest such streak since surrendering one in five straight early last season. Five PP goals allowed in four games is also the worst penalty killing stretch since December 2023, when VGK allowed nine in four games.
The Golden Knights’ penalty kill now sits at a miserable 67.9%, the 5th worst mark in the league. They’ve killed just three of the last eight power plays they’ve faced.
I think our kill’s got to be way better. I mean, if we kill that, maybe we get some momentum in the game and instead they score. And they got another one in the 3rd. So, you know, that needs to sharpen up, and we’ll look at it. We’ll get better. -Brayden McNabb
McNabb was on the ice for both power play goals against last night and has been out there for seven of the nine VGK have allowed this season.
Goals Against On Penalty Kill
McNabb – 7
Theodore – 6
Dowd – 6
Karlsson – 5
Howden – 4
Hanifin – 2
Lauzon – 1
Andersson – 1
Marner – 1
Bowman – 1
Wotherspoon – 1
Connelly – 1
The TOI distribution has McNabb and Lauzon as the first two defensemen, while Dowd and Karlsson have gotten the most run out of the forwards.
The lone bright spot has been Noah Hanifin. He has logged 16:53 of penalty kill time, just three minutes less than McNabb, and has allowed just two goals while also being on the ice for a pair of shorthanded goals. His advanced stats are much better than both McNabb’s and Lauzon’s as well.
Most of VGK’s troubles have come from abandoning the front of the goal. On four of the last five, and a few others earlier in the season, one of Vegas’ defensemen has drifted away from the crease, allowing a screen and/or tip option for the power play. It seems as if the Golden Knights have become a bit too aggressive on the penalty kill, looking to end plays earlier rather than waiting for the correct moments.
This aggressiveness has paid off in a few instances. The Golden Knights are one of just three teams with three shorthanded goals. Analytics behind these numbers don’t indicate it will continue, though. In just under 40 minutes of penalty kill time, the Golden Knights have generated just 0.79 expected goals, but have managed to put three into the net.
The Golden Knights clearly have the horses for a strong penalty kill. They just need to get back to basics and prioritize limiting chances in front of their own goal rather than chasing chances at the other end.
