Golden Knights search for chemistry on 3rd line

For most of the Golden Knights’ brief existence, the third line has been a revolving door of forwards that was unable to establish an identity.

But the latest incarnation offers hope that the Knights finally found a reliable trio.

Chandler Stephenson skated with Alex Tuch and Nicolas Roy again Sunday during training camp at City National Arena, and the group continues to impress coach Pete DeBoer ahead of the NHL postseason.

“I like that line,” DeBoer said. “I think every day at camp they’ve gotten better and better. They’ve got an opportunity to be a real formidable group. You’ve got real good size, real good speed. A lot of skill there. And I’ve thought every day out here they’ve looked better.”

The Knights’ current third line appears to be a departure from previous units.

During the club’s inaugural season, Tuch and Brendan Leipsic were Cody Eakin’s primary wings for the first half of the season. That line had a 49.2 shot attempts percentage and minus-2 goal differential at five-on-five, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

After Leipsic was traded at the deadline in February 2018, the likes of Ryan Carpenter, Oscar Lindberg and Tomas Tatar tried to pump life into the line on the wing with minimal success.

Eakin and Tuch combined for a 49.3 shot attempts percentage and a 48.6 percent expected goals share with a minus-7 goal differential at five-on-five that season, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

In 2018-19, a hodgepodge of forwards made up the third line for the first three months while Eakin filled in for injured second-line center Paul Statsny.

During one stretch in November 2018, Lindberg, Carpenter and Tomas Hyka skated together. Former coach Gerard Gallant even briefly used Max Pacioretty on the third line in February 2019 in search of more balance.

It was more of the same to open this season, as the line of Eakin, Cody Glass and Brandon Pirri failed to score at five-on-five and consistently lost the puck possession battle (49.3 shot attempts percentage).

When Tuch returned from injury after missing the first 13 games, he didn’t click with Eakin and Glass. The William Carrier-Eakin-Tuch line was the only one to find success before it was broken up.

But with Eakin traded to Winnipeg on Feb. 21 and the Knights back to full strength after the NHL pause, Tuch (6 feet 4 inches, 220 pounds) is joined by Roy (6-4, 200) and Stephenson (6-0, 208) to form the team’s biggest line.

“It’s been awesome,” Stephenson said. “We’re just trying to get prepared as much as we can. Obviously the speed of (Tuch) and the work ethic of (Roy), it’s going to be fun. I like playing with them.”

Stephenson, who posted a career-high 22 points in 41 games after being acquired from Washington on Dec. 3, has alternated at center with Roy in practice.

Tuch, who was injured Feb. 13 against St. Louis and missed the final 12 games before the NHL paused its season because of the coronavirus pandemic, has seen time at both wings.

Their ability to forecheck and cycle the puck in the offensive zone was evident throughout the first week of camp.

“I think prior to the pause, when you’re dealing with injuries and shorter rosters, sometimes you never get the opportunity to be at full strength and be able to throw three real skilled players like that together on a third line,” DeBoer said. “I think the pause and getting healthy has allowed us to take a look at that. It’s been good.”

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