The Golden Knights have scored just 18 goals over their past eight games, topping three only once, but goaltenders Carter Hart and Adin Hill have kept the team in games. Vegas earned points in five of its last six outings, and excluding two six-goal performances against Tampa Bay, the Knights allowed only 13 goals over that span.
Hart has started 10 games to Hill's eight and owns a .932 save percentage with a 1.62 goals-against average. At five-on-five, his numbers rise to a .940 save percentage and 1.21 GAA, and he has saved 1.7 goals above expected according to MoneyPuck. Hill carries a .915 save percentage and has allowed six goals at five-on-five in his three starts.
"We just stuck with it and just found a way," Hart said after Thursday's 2-1 win over Detroit. "That's what it's about in this league is finding different ways to win. It's not always going to be pretty. It's not always going to be perfect."
Hill, coming off the worst season of his career, said in late October he feels good about his game and is focused on staying ready. Coach Ryan Craig and goaltending director Sean Burke will eventually need to name a No. 1 option, though Hart's additional starts suggest he currently holds the edge.
The goaltending tandem has delivered during the team's four-game road trip, with points in the first three games. Once considered a potential weakness, the position has become the reason Vegas corrected course after a rough stretch. The Knights have two days off before a Sunday matinee in Buffalo.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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