Golden Knights make one lineup change for Game 6 against Avalanche
Golden Knights right wing Ryan Reaves is back in the lineup for Game 6 of the team’s second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena.
Reaves was a healthy scratch in Game 5 for the first time in the playoffs since the Knights’ inaugural season. The bruising forward will be making his third appearance of the series after being suspended for Games 2 and 3. Reaves’ suspension came for roughing/unsportsmanlike conduct against Colorado defenseman Ryan Graves.
Center Patrick Brown, who coach Pete DeBoer called an “unsung hero” after Game 4 for filling in during the playoffs, came out for Reaves. Brown has two goals in 10 playoff games.
Reaves has one assist in eight games this postseason and will bring added physicality to the lineup. He finished third in the NHL in hits per 60 minutes (23.02) among skaters who played at least 10 games.
Reaves is second in the playoffs in hits per 60 minutes (35.68), behind only Colorado’s Kiefer Sherwood (39.56). Sherwood has appeared in only two games.
DeBoer praised Reaves for how he handled being healthy scratched Wednesday. Reaves was waiting outside the Knights’ locker room after their Game 5 overtime win to hand out fist bumps to his teammates.
THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT 😤😤😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/0jBKxOsInF
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 9, 2021
“We don’t get to this point without a deep bench and everybody contributing at different times,” DeBoer said.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
