The Vegas Golden Knights have been living dangerously, and for a while, their penalty kill made it look like a winning strategy. Backed by the stellar play of goalie Carter Hart, the Golden Knights' shorthanded unit was so dominant that the team could afford to take more penalties than usual—until the Anaheim Ducks finally made them pay.

In Game 4 of this second-round NHL playoff series, the Ducks scored two power-play goals to secure a 4-3 victory, evening the series at two games apiece. It was a wake-up call for a Vegas team that had been skating on thin ice. Now, with Game 5 set for Tuesday in Las Vegas (9:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN), the question is whether Anaheim found a crack in the Golden Knights' armor or if this was just a momentary blip. The answer could determine who advances to the Western Conference final.

For Vegas, the issue isn't just about getting back to their penalty-killing prowess—which saw a streak of 21 consecutive kills snapped in Game 4. It's about finding a way to cut down on penalties while maintaining their aggressive, hard-nosed style of play. The Golden Knights were second in the league during the regular season, averaging 3.12 penalties per game, just behind New Jersey's 3.10. In the playoffs, that number has jumped to 4.00 per game, though it's still the third-fewest among postseason teams.

"We've obviously got to stay more disciplined," said Vegas forward Brett Howden. "We don't want to give them momentum or opportunities on the power play. They have a good power play, and our PK has done a really good job, but there's no sense in giving them those chances."

The Ducks, meanwhile, found their rhythm just in time. Anaheim had converted 8 of 16 power plays in their first-round series against Edmonton, but they went 0-for-11 against Vegas before Beckett Sennecke broke through with a first-period goal in Game 4. Alex Killorn added another with the man advantage late in the second period, giving the Ducks a 3-2 lead—a moment Golden Knights coach John Tortorella pointed to as the turning point of the game.

"Once you score one, it kind of changes the confidence of a power play," Killorn said. "You're getting good chances, but it's not going your way. To see one go in, I think it changes everything."

As the series shifts back to Vegas, the Golden Knights will need to tighten up their discipline without losing their edge. For the Ducks, the challenge is proving that their power-play breakthrough was more than a one-night stand. Either way, the stakes couldn't be higher in what's shaping up to be a classic playoff battle.