The Vegas Golden Knights swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the NHL playoffs, capping things off with a 1-0 win in Game 4.
Before the series ended, here was the outlook:
The Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights are matched up in the first round of the 2018 NHL playoffs. The Kings earned the second wild card slot in the Western Conference after an up and down season, but are spearheaded by some big names, like Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. The Golden Knights, in their first year as a team in the league, might not have as much starpower, but they have considerably more depth.
The Kings finished the regular season 45-29-8, and with with 98 points. The Golden Knights, the winner of the Western conference, finished their inaugural season 51-24-7, and with 109 points.
What happened during the regular season?
The Golden Knights and Kings split the season series, winning two games each. This may have marked the first series between these Western conference opponents, but it became clear, fast, that it could turn into a regularly tough matchup. Overall, the Kings held the edge, outscoring the Golden Knights 11-10.
Who were the key players?
As an expansion team, the Knights roster was built relatively quickly and then tweaked by way of various trades and pickups throughout the regular season. But the No. 1 seed has solid postseason experience with Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury. Likewise, the Kings have rallied through to the postseason in no small part to the excellent play of two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Jonathan Quick, who managed a .921 save percentage this season.
What are the game-by-game-scores?
Game 1 at Vegas: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0
Game 2 at Vegas: Golden Knights 2, Kings 1 (2OT)
Game 3 at Los Angeles: Golden Knights 3, Kings 2
Game 4 at Los Angeles: Golden Knights 1, Kings 0.
Any playoff history?
The marks the first time any NHL team has made the playoffs in its inaugural season, but the Vegas Golden Knights are looking to make some more history. The Kings, meanwhile, are looking to prove they are more than just a wild card team during this postseason run, and maybe even regain the glory of 2014 and 2012.