Golden Knights focused on preparation, not barrage of goals
The preseason results have been eye-popping for the Golden Knights, who entered Saturday’s NHL exhibition game at the San Jose Sharks averaging more than six goals in going 3-0.
Newcomer Max Pacioretty is having a lot of fun being a part of it, but he understands the process is far more important.
“We have to keep at it,” the forward said after a morning skate in Las Vegas before boarding a plane for San Jose, where he was in the lineup for the second time. “It’s refreshing to see everyone on the same page, but we have to pump the brakes a bit. It’s preseason, though it is exciting that everyone wants to play this fast game. Nobody in this room is doubting the way we’re playing. I know everyone’s on board and likes this style.”
Forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said Pacioretty and fellow newcomer Paul Stastny have fit in nicely. While he thinks their additions could make the Knights a better team on paper, the key to success last season was how the team developed chemistry and got stronger as the year progressed.
“It’s going to be fun to watch how we evolve during the season,” Bellemare said. “It’s only preseason. You don’t want to be the best team on Oct. 4. You want to be able to play as well as you can and then make sure you keep working to improve. We’ll see down the line how we compare to last year, but I think we have a strong group again.”
No Nosek
Forward Tomas Nosek did not practice Saturday with what coach Gerard Gallant called a lower-body injury.
Gallant initially said Nosek was injured Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, then quickly amended his statement and called it a “rest day.”
“Nothing major,” Gallant said. “Hopefully in a couple days he’ll be fine.”
Forward Cody Glass (lower body) returned to practice Saturday.
Dansk clears waivers
Goaltender Oscar Dansk, who went 3-0 in three starts for the Knights last season, cleared waivers and will be assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
General manager George McPhee placed Dansk on waivers Friday morning, and teams had 24 hours to put in a claim on the 24-year-old with no compensation to the Knights.
Dansk stopped 17 of 19 shots in earning the victory Thursday in Los Angeles in his only action of the preseason.
Defenseman Zac Leslie and forward Alex Gallant also cleared waivers and were assigned to the Wolves.
Cold beer on a Friday night
Several players took advantage of Friday’s rare training camp off day by attending a Zac Brown Band concert at the Palms.
“It was a good show,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “They have a lot of good songs, and it was just a fun time.”
His linemates William Karlsson and Reilly Smith were among the group, along with Dansk and Erik Haula.
Gallant, who wore a Zac Brown Band T-shirt to a morning skate in March after attending its show, did not go Friday.
“It’s training camp,” he said. “It’s work.”
While Marchessault enjoyed the show, he said it doesn’t compare to his favorite one since moving to Las Vegas.
“For me, ‘Absinthe’ is definitely the best thing I’ve seen here,” he said.
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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.