With season nearing end, Gallant out to rest players
Coach issuing maintenance days entering playoffs
EDMONTON, Alberta — With the Stanley Cup playoffs looming, Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant continues to give some of his players days off to rest or heal.
He even had a couple of his regulars stay home.
Nate Schmidt, Deryk Engelland, Cody Eakin and Tomas Nosek had Wednesday off. Meanwhile, Jonathan Marchessault and David Perron are not with the team on the three-game Western Canada road trip ,which continues Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. However, both are expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs next week.
The team would not reveal either player’s situation, but Perron did miss his fourth straight game Tuesday when the Knights beat Vancouver 5-4 in a shootout.
“Just giving some guys some maintenance days,” Gallant said Wednesday after practice at Rogers Place. “We’ll adjust the lines where we need to, but we’ve got a lot of depth …”
While Marchessault and Perron are out, Erik Haula returned to practice after being held out of the lineup Tuesday. And Reilly Smith skated with the team for the second straight day. Smith, who suffered an upper-body injury and has missed 14 games, was still in a red non-contact jersey.
Good Will thumping
Forward Will Carrier has spent more time off the ice this season than on it because of injuries. But Carrier returned to the lineup Tuesday and made his presence felt.
He was physical. He was helping out in his end. And he was looking to create havoc as he was reunited with linemates Pierre-edouard Bellemare and Nosek.
“It felt great to be back,” Carrier said after he played 9:39 but still managed to lead the Knights with four hits. “I’ve missed so much time this year, and it’s been frustrating. All I want to do now is look forward and help the team in the playoffs.”
Carrier has had two long stints on injured-reserve. The first came in late November when he suffered an upper-body injury and missed 16 games. The second was in early February when he injured his shoulder against Washington and missed 27 games.
In the 35 games he has played, Carrier has one goal and two assists. But he’s not on the ice for offense. His game is helping to set a physical tone, and he will be looked to as a shutdown player in the postseason.
“Whatever the team needs,” Carrier. “I think they want me to play my game, be physical and help make plays.”
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @ stevecarprj on Twitter.