{"id":301968,"date":"2026-05-06T03:34:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T03:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/301968\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T03:34:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T03:34:14","slug":"john-tortorella-says-golden-knights-were-not-good-in-game-1-against-anaheim-golden-knights-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/301968\/","title":{"rendered":"John Tortorella says Golden Knights \u2018were not good\u2019 in Game 1 against Anaheim | Golden Knights"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you were thinking John Tortorella would change his stance from the Vegas Golden Knights<\/a> losing to \u201cthe better team\u201d<\/a> in Game 1, you\u2019d be mistaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were not good,\u201d Tortorella said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Short, sweet and to the point.<\/p>\n

Much of the messaging 24 hours after the Knights\u2019 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks<\/a> remained the same. The Knights didn\u2019t play well for large stretches of the game, but did enough to win.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll look for a 2-0 series lead at T-Mobile Arena on at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Tortorella also didn\u2019t go into specifics on how the Knights needed to play better, opting to simply say, \u201cWe need to play better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was there any good tape that he saw?<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s some,\u201d he said. \u201cNot much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting out to a fast start might be the first step in helping that.<\/p>\n

The Knights were outplayed in the first period, especially at 5-on-5, but managed to get through the first 20 minutes without either team finding the back of the net.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first probably wasn\u2019t our best,\u201d defenseman Noah Hanifin said. \u201cI think as the game went along, we cleaned things up a little bit. We started transitioning the puck quicker, playing faster.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since he arrived late in the regular season, Tortorella has talked plenty about mindset and getting into the right frame of mind throughout the course of a game.<\/p>\n

He used that buzzword again in terms of being ready when the puck drops.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a mindset. That\u2019s guys being ready,\u201d Tortorella said. \u201cI think it comes to anticipation skills. To me, it\u2019s not a physical skill. It\u2019s a readiness. And we were certainly void of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Knights needed their goaltender to be their best player in Game 1. Carter Hart was that<\/a> with 33 saves.<\/p>\n

Hart carried a shutout into the third period for the second straight game. Both times, however, the Knights got the quick response they were looking for.<\/p>\n

Game 6<\/a> of the first-round clincher over Utah was Colton Sissons on the fourth line. Monday was Ivan Barbashev scoring the game-winning goal one minute after Ducks center Mikael Granlund tied it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got some better hockey to show,\u201d Sissons said. \u201cI thought we gave them a little bit too much time and space coming through the neutral zone a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Much of the talk<\/a> has been similarities between the Ducks and Mammoth, primarily with their speed and young talent.<\/p>\n

But the Knights did a better job as that series went on in keeping the Mammoth to the outside. That will be an area of focus as the second round progresses every other day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think both teams are real dangerous off the rush. A lot of good, young skill,\u201d Hanifin said. \u201cI think the Utah series, it was pretty feisty and stuff like that. I think last night was a lot more 5-on-5 situations, but we\u2019ll see how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Knights found a way to win on Monday, and that\u2019s what the NHL is in Tortorella\u2019s mind \u2014 a find-a-way league.<\/p>\n

He said Tuesday was a chance to reset and keep the players away from the rink, adding he trusts the team<\/a> in knowing they have to be better on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou watch teams throughout playoffs find ways to win when they really don\u2019t deserve it.\u201d Tortorella said. \u201cWe did that last night, but there\u2019s only so many kicks at the can at that. We need to be ready to play better Game 2.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com.<\/a> Follow @DannyWebster21<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n

Up next<\/p>\n

Who: Ducks at Golden Knights<\/p>\n

What: Game 2, second round (Knights lead 1-0)<\/p>\n

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday<\/p>\n

Where: T-Mobile Arena<\/p>\n

TV: TNT, truTV, HBO Max<\/p>\n

Radio: KFLG 94.7 FM\/KKGK 1340 AM<\/p>\n

Line: Knights -160; total 6\u00bd<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

Golden Knights-Ducks series schedule<\/p>\n

Game 1: Knights 3, Ducks 1<\/p>\n

Game 2: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena (TNT)<\/p>\n

Game 3: Friday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (TNT)<\/p>\n

Game 4: Sunday, 6:30 p.m. at Honda Center (ESPN)<\/p>\n

*Game 5: May 12, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN)<\/p>\n

*Game 6: May 14, TBD at Honda Center (TNT)<\/p>\n

*Game 7: May 16, TBD at T-Mobile Arena (ESPN or ABC)<\/p>\n

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