The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs have been notable more for the unexpected than the expected. The regular-season juggernaut
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Jack Eichel, getting his first taste of the postseason, pushed his point total in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs to 13 (six goals and seven assists), the most points by a Golden Knights skater through 10 games of a playoff campaign. The only active players to produce more points through their first 10 career playoff games than Eichel are Boston’s David Pastrnak (15), Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (15), Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (15) and Florida’s Eric Staal (14) — who accumulated those points for the Hurricanes in 2006.
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With their win in Game 5, the Golden Knights improved to 45-31 (.592) in postseason games all-time, the best win percentage in Stanley Cup playoff history. The only franchises to reach 45 playoff wins in fewer games than the Golden Knights (76) are the Oilers (67) and New York Islanders (75).
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Game 5 was a microcosm of the Golden Knights’ playoff year, as Vegas seized control of the game in the second period. The Golden Knights have outscored the Jets (first round) and Oilers (second round) by 11 goals in the middle frame (16-5), the largest goal differential in a single period for any team this postseason.
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Vegas was the most disciplined team in the NHL during the regular season (3:46 short-handed time on ice per game, the only team under four minutes) but has been uncharacteristically undisciplined in the first five games of this series, taking an NHL-high 41 penalties in the second round.
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The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division during the regular season despite ranking outside of the top 10 in goals per game (14th) and goals allowed per game (11th). It is worth noting that no team has won the Stanley Cup the same season it ranked outside the NHL’s top 10 in both goals scored and goals allowed.
