Power play now energized
Seek to stretch special-team string to nine games
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Remember when the Golden Knights couldn’t sniff a power-play goal?
It was only a few weeks ago that the team had low wattage with the man advantage. But the Knights have now scored at least one power-play goal in eight straight games and will attempt to equal Tampa Bay and San Jose for the longest streak of the season when they face the Sharks on Thursday at SAP Center.
“I think we’ve been getting more pucks to the net and guys are working well together,” coach Gerard Gallant said of the team’s power play, which ranks 10th in the NHL at 21.4 percent.
Carpenter coming through
The Knights are getting along without forward Will Carrier, who was injured in the first period against Washington last Sunday and will miss his second straight game Thursday. Ryan Carpenter
has taken Carrier’s spot and has scored in each of the past two games.
“I’m happy for him,” Gallant said after Carpenter’s goal against Pittsburgh in Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Penguins. “He went hard to the net and he got rewarded.”
Gallant plans to keep Carpenter with Pierre-edouard Bellemare and Alex Tuch. Is that his new third line?
“We have two third lines,” Gallant said with a smile, referring to Cody Eakin, Brendan Leipsic and Oscar Lindberg, which has actually become the team’s fourth line.
Sullivan praises Fleury, Knights
Following Tuesday’s emotional return to Pittsburgh by Marc-andre Fleury, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was impressed with how Fleury handled everything and how his team responded when down 2-0. The Penguins subsequently scored five unanswered goals and held on for the 5-4 win.
“It was a great tribute to Marc,” Sullivan said. “He deserved it, and I’m sure it was very emotional for him. But I thought it was also emotional for (Pens goalie) Matt (Murray). I thought both handled themselves as well as they always do.”
As for the Penguins’ comeback, Sullivan may have stole a page from the Knights’ playbook.
“I told our guys we’re never out of it and we just have to play the game the right way,” he said. “We were showing signs of resiliency. Vegas is tough to play against. They never quit, and they are what their record says they are. They’re an excellent team.”
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @ stevecarprj on Twitter.