Golden Knights’ Neal rounding into form as playoffs approach

By Jesse Granger

Friday, March 30, 2018 | 11:45 p.m.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are less than two weeks away, and Golden Knights’ veteran forward James Neal can’t wait.

Friday night Neal scored his first goal since Feb. 8 to help Vegas defeat St. Louis 3-2 in overtime at T-Mobile Arena.

His spectacular top-shelf goal was the highlight of his night, but Neal was dominant throughout the contest. It was a game that both teams desperately wanted and felt like a playoff game, according to the players.

With the intensity cranked up, players have to fight for every inch of space. Open ice is a rarity, and playing through contact is a necessity. It’s the type of hockey Neal thrives at.

“This is when you want to be playing the game,” Neal said. “It’s the best.”

The goal was his 25th of the season, marking the fifth season of his career that he’s reached the quarter-century mark. It was the 263rd goal of his 12-year career, not including the 25 he’s scored in the playoffs.

“He played a great game tonight,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “James missed some time but he had a great game the other night, had a lot of scoring chances and was creating a lot, and tonight to get that big goal. That’s what James does for you. He’s a guy that plays hard this time of the year.”

Neal missed eight games with an upper-body injury before returning to action on March 16.

“I think when you miss a month it’s definitely a little bit challenging when you come back,” he said. “I think I’ve been building it up. I’ve felt good in the last three or four games. When you aren’t getting chances or looks you have to do something different, but I think over the past three games I’ve been getting better looks and a lot more shots so it was nice to get one to go in.”

Neal did more than score on Friday, controlling the puck throughout the contest, playing physical with three hits and adding three shots on goal. His ability to shield defenders from the puck with his body, allowing teammates to skate freely and find openings in the defense, will be essential in the playoffs.

“It was definitely a playoff-type atmosphere and a playoff-type game, and I thought we played well,” Neal said.

The loss knocked St. Louis out of the playoff picture for now, and the win brought Vegas within a point of clinching the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights play the second leg of a back-to-back Saturday night, hosting the San Jose Sharks with the division on the line.

“I want us to do everything we can to be in full force come the first game of the playoffs,” Neal said. “I think we can do that by playing some tough teams down the stretch here.”

After falling behind early, the team battled back and showed Gallant what he wanted to see for a team preparing for the postseason.

“I was really happy with our performance, the way we competed and battled,” Gallant said. “I knew St. Louis was going to play that type of hockey game because they are fighting for points and playoff position, so you knew they were coming in hard. I was happy with it because it looked like a playoff game tonight. There wasn’t a whole lot of room and our guys found a way to win a big game.”

The Golden Knights have a few veteran leaders with playoff experience, including Neal who has 80 postseason games under his belt. His presence in the locker room will help younger players like rookie goalie Malcolm Subban down the stretch.

“It’s unreal,” Subban said. “He makes sure everyone is not too nervous and tries to keep the room mellow. He keeps everyone focused and not too high, not too low.”

The less room there is on the ice, and the higher the stakes are, the better Neal plays. He scored six goals during last year’s Stanley Cup Finals run with the Nashville Predators. If the Golden Knights are to make a similar run, he will likely have a lot to do with it.

“Last year I got a taste of winning, being there and seeing how much fun it is, and I want our team to experience that,” Neal said.