Golden Knights’ struggles with breakouts magnified in recent losses
Most of the criticism for the first goal allowed by the Golden Knights in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss against Winnipeg was aimed at defenseman Deryk Engelland, who was directly responsible for the costly turnover.
But the play also illustrated an ongoing issue in the first 15 games for the Knights, who have struggled to exit their zone against opposing forechecks.
“We just weren’t clean in a lot of places, especially on the breakout,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said.
Engelland controlled the puck at the right faceoff circle and skated backward to avoid the forecheck of Jets center David Gustafsson.
But as Engelland looked for an outlet, none was available. Forwards Cody Eakin, Cody Glass and Alex Tuch left the zone early looking to beat the Jets in transition.
Rather than making the safe play and sending the puck behind the net to defense partner Nick Holden, Engelland threw a cross-ice pass to nobody on the left-wing boards.
Gabriel Bourque scooped up the gift before the Knights could recover and quickly threw a shot at net that Mathieu Perreault deflected past Malcolm Subban at 2:19 of the first period.
“They made it tough for us all game to break the puck out,” Subban said. “They came strong on our defense, so that made it tough for our defense to make plays up to the forwards. And when the forwards got the puck, they had a guy right on top of them. It was a tough game to play in that regard. They had a good forecheck.”
Winnipeg wasn’t the only team to bother the Knights with its forecheck on the just-concluded homestand.
Montreal found similar success in the third period of its come-from-behind OT win Thursday, while Colorado kept the Knights bottled in their own zone on multiple occasions.
“Our M.O. the last few years has been getting the puck out of the zone really quickly, and we haven’t been doing that,” Schmidt said. “There’s times when they come in with one forward and they keep the puck in the zone. That just can’t happen.”
Reaves, Kane stoke feud
Knights right wing Ryan Reaves appeared on Hockey Night in Canada’s “After Hours” segment following Saturday’s game and added more fuel to his long-running rivalry with San Jose’s Evander Kane.
“It might be longer than nine years. We didn’t like each other in junior,” Reaves told hosts Scott Oake and Louie DeBrusk. “I think it kind of started early in my career, him running around and then I’d challenge him. He always tells me he’s going to beat me up, but would never fight me. And it was just that constant, Him chirping, chirping, chirping and never doing anything about it.
“One time, it was preseason, he waited until the refs came in and he sucker-punched me over the refs, and that’s just kind of what he always does.”
Kane responded on Twitter to the latest comments from Reaves, pointing out they never crossed paths in the Western Hockey League.
Bud lol @reavo7five maybe one to many hits to the head? You never played a single game against me in @TheWHL believe me. Have to start calling you Mr. Rodgers for all this “make believe” you spit pic.twitter.com/MHfMcHx14p
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) November 3, 2019
“You never played a single game against me in @TheWHL believe me,” Kane tweeted at Reaves. “Have to start calling you Mr. Rodgers for all this ‘make believe’ you spit.”
Kane was suspended for the first two regular-season matchups between the Knights and Sharks. The rivals next meet Nov. 21 at T-Mobile Arena.
No word on Tuch
Winnipeg left wing Adam Lowry avoided any supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety for his hit on Knights right wing Alex Tuch in the second period Saturday.
Tuch was ruled out with an upper-body injury and did not return.
Knights coach Gerard Gallant said after the game he thought Lowry should have received a major penalty.
The Knights traveled to Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday and are expected to provide an update on Tuch’s status at practice Monday.
Tuch missed the first 13 games while recovering from an upper-body injury from the preseason.
Sparks sent down
Goaltender Garret Sparks was reassigned to the American Hockey League on Sunday after serving as the backup against Winnipeg.
Sparks was recalled on an emergency basis Friday when goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury came down with the flu. Fleury is expected to be on the four-game trip that begins Tuesday at Columbus.
Sparks has a 1.80 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in six games for the Chicago Wolves.
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.