Suddenly potent energy play powering Golden Knights in Stanley Cup Final

LAS VEGAS — Bruce Cassidy acknowledged between Games 1 and a couple of of the Stanley Cup Final that his Vegas Golden Knights’ energy play has been hit and miss all season.

It’s hitting now like gamers in a high-stakes recreation of blackjack – and has Vegas two wins from the Stanley Cup.

The Golden Knights bought two extra power-play objectives Monday of their 7-2 rout of the Florida Panthers in Game 2, with Jonathan Marchessault cashing in for his team-record eleventh purpose of the playoffs and Brett Howden including one other within the last minutes. Marchessault additionally scored on the facility play within the series-opening win Saturday.

“Marchy’s pretty hot – he seems to be shooting the puck well,” stated Jack Eichel, who assisted on Marchessault’s power-play purpose. “We’re just trying to communicate and move the puck. When things break down, try to make plays and support each other. Obviously, I think that’s what happened.”

Dating to the Western Conference final-clinching victory in opposition to Dallas, which gamers and Cassidy have known as arguably their greatest efficiency of the season, Vegas has scored on the facility play in three consecutive video games for the primary time since late December. The unit is 4 for 11 (36.4%) within the last versus Florida.

“It’s picking a good time to get going,” Cassidy stated. “It’s important that it’s working because, if not, you can really lose momentum and they can gain momentum from kills, so that’s the importance of it right now.”

PHOTOS: Suddenly sizzling energy play powering Golden Knights in Stanley Cup Final

Of all of the issues that powered the Golden Knights by the primary three rounds, the facility play was not chief amongst them. They scored simply 10 occasions on 54 alternatives, an 18.5% success price that was ninth-best of the 16 groups that certified for the playoffs.

That was sturdy proof of Vegas getting offense at even power. The Golden Knights’ 50 objectives at 5-on-5 coming into the ultimate had been by far essentially the most of anybody this postseason.

“We score 5-on-5,” Cassidy stated. “We’ve won a lot of games without having (the power play need) to perform at a high level, but it’s certainly another weapon or another way to create offense that is going to help.”

Alec Martinez, Nicolas Roy and Howden all scored at even power, chasing Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky halfway by Game 2, and the Golden Knights added two extra 5-on-5 objectives for good measure within the third interval in opposition to Alex Lyon. Martinez’s purpose additionally gave Vegas three objectives from defensemen this sequence after it bought a complete of three from them by the primary 17 video games of the playoffs.

It’s a distinct recipe than sequence in opposition to Winnipeg, Edmonton and Dallas, nevertheless it’s working to this point. The success getting the facility play going and photographs by screens and previous Bobrovsky is a testomony to Cassidy and his employees making essential changes in opposition to a distinct opponent.

Florida bought by the East regardless of having the fourth-worst penalty kill within the playoffs and taking essentially the most penalties. The lack of self-discipline is one thing the Golden Knights had been keenly conscious of.

“You’re playing against one of the most penalized teams in the league in the regular season and the most in the playoffs,” Cassidy stated. “So, you’re going to get on the power play if you’re working to draw your penalties.”

Neither entrance has seen a lot enchancment for the Panthers, who took 14 penalties, together with six misconducts and one other for abuse of officers within the blowout loss. As a outcome, they’ve a deep gap to climb out of with the sequence shifting to Florida for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Saturday.