Golden Knights’ 4th line excels in 6-2 win over Calgary

The members of the Golden Knights’ fourth line were on the ice nearly an hour before practice Friday working on breakouts and other assorted details.

The reward for their extra effort came Saturday.

William Carrier registered his first career two-point game, including the go-ahead goal in the second period, to help the Knights secure a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena.

Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves also scored, as the fourth line combined for three goals and an assist.

“I think our last game was not our best game, so we just tried to bounce back from that,” Carrier said. “It wasn’t nice goals. They were all work-ethic goals and go to the net and send pucks through.”

The Knights snapped a two-game losing streak and remained unbeaten all time at home against Calgary in five games.

Rasmus Andersson and Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Flames 33 seconds apart in the second period to go ahead 2-1 before the Knights responded.

Here’s what else stood out from the Knights’ win:

1. Instant chemistry

Paul Stastny returned to his customary spot on the second line between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone, and registered his first point of the season when he scored at 17:26 of the second period to put the Knights ahead 4-2.

Stastny took a pass from Pacioretty in the neutral zone, and his wrist shot trickled past Calgary goaltender David Rittich, who was slightly screened by defenseman Travis Hamonic.

“When you go in little slumps, you almost just need one to get yourself out of it,” Stone said. “He’s just such a consistent player, and he has been his whole career. Nothing but good things from him the rest of the season.”

The Pacioretty-Stastny-Stone line combined for five points (two goals, three assists), including a fantastic individual effort by Stone to tie the game. He took a drop pass from Pacioretty, and after his shot was stopped, tracked down the rebound.

Stone had a goal and an assist for his fourth multipoint game and leads the Knights with eight points (three goals, five assists).

Pacioretty finished with two assists.

“We played angry,” Stone said. “We don’t like losing two games in a row, and we hadn’t played the way we normally play.”

2. The Spiders from Mars

Center Cody Eakin slightly resembles the old Ziggy Stardust character with his “screwed down hairdo,” and the red mullet was a welcome sight for the Knights’ third line.

But overall the line struggled to possess the puck and finished with a 36.4 percent shot share at 5-on-5, according to the website NaturalStatTrick.

Cody Glass, who moved to right wing, set up Eakin for a one-timer in the first period. The rookie managed to bag his second career goal late in the third period when his pass on a 2-on-1 deflected off Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano.

“Our minutes were limited, so it was nice to get the feel back,” Eakin said. We chipped the puck in and got to work and just kind of kept it simple.”

3. Quiet Tkachuk

Calgary left wing Matthew Tkachuk ranks a distant third behind San Jose’s Evander Kane and Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty on the hate meter at T-Mobile Arena.

But after torching the Knights the past two seasons, he was held in check Saturday.

Tkachuk finished with an assist and hit the crossbar on a power play in the third period but also saw 12:51 of ice time. By comparison, Milan Lucic played 15:45 for the Flames.

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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.