No panic in Knights despite 2-1 series deficit

“It’s how you’re playing,” Tortorella said Saturday. “We talked about how we want to approach the next couple of days. I felt good about a lot of the minutes we had (Friday). There were some almost-plays that we didn’t make.

“But we need to score. We need some of our guys to score and make a play big-time.”

Tortorella plans to show the team a lot of those good things he saw from Friday. He wants the Knights in the right frame of mind come Monday.

This isn’t about brow-beating and going after them,” Tortorella said of his approach.

“Maybe Jack’s goal gets him going,” Tortorella said of Eichel, who led Vegas in points with 90 during the regular season. “It’s amazing what one goal does for an offensive player. But our offensive guys do have to finish. We had some chances that we didn’t finish and they did. They were very opportunistic and scored goals. I think that’s the difference in last night’s game.”  

As for the Mammoth, it is playing smart, simple hockey. It’s winning a lot of the 50-50 puck battles, and it is not backing down from the physicality of the series. Utah was outhit by a slim 42-40 margin in Game 3 though Torotrtella was fine with the level of physicality from his team.

But perhaps the most important aspect from the Mammoth perspective is it got offensive contributions from two of its top players. Lawson Crouse scored twice in the second period and Clayton Keller picked up two assists for his first points off the series. The Knights had done a good job on limiting both in the first two games but with Utah getting production from the duo while still having Logan Cooley contributing, it makes Vegas’ task that much tougher.

“Yeah, I think we used our speed a lot tonight,” Keller said following the game. “I think we stuck with it. They're a great team, and they make you work for everything. I think just having a simple game getting pucks to the net.”

That and the Knights went 0-for-4 on their power play hurt their chances of staging a comeback. It’s something that needs addressing. So far, Vegas is 2 for 9 with the man advantage with Mark Stone having delivered both goals.

“Well we hit two posts on the second one in the second period there,” Eichel said. “I think sometimes it needs to be simplified, urgency, get pucks to the net and crash the net. At the same time we got to be confident when we have it and make the right play.

“Our power play has been good for us this year. Unfortunately, we weren't able to score (Friday). It's something that we need to help the team when we go out there with a man advantage, and at the very least, general momentum.”

Tortorella is on the case. He talked to assistant Dominique Ducharme, who runs the power play following the game Friday and they’ll probably tweak a couple of things for Game 4 Monday. Maybe not hold the puck as long. Be more aggressive in attacking the Utah defense. Maybe using Rasmus Andersson and Shea Theodore more at the points.

“Special teams is a concern,”  Tortorella said. “I think in the three games, they’ve won that battle and we have to figure it out. That’s something we’ve already talked about this morning how we can get some different looks with that.

“The biggest thing for me is confidence. I think we’ve got some good, strong leaders in that room who will lead the way and get us through practice tomorrow and get us a win in this building. We have to get one out of this building. Hopefully it will be in Game 4."