Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
■ Bruising wingers William Carrier and Ryan Reaves add a dose of thunder to the Golden Knights’ lineup.
See KNIGHTS 10C
Gerard Gallant quickly corrected his interrogator. The jersey color worn by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s line in practice Saturday isn’t yellow.
“Gold line,” the Golden Knights coach said.
Black and blue might be more appropriate colors.
Wingers William Carrier and Ryan Reaves have been skating with Bellemare on the fourth line in recent days, adding a dose of thunder to a Knights lineup already full of lightning.
The Bellemare-Carrier-Reaves line is expected to get another look in the preseason finale against San Jose at 5 p.m. Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
“They’re heavy,” Gallant said. “I like that line. As long as they’re playing well and can skate and play the game the way they played it (Friday) night, that’s what you like. It could be a line. It could make up a line. We’ll see where we’re at.”
Carrier and Reaves are two of the most physical players in the league and known for finishing checks.
Reaves (6 feet, 1 inch, 225
pounds) was ninth in the league last season with 236 hits, and his 3.57 hits per game in 21 appearances led the Knights.
Carrier was second on the team in hits per game (3.05) despite playing 37 games.
He totaled 56 hits in 10 postseason games, including a memorable performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinal when Carrier battered Los Angeles’ defensemen throughout his 13 shifts.
Carrier registered nine hits in Friday’s 2-0 preseason victory over the Kings.
“Obviously when me and (Reaves) are getting in there, guys are going down,” Carrier said. “We’re just trying to bring energy to the team, and that’s what we did (Friday) night.
“Their (defense) has got to move the puck pretty quick. When we’re on the ice, we’re coming pretty fast. Obviously a team is looking at the lineup saying, ‘Well, today might be a little tougher.’ ”
Bellemare, Carrier and Reaves briefly played together in two games at the end of the regular season. But their style of play is similar and they were often in direct competition for a spot in the lineup when both were healthy.
Should Gallant opt to stick with Carrier and Reaves on the same line for Thursday’s season opener against Philadelphia, it would give some sandpaper to the Knights’ lineup.
“It’s just easy to play with,” Reaves said. “I think when you play physical like that and (defensemen) know that you’re coming, it opens up room. It maybe makes them think twice about the play they want to make, or maybe they make it too quick. Having that on the left side, too, is a special bonus.”
Unlike Carrier and Reaves, winger Tomas Nosek is not known for his physical play. He ranked 12th on the team in hits while playing on the fourth line last season.
Nosek is expected to start the season on the third line, though Gallant continues to evaluate his bottom-six forwards.
“They are tough to play against, there’s no doubt,” Gallant said of Carrier and Reaves. “They can both skate, and they can both finish checks real hard, and they are both physical players. I am sure when defensemen get pucks going back, they know they are going to get banged pretty hard. I like the look, and they work hard together.”