The Los Angeles Kings were swept in four games by the Vegas Golden Knights, but their goaltender's play was not the reason why. If it wasn't for Jonathan Quick, the series could have been much uglier.
Quick walked away with a 1.55 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage while only getting three goals of support in four games. That's the best save percentage in league history through four losses in a playoff series, according to NHL Public Relations.
And it's not just the standard stats that make Quick's first-round performance so impressive. The Kings were vastly outplayed. The Golden Knights outchanced them 112-82 at five-on-five, and when it comes to high-danger scoring chances, Vegas had 41 compared to L.A.'s 25.
Here's a heat map showing each team's unblocked shots.
Series 5v5 shot recap, LA at VGK, first round 2017-2018. Lots from the right faceoff circle for LA but not too much else. Vegas much, much better. pic.twitter.com/kPbOWpOpsS
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) April 18, 2018
The Kings are walking away disappointed, but Quick can hold his head high.
(Advanced stats courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)
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