The Vegas Golden Knights drew first blood in Game One against the Anaheim Ducks, but don't let the 3-1 score fool you—there's plenty of work still to be done as the series shifts gears for Game Two on Wednesday.

If you caught the opener, you know "fortunate" was the word of the night. The Golden Knights found themselves on the back foot for long stretches, overwhelmed at times by Anaheim's blistering speed. But thanks to a heroic performance from goaltender Carter Hart and a penalty kill unit that has been nothing short of elite, Vegas managed to escape with the win. Now, with a trip to the Western Conference Final on the line, the Golden Knights need to find answers—and fast—for the Ducks' relentless attack.

So what can Vegas do to take a commanding 2-0 lead before the series heads south to Southern California? Let's break it down.

Exploit the cracks in Anaheim's armor

One of the keys to Vegas's success in the latter half of Game One was their ability to spot weaknesses in the Ducks' defensive structure and strike with precision. Both goals—courtesy of Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev—came from the same playbook: a perfectly timed pass to a teammate charging toward the far side of the crease. It's a simple but deadly formula when executed right. Anaheim will undoubtedly be more disciplined this time around, so the Golden Knights need to keep searching for new patterns to exploit. If they can control the pace and limit turnovers, they can neutralize the Ducks' speed advantage and dictate the flow of the game.

Stay out of the box

As impressive as Vegas's penalty kill has been this postseason—allowing just one power-play goal in 20 opportunities—relying on it too heavily is a dangerous game. Anaheim came into this series riding a 50 percent success rate on the power play against the Edmonton Oilers, and while the Golden Knights shut them down all four times in Game One, that kind of luck can run out. The best way to keep the penalty kill effective? Don't put it on the ice in the first place. Staying disciplined and avoiding unnecessary penalties will not only preserve that lethal unit but also keep the Ducks from building momentum.