PITTSBURGH — Not that things were so bad the night before in Boston, but Vegas Golden Knights coach Ryan Craig decided to shake things up Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He moved Brett Howden up with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Ivan Barbashev skated with William Karlsson and Mitch Marner. Trevor Connelly went back to the third line. Jonas Rondbjerg was out, Raphael Lavoie was in. And Carter Hart sat in favor of Adin Hill.
With the Knights having dropped five of their last six contests and desperately in need of two points, Craig believed this was the best way to accomplish that. After all, it was the second of back-to-back games and since it was 80s Night, Craig must have been listening to REO Speedwagon’s “Roll With The Changes” prior to puck drop.
Whatever works, right?
The Knights responded the way their coach hoped. A Tomas Hertl power play goal in the first period had them playing from in front instead of chasing the game. Hill had a strong night in the Vegas net, stopping 23 of 25 shots and the penalty kill was stellar, particularly late in the third period when the Penguins had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:22 with defensemen Jeremy Lauzon and Brayden McNabb sitting in the penalty box.
Connelly delivered on a breakaway in the third period to tie it 2-2, scoring for the second straight night. And Hertl won it with 32.8 seconds left as he teamed up with Mark Stone and Jack Eichel for the game-winner as the Knights were on a late power play and got a 3-2 win and a sweep of the season series with Pittsburgh. The Knights defeated the Penguins 6-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 17.
“I describe it as a grind,” said Craig. “We got some big penalty kills. We got a couple of goals on the power play. Our goaltender battled. There was some desperation there and a little bit of luck. But we got through it. And we got three points so far on the (road) trip.”
Mitch Marner’s assist on Hertl’s first goal gave him a point in 11 straight games and 16 on the season. Yet he only has two goals as part of those 16 points. Still, No. 93 is contributing offensively.
“I’m just trying to do my thing,” Marner said. “Get the puck in my hands and try to make plays. Try to find holes to fire pucks through or find a lane to shoot.”
And about the lineup shuffle?
“We tried a few different things, tried to get some guys going a little more in 5-on-5,” Craig said of his decisions. “We flipped Howie and Barbie, tried to get a different look. Lavvy (Lavoie) hadn’t played since he scored (against Ottawa). We wanted to work him back in.”
Connelly continues to justify Craig’s faith in him. He took a big hit in Boston Monday and another couple of shots Tuesday as the Penguins thought they could get him off his game. Instead, he hung in there and his persistence paid off with a nice move, deking to his backhand and beating Arturs Silovs with a forehand tuck of the puck at the left post after Lauzon sent him on his way.
“I’m just trying to put my foot down and give it my best effort,” said Connelly, whose six goals has him tied for the lead among NHL rookies with Boston’s James Hagens and Chicago’s Roman Kantserov. “I’ve had a lot of support from these guys, especially Hertl. He’s helped me so much this first half of the season.
“I feel good. My body feels good. I just got to go out each shift and play.”
Besides the win Tuesday, maybe we’re seeing a different level of confidence from the Golden Knights. Even when they fell behind 2-1 in the third period and they appeared to be tiring, they found a way to stay in it until they could get the upper hand late.
“We grinded,” said Karlsson said. “Proud of the boys.”
Marner said: “We just stick with our game, that’s what we do.”
And maybe more changes are forthcoming come Thursday in Detroit. Victor Olofsson is getting close to returning from an upper body injury which has kept him sidelined since Oct. 6. He’s on the trip so what you saw Tuesday may look different come Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.
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