Knights get rare luxury ahead of playoff rematch in Dallas

Practice.

The team put in more than an hour on the ice one day before it plays the Dallas Stars at 1 p.m. Saturday at American Airlines Center. The Knights’ fathers even got to watch from the stands since they’re taking part in the club’s annual dads’ trip.

Coach Bruce Cassidy said he didn’t put his players through a full workout just because there were special guests in attendance. He was more concerned with getting a full day’s work in, even if it took him a second to recall the best way to do that.

“We haven’t had a practice in so long, I felt more pressure to remember what it’s like because we’ve had so few this year,” Cassidy said. “It was good to get back out.”

The Knights (17-5-5) have had a jam-packed schedule in recent weeks.

Saturday will be their 13th game in 25 days, a stretch that started Nov. 14 against Washington. Only three of those games have been at T-Mobile Arena.

The Knights at least got a brief break this week. Their last game was Wednesday’s 6-3 victory in St. Louis. The team then got Thursday off except for a short flight. That left the Knights time to practice Friday.

They also planned to tour the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas covering the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy and have one more group dinner to commemorate the dads’ trip.

“I think it’s just good downtime for the guys after the game in St. Louis and to not play,” Cassidy said. “We just haven’t had that type of break. You prefer to do it at home so they can be with their family, but it happens to be on the road and they get to be with their dads at least.”

The schedule also gives the Knights extra prep time for the Stars (15-7-3), though they may not need it.

The two teams have already played twice this year and met six times in last season’s Western Conference Final. The Knights also know Stars coach Pete DeBoer well after playing for him for two-and-a-half seasons.

“Even for us, as coaches, we get a little chance to recharge the batteries a little,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think they’ve changed a whole lot. They’re a pretty good hockey team. We just have to be the one that executes better.”

The Knights have been doing that lately on special teams.

They’ve scored a power-play goal in four straight games and in five of their last six. Their penalty kill is also 20-for-21 their last nine contests.

Both units played a key role in the Knights’ last victory. They scored twice on a franchise-record eight power plays against the Blues, while killing all three of their own penalties.

“Obviously our special teams were good,” Cassidy said. “They got in some penalty trouble and we were able to take advantage.”

Cassidy hopes the Knights can do so again Saturday. They’re 2-0 against Dallas this season, but both games were tied after regulation. The Knights won once in a shootout and once in overtime.

“It was two close games,” Cassidy said. “I’d expect more of the same. They’re coming off a tough trip, but they got a win (Thursday) so they’ll be in a good place.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.