GOLDEN KNIGHTS

body to separate the puck from opponents. Carrier’s eight hits in the 4-3 loss, his first game since Jan. 4, were tied for fourth-most in his three-year career.

That raised the 24-year-old’s league-leading total this season to 227, well ahead of teammate Ryan Reaves, who is second with 202.

“He’s a power guy,” linemate Pierre-edouard Bellemare said. “Not just in the sense that he goes and hits guys, he’s got power in everything he does out there. He brings a lot of intensity to our game.

“It makes the game for sure much easier for me. Every time he goes (for a hit), even if he doesn’t finish the guy, I can tell the guy is not feeling safe.”

Carrier also wanted to note that his return to the ice wasn’t just about checking. He, Bellemare and Reaves had five scoring chances together on the Knights’ fourth line and didn’t give up one on defense.

“They played their best game in quite a while and they weren’t bad before that,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I thought with Will’s energy and Will’s speed, and the chemistry that line has, they had a real good game.”

Sleepy time

Player or coach, one thing about Gallant’s game day routine has stayed the same throughout the years: A pregame nap.

“I’ve done it since I was 17 years old,” Gallant said. “You