Knights hoping to again prove doubters wrong: ‘We’ll see what we’re made of’

“A lot of people counted us out,” Gallant said Sunday in reference to the Winnipeg series. “We’ve got to step up our game. In the three games, we haven’t been good enough. If we don’t step up our game, the same result’s going to happen.

“We’ll see what we’re made of.”

Vegas made a living this season — one that includes a stunning Pacific Division crown and a 12-3 record through the first three rounds of the playoffs — with a high-octane offence predicated on speed and relentless puck pressure.

But in the last two games, the Knights have hit a wall against a stout defensive Capitals group that smothers the opposition in the neutral zone, especially once they get a lead. The result for Vegas is back-to-back losses for the first time in the playoffs

“We’re in a familiar situation with a lot of doubters. It’s fine with us,” said Vegas forward David Perron, whose team will look to even the series 2-2 in Monday’s Game 4. “We have to step up and play the right way, play the way that made us successful.”

The Knights have looked lost at times after grabbing a sloppy 6-4 victory in Game 1, falling 3-2 at home as Washington tied the series before dropping Saturday’s 3-1 decision in Game 3.

“We’ve just got to get back to our game, getting pucks deep and getting in on the forecheck,” Vegas defenceman Deryk Engelland said. “It’s been our key all season long — the five-man forecheck and five-guy pressure all over the ice. We do it for a little bit at a time. Then we try to be too cute, and they thrive on the turnovers.”

Perron said coming through the neutral zone with speed and supporting the puck is imperative.

“They’ve got three guys (back),” he said. “Most of the time, their right winger is at the blue line.

“Our guys who have a lot of speed can go back deeper, gather some speed. Then the defencemen can try to freeze the first forechecker, kick it wide. These guys coming with speed, if they’re confronted, which they will be most times at the blue line, you can put it in and go on the forecheck.”

It sounds easy enough, but the Capitals have mastered their trap since about the 65-game mark of the regular season, when head coach Barry Trotz challenged them to renew their commitment to defence.

They shut out the high-flying Tampa Bay Lightning in Games 6 and 7 of the East final, and save for Game 1 of the Cup where neither team was sharp, have given up three goals to Vegas, including one off a disastrous miscue by netminder Braden Holtby.

“Ask any skilled player, they want to have the puck with possession and speed,” Capitals defenceman Matt Niskanen said. “If you can be in their face, just standing in the way, it’s amazing what that does.”

Trotz said he can sense when skilled teams like the Knights start to get frustrated, but added he also expects a response.

“You watch how they manage the puck, how they’re trying to change things,” he said. “There’s things that they do that have given us some difficulties and we’ve adjusted. They’ll do the same.”

If they don’t, it could be a quicker series than most predicted.

“You have to lose four games before you lose the Stanley Cup,” Gallant said. “We’re far from out of it.”

Notes: Gallant said he’s considering lineup changes for Game 4, with forwards Tomas Tatar and/or Oscar Lindberg seemingly the most likely candidates to draw in. … The Capitals blocked 26 shots in Game 3, including 15 in the first period. Vegas only forced 21 saves out of Holtby. “Make sure they pay a price for blocking those shots,” Gallant quipped. “Shoot it harder.”

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Knights hoping to again prove doubters wrong: ‘We’ll see what we’re made of’

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