Golden Knights winning with depth in playoffs so far

The Golden Knights are 3-0 in Edmonton, Alberta, so far and scored six goals against the defending Stanley Cup champions Thursday.

Not bad for a team without its leading scorer. Max Pacioretty is “really close” to joining the team, coach Pete DeBoer said Friday, but the Knights have had to start the postseason without him.

In his absence, the team is spreading out its scoring and doing just fine.

“We’re deep,” said right wing Mark Stone, who has four points in Edmonton. “We’re deep at defense. We’re deep at forward. We’re deep at goal. We know there’s going to be guys contributing at different times.”

The Knights had 11 players record a point in Thursday’s 6-4 against the St. Louis Blues after 10 got on the scoresheet Monday against the Dallas Stars. Only center Paul Stastny, left wing Jonathan Marchessault and defenseman Alec Martinez don’t have a point in the round robin yet, and Martinez hit the post twice versus the Blues.

“I think if you want to be successful this time of year and in the playoffs, you have to have scoring by committee,” said Martinez, who has won two Stanley Cups. “I’m very impressed (by our depth) and just hope I can chip in a little bit too.”

The most encouraging sign is the play of the third line. It’s been a season-long sore spot, but left wing Nick Cousins (one goal, five assists), rookie center Nicolas Roy (four assists) and right wing Alex Tuch (three goals, one assist) have impressed through three games.

“We have to have three lines that are dangerous offensively,” DeBoer said. “It’s starting to feel like we have that. Obviously, Pacioretty back in the lineup helps us there, too. You forget quickly your leading scorer has been out of the lineup. I think that’s what’s been impressive for me about the way we’ve played and the offense we’ve generated is we’ve done it without our leading scorer in the lineup. That’s a good sign.”

Goalie rotation

DeBoer has been alternating goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner this postseason, and he didn’t rule out continuing to do that once the Knights’ first-round series begins. DeBoer said he wants to keep an open mind because he’s heard teams might play on back-to-back days in the early rounds of the playoffs.

All eight NHL play-in series have at least one scheduled back-to-back.

“It’s such a unique year, such a unique format,” DeBoer said. “For me, everything’s on the table in that regard.”

Soft ice

Martinez and right wing Reilly Smith both said Friday the Rogers Place ice in Edmonton, Alberta, has been a little soft and snowy since it’s hosting up to three NHL games a day.

The Knights have played the second game of the day at the arena for their exhibition and two round-robin contests.

“The ice is going to be a little bit bouncy,” Smith said. “The simpler you can make it and the more direct, I think it bodes well for our group.”

Seattle grabs ex-Knights VP

Ex-Knights vice president of entertainment and production Jonny Greco was hired by the Seattle Kraken on Friday.

Greco, who helped shape the Knights’ widely praised in-game presentation at T-Mobile Arena, will now put his touch on another expansion franchise. He left Las Vegas in November to take a job with Madison Square Garden.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.