Golden Knights fourth line earns praise for recent play

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant had any number of people on which he could have heaped praise following Sunday’s convincing victory over Vancouver. Same for right wing Mark Stone.

In no particular order, their options included: Max Pacioretty’s four-point effort; the first line rekindling its peak passing powers for Jonathan Marchessault’s 100th career goal; or maybe Shea Theodore recording three assists to reach 100 career points.

But unprompted, Gallant and Stone each aimed their appreciation toward the Knights’ fourth line of William Carrier, Tomas Nosek and Ryan Reaves, who were held without a point in the 6-3 win.

“It’s back-to-back games for them,” Gallant said. “I don’t make a big deal out of back-to-back games, but the way that line forced them and banged their defensemen and kept the puck down low and forced them to play down low, it makes a big difference in the game. I thought that line was outstanding, and the other lines did a good job with it, too.”

Carrier, Nosek and Reaves combined for six shot attempts and 11 hits that loosened the lid on Vancouver’s defense. They have been the Knights’ second-best line in puck possession since Gallant put them back together Dec. 8.

In those five games, the Knights produced more than 60 percent of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 when the fourth line was on the ice. Nosek’s 62.8 shot attempts percentage is second on the team to Pacioretty (64.2) during that span.

“I’m playing right now in one position for a couple games, not changing spots, so that’s helpful, too,” Nosek said. “It’s all about the chemistry. We’re just buzzing right now and hopefully we keep it like that.”

Nosek was a healthy scratch three times in a four-game stretch last month, a move that provided a healthy dose of motivation for the 27-year-old.

He has one goal and two points in 16 games since returning to the lineup, but Gallant has been pleased with Nosek’s play despite the lack of finishing.

“Sometimes guys need a little wake-up call. I wasn’t sitting him because of that,” Gallant said. “I was sitting him because other guys were playing a little better I thought. But when he came back in, he doesn’t want to lose his job. That’s what you want from players. He’s a real pro.”

Reaves earned a season-high 12:08 of ice time in Sunday’s win over Vancouver . His bruising partnership with Carrier remains too effective for Gallant to break up.

When Carrier and Reaves are on the ice together at 5-on-5, they produced a 59.1 shots attempts percentage and 53.75 percent of the expected goals, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. With Nosek as their center, their expected goal percentage jumps to 61.99.

“In the games that we were struggling a couple weeks ago, I think we were getting out of our zone but then trying to make an extra play and it was getting broken up and then we don’t have speed to get in on the forecheck,” Reaves said. “I think we’re more in sync right now with where we want the play to go, where we want it to start and then how we’re handling it.”

Reaves credited Carrier, who briefly auditioned as a third-line left wing for a handful of games, for the fourth line’s effectiveness.

Reaves enters Tuesday’s game against Minnesota with a league-high 157 hits, 23 more than Pittsburgh’s Brandon Tanev. Carrier is 11th with 98 hits, as the Knights rank second overall in that category.

“When he’s not on the line we get a little bit slower,” Reaves said. “Sometimes you need that guy who can beat a guy up the ice and gets there a little quicker, and that makes the first guy throw the puck away. When Will’s on the line he just brings that little extra added speed.”

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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.