Graney: Knights drub inferior side of not-so-mighty Ducks

They are doing what — can we say it this early? — teams that are playoff worthy manage throughout the course of a season.

Drubbing inferior opponents.

The Ducks of Anaheim qualify. They’re bad, man.

You play who the schedule tells you and that meant a walk-over for the Golden Knights on a Nevada Day celebration Friday, a 4-0 final before 18,036 at T-Mobile Arena.

“We want our reputation around the league to be that of when you come into The Fortress, you’re not going to get much,” said Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “That’s anywhere we play, for that matter.

“We have some good offensive players that with the puck on a stick and with time and space can make plays and finish.”

It was another game where depth scoring showed for the Knights, with goals from each of the top three lines. The team scored four off 21 shots. The Knights found the net via the power play, short-handed and at 5-on-5.

All-around type stuff.

Stingy defense

Can you imagine when goals start coming from defensemen?

Look. They’re doing an exemplary job where it matters most. The more repetition that comes within Cassidy’s zone defense, the better things appear.

The Knights in shutting out Anaheim are now allowing just 1.78 goals per game, tops in the league.

(For context, they replaced Dallas as the NHL’s stingiest of sides Friday, so I’m guessing Pete DeBoer’s teams can defend. Sorry for whoever thought otherwise).

It helps that Logan Thompson continues to shine in goal for the Knights, his second shutout at T-Mobile Arena this season coming Friday. Stopped all 29 shots aimed in his direction.

Defensive scoring?

Alex Pietrangelo assisted on a Chandler Stephenson power-play goal. Brayden McNabb assisted on a beautiful short-handed exchange between William Karlsson and Reilly Smith. Zach Whitecloud and Nic Hague assisted on a Nicolas Roy goal to make it 4-0.

Everything clicked on a day the Knights weren’t at their best at times over three periods. But even when the Ducks tried crawling back into things, Thompson would make another top save or someone would block a shot.

At 5-on-5, the Knights surrendered just five high danger chances. It’s the second fewest this season.

Shea Theodore remains the only defenseman with a goal. He has two.

“We’re trying to chip in offensively, but at the same time we’re not giving up many of those Grade A chances,” Theodore said this week. “We’re doing our job in the D zone. We’re moving our feet on (breakouts) and are allowed to use our skill in spots. That can lead to us leading the rush or joining a 2-on-1 or whatever the case might be. I think everyone is more adjusted.”

Cassidy: It’s a coach’s dream when the defense can join things offensively.

Get pucks back

His explanation: This is why the Knights defend as they do. To get the puck back. To transition with speed and numbers. That while they’d rather retrieve it on the forecheck or in the neutral zone, breakouts can be optimal. That’s always the message — get the puck back sooner rather than later and just go.

“I think we’ve adapted well so far,” Pietrangelo said Thursday of the team’s scheme. “There are a lot of things within our group that we need to get better at.

“You know, we’re getting good looks. Sometimes, they go in. Sometimes, they don’t. That’s us getting more involved. They’ll start going in for us.

“We’re scoring goals (as a team), right?”

Exactly. And beating those they’re supposed to.

That’s what good teams do, regardless the sport.

Friday was another example. A drubbing of the not-so-mighty Ducks.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter