Stone: Power play must deliver
Unit dismal 0-for-7 in two losses to Wild
Mark Stone sounded the alarm on the Golden Knights’ power play.
The captain expressed his frustration after the Knights failed with the man-advantage at key points in their series against Minnesota.
“Definitely concerned,” Stone said Saturday. “We’ve got to capitalize on those chances.”
The Knights were unable to convert on three power plays during a
2-1 loss that completed a two-game sweep for the Wild at T-mobile Arena.
That included a chance to tie the game with 8:45 remaining with Jordan Greenway off for slashing. The Knights managed two shots on goal, both long-range efforts by Jonathan Marchessault.
The Knights threatened on their first attempt in the second period, including Reilly Smith’s deflection of Shea Theodore’s shot that went off the crossbar.
“Loved our first one, hated our second,” coach Pete Deboer said, forgetting about the five-second power play the Knights had in the second period.
In the series opener Thursday, the Knights had a chance to take the lead in the third period when Joel Eriksson Ek went off for hooking and couldn’t come through.
They also were unable to solve Wild goalie Cam Talbot during a four-on-three power play in overtime after Eriksson Ek bowled over goalie Marc-andre Fleury. Minnesota went on to win 3-2 in a shootout.
The Knights have tinkered with their personnel and formations recently, using leading goal scorer Max Pacioretty on the second unit for a spell. He’s also been deployed on the left side at times rather than in his preferred spot in the right circle.
Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore also have shuffled between the two groups as the Knights search for a power-play quarterback other than Stone. Pietrangelo has two assists on the power play in 21 games.
The Knights went 0-for-7 in the two games against Minnesota and haven’t scored on their past 12 power-play attempts. They rank 24th overall at 17.9 percent entering Sunday’s games.
“We have a big power play with (eight) minutes left in the game and a chance to tie it, and we don’t really get anything off it,” Stone said. “Our power play has to win us a hockey game here. We’ve lost three in a row now, and I don’t think we’ve scored a power play goal in any of them. It needs to be fixed.”
Delayed homecoming
Pietrangelo didn’t travel with the Knights for their trip to St. Louis last month but will return to Enterprise Center for the first time since he signed a seven-year, $61.6 million contract in free agency.
Pietrangelo spent 12 seasons with the Blues and was the captain when St. Louis won the Stanley Cup in 2019. His wife is from St. Louis.
The Knights begin a two-game series Monday against the Blues, who are on a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) and tied with San Jose for fifth place in the West Division.