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The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 6-0 on Monday to advance to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The team overcame a fierce Dallas, as the Stars forced a Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 in the series. In the end, the Golden Knights were the better team, and it showed.
One area in which Vegas thrives is its defense. The Golden Knights have one of biggest and most experienced defense groups in the NHL which is a huge part of their success when it comes to limiting high-danger chances and goals while avoiding penalties.
Vegas Golden Knights defend their way to the Stanley Cup final
During the playoffs, the team's stellar defense was on full display. In six games against the Dallas Stars, one of the highest scoring teams in league, Vegas put on a full lockdown. The Golden Knights held Dallas to just two goals per game and a total of 12 in the series, racking up 21 goals (3.5 per game) themselves.
The team knows how to make life difficult for its opponents. They use their size on the backend to end cycles and plays in the defensive zone and forecheck with relentless pressure, which often keeps the puck in the offensive zone for the entirety of shifts. Most importantly, they play fluently under Bruce Cassidy with great co-ordination all over the ice.
In Game 6 against Dallas, Vegas held the Stars to only 12 shots through 40 minutes of play, the lowest total for the team all season. The Stars struggled to create scoring chances, with the majority of their shots coming from the outside. The Knights defended with ease, resulting in an Adin Hill shutout win.
When things did seem to break down a bit and the Stars found some space, Vegas blocked 23 shots, which is equal to the number of shots Dallas had all game.
In the upcoming Stanley Cup Final, Vegas will be tested by a hungry Florida Panthers. But with the way the Golden Knights are defending, Florida's ability to create chances will be severely tested in this series.
