New overtime strategy starts to pay dividends for Golden Knights

EDMONTON, Alberta — Avid watchers of the Golden Knights will recall two overtime losses in December when they hardly touched the puck during 3-on-3 play.

The first came Dec. 5 when the Knights spent most of the OT chasing Mathew Barzal and the rest of the New York Islanders. Two weeks later, Vancouver maintained possession for a minute before scoring the winner.

But Monday, it was the Knights’ turn to play keep-away from the Edmonton Oilers in overtime, and it resulted in a 3-2 victory that extended their lead to three points in the Pacific Division.

“It’s just playing a little bit more smart,” Jonathan Marchessault said. “I don’t think we were playing smart enough earlier. But right now, we’re just aware of when we have possession, that’s the time we need to change and maybe get some tired guys on the opposing team there, and that’s what we did.”

The Knights lost six of their first eight games that were decided during 3-on-3 play but have won three straight in overtime under coach Pete DeBoer and four in a row overall.

DeBoer emphasized a system based on puck possession when he was hired, and the Knights spent a portion of practice playing 3-on-3 before departing for the start of this five-game road trip.

“He wants to be less run-and-gun,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, who blasted in the winner at 2:13 of the extra session. “If we can maintain possession and take some chances at the net, but not exactly throwing it away, that’s big if you can keep their guys on the ice for a minute and a half, two minutes. When you’re getting fresh legs out there, that’s when it can really happen.”

After Marc-Andre Fleury denied Oilers defenseman Ethan Bear from close range a minute into the OT, the Knights patiently held the puck and retreated into the neutral zone on multiple occasions to prevent Edmonton from changing.

Eventually, Marchessault and William Karlsson double-teamed Bear in the corner to create a turnover. Theodore streaked down the slot uncovered and one-timed Marchessault’s feed high to the blocker side of Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen (45 saves).

“It’s hard when you play that team, you’ve got to have possession of the puck in order to put them in that spot,” DeBoer said. “I thought we did a great job in overtime of getting possession, keeping it, getting some fresh bodies out there. We got them stuck in a bad spot there, got a huge save at the one end and found a way to stick one in.”

Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl was stranded on the ice for the entire 2:13 of the overtime, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played the final 1:25 after Kailer Yamamoto changed. Bear hopped on for defenseman Oscar Klefbom after 55 seconds and played the remaining 1:18.

In contrast, the Knights used eight players in OT, with Karlsson and Theodore each getting two shifts. Only Karlsson logged more than a minute of ice time during 3-on-3 with 1:18.

“I think in overtime, the name of the game is possession,” Knights defenseman Alec Martinez said. “As long as you have the puck and you’re in the (offensive) zone, it obviously makes it very difficult for the other team to change and it tires them out. I think that’s kind of what you saw there.”

Quotable

“I don’t often get in big slumps like that, so it’s definitely hard. I don’t want to look back at it. But overall, it’s being a little bit more around the net, trying to make smarter plays and don’t necessarily chase the game. Let the game come at me. Today was just a game that I was making better plays.” - Marchessault, on scoring for the second straight game after being held without a goal in the previous 10.

“Two huge wins for us and our group. We’re battling a little adversity here injury-wise. I thought the way the trip started in Winnipeg, it could have gone either way. I thought our guys dug in the last two nights, exceptional efforts.” - DeBoer

Stat lines

- Theodore is the 11th defenseman over the past 21 years to score a game-winning goal in consecutive days and second to do so this season, joining Washington’s John Carlson.

- Knights defensemen Nate Schmidt and Brayden McNabb helped keep Draisaitl, the NHL’s leading scorer, without a point for the second consecutive meeting. Draisaitl had 13 points in 10 games against the Knights but was limited to two shot attempts, neither of which hit the net.

- Martinez earned an assist on Nicolas Roy’s first-period goal for his eighth point in 10 games since being acquired from Los Angeles. He had eight points in 41 appearances with the Kings.

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