Change to Golden Knights’ power play keeps Canucks off balance
The Golden Knights added a wrinkle to their power play during the Western Conference semifinals.
Vancouver forward Jay Beagle admitted Tuesday before Game 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, that the move caught the Canucks off guard.
“We saw similar looks to what they were giving us, and all of a sudden, they had completely switched up their power play,” Beagle said. “They still gave us the looks that we had prescouted, but changed up little things that need to change on our PK. … It’s kind of like a chess match.”
The Knights’ Max Pacioretty moved to the left side of the formation during Sunday’s Game 4, while Mark Stone was stationed in the right circle. Pacioretty had been playing on the right flank and scored from that spot in the Game 2 loss.
Those two connected for a goal in Game 4, when Pacioretty took a pass from Stone and sent a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle through the legs of Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
The Knights scored a power play in five straight games and were 4-for-13 with the man advantage against Vancouver entering Tuesday’s game.
“We’re shooting the puck and hit the net. Sometimes it’s that simple,” center William Karlsson said. “The last two goals we had on the power play is just two snipes, in my opinion. Even the Max one, to shoot between the legs of both the covering D and the goalie.”
Working together
Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer has never met new Silver Knights coach Manny Viveiros, but they have at least one mutual acquaintance: Todd McLellan.
DeBoer was an assistant for McLellan with Team Canada during the 2015 world championship, and Viveiros was on his staff with the Edmonton Oilers in 2018-19 before McLellan was fired. McLellan now coaches the Los Angeles Kings.
DeBoer expects to work with Viveiros to ensure the Silver Knights play a similar system to the NHL club.
”They want to make it seamless for guys to come up and back,” DeBoer said. “I anticipate a lot of close contact with that staff and hopefully a great synergy.”
Trade rumors
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins already pulled off one significant trade, and more deals appear to be imminent.
TSN released its first insider Trade Bait Board of the offseason, and Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury came in at No. 9. The list ranks players based on prominence and the likelihood of a deal.
Fleury (3-0, 2.67 goals-against average, .893 save percentage) lost the starting job to Robin Lehner during the postseason. Before the start of the series against the Canucks, Fleury’s agent posted a picture on social media of his client being stabbed through the back by a sword inscribed with “DeBoer” on the blade.
Fleury is signed for two more seasons with a $7 million salary cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade clause in his contract.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
