Golden Knights defenseman shows off skills in overtime again
Shea Theodore used his backhand in April. He switched to his forehand Tuesday.
Two overtime goals against the Washington Capitals six months apart showed how many tricks the Golden Knights defenseman has in his bag.
He weaved through the Washington defense April 20, dancing around defenders before lifting the puck past goaltender Ilya Samsonov at T-Mobile Arena.
On Tuesday at Capital One Arena, he let center Jack Eichel do the heavy lifting. Eichel was the one protecting the puck against the Capitals while Theodore circled for support.
Theodore eventually found an opening. He burst past Washington left wing Alex Ovechkin, received a pass from Eichel and fired the puck past goaltender Charlie Lindgren for a 3-2 victory, the Knights’ fifth straight.
There aren’t many NHL defenseman who could score one of those goals, let alone both. That’s what makes Theodore so special. He’s proving it night after night, with eight points in 11 games to go with a strong defensive performance.
“It’s what he does,” goaltender Logan Thompson said. “He’s a big-game player. Once he’s all alone there, (I’m) pretty confident the puck’s in the net.”
Coach Bruce Cassidy said Theodore reminds him of Sergei Gonchar, a Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Cassidy coached in Washington.
They’re effortless skaters who can move the puck and see the ice well. Cassidy said Gonchar, who received Norris Trophy votes for 10 seasons, was always “kind of there.” As in, play would be ongoing and all of a sudden Gonchar would pop into the picture in a great position to make something happen.
Theodore has that same ability. That’s why the 27-year-old can be relied on for offense as much as many of the Knights’ forwards. His three goals are tied for the fourth-most among NHL defensemen. His eight points are tied for eighth. His seven overtime goals are a Knights record, regardless of position.
“Everything, right?” Thompson said when asked what makes Theodore hard to defend at three-on-three. “His speed, his hands, and he’s got a tricky release.”
Theodore also is finding success beyond the scoresheet. Cassidy has changed how the Knights defend. He’s installed a zone system rather than having the team play man-to-man. The Knights have given up the fewest goals in the NHL (19).
Theodore is playing a huge role in that. The Knights have allowed three goals in 194:57, almost 10 periods of hockey, with him on the ice at five-on-five. They’ve scored 13. His plus-10 rating at five-on-five leads the NHL. Captain Mark Stone is second on the Knights at plus-7.
Theodore isn’t given the team’s most difficult matchups — defensemen Alec Martinez and Alex Pietrangelo were the primary defenders on reigning Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews when the Toronto Maple Leafs came to Las Vegas on Oct. 24 — but he’s tilting the ice in the minutes he gets with partner Brayden McNabb. That’s all the Knights can ask for.
Cassidy’s system is still new to Theodore and the rest of the blue line. There’s room to grow as they keep putting it into practice.
“Guys are getting more comfortable with it as we go,” Theodore said. “We’re kind of rolling a little bit more now.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.