With playoffs nearing, Golden Knights’ Karlsson beaming with confidence

By Jesse Granger

Saturday, March 31, 2018 | midnight

William Karlsson’s between-the-legs, shorthanded, game-winning goal that helped the Golden Knights clinch the Pacific Division Saturday night brought the record-breaking crowd inside T-Mobile Arena to its feet.

The move to beat Sharks goalie Martin Jones was so spectacular, teammate Alex Tuch said the players on the bench were falling over each other in celebration.

“It was a ‘holy crap, did that just happen’ kind of moment,” Tuch said, laughing. “Then we watched it on the replay and it was even better.”

Karlsson’s 42nd goal of the season broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Golden Knights the 3-2 win, making them the first team in the NHL to clinch a division title. He is now tied for third in the NHL in goals with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin, and only three goals behind league-leader Alex Ovechkin.

“It’s an unbelievable move, an unbelievable goal and it comes from a confident player,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I’ve seen the move before but not as smooth as that.”

The key word is confidence. In a tie game, with the division title on the line, while killing a penalty, on a breakaway, Karlsson had the confidence in his abilities to put the puck between his skates and shoot from behind his back.

Karlsson said he decided he would go with the flashy move almost immediately when he got the breakaway. He said that he’s been saving the move for a couple of years and that the last time he successfully pulled it off was in a lower league in Sweden when he was 18.

The confidence and poise Karlsson showed in that moment will serve him and his team well in the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs.

“It was an unbelievable play and the kid is feeling it,” Tuch said. “It takes a lot of confidence. It’s a different kind of mentality and he’s got it. He’s got the confidence and he’s rolling. This is what we need going into the playoffs. He’s our leading scorer right now, and that’s what we need out of him.”

The Golden Knights have good reason to be confident entering the postseason. They still have a three-game road trip remaining, but Friday and Saturday’s back-to-back wins over St. Louis and San Jose were an excellent simulation for what the playoffs will be like, and they aced the exam.

“I feel real good,” Gallant said. “(The Blues and Sharks are) two desperate teams, they’re good, heavy teams that play in the Western Conference and both of them are big, physical teams. I thought tonight after the first period we took over the game.”

The Blues are one of a few teams the Golden Knights could face in the first round of the playoffs, and they would likely face the winner of San Jose and Anaheim if they advance to the second round.

“Those were tight games against good teams, and teams we might face in the playoffs,” said Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 28 saves to earn his 29th win of the season. “The way the guys showed up tonight was amazing. It felt a little bit like the playoffs.”

With their 50th win, and 107th point, the Golden Knights can be no lower than the second seed in the Western Conference, meaning they would have home ice advantage for at least the first two rounds.

“It’s a great feeling to win our division,” Gallant said. “Obviously nobody had those expectations at the first of the season. It’s a great accomplishment, but we all know what the real accomplishment is going to be. It’s all about the playoffs.”

Gallant feels his team’s playing style is built for the postseason.

“I’m not worried about the game changing for our group,” he said. “I think our group is going to be great for it because when you watch good teams in the playoffs they’re usually fast, quick and good transition teams, and that’s what we bring.”

As 2017-18 Pacific Division champions, the Golden Knights will have at least one more banner hanging in the rafters come the start of next season. Gallant and his players are still hoping for more.

“That’s what’s important to me,” Gallant said. “A great regular season means a lot, but a great postseason means a whole lot more.”

Jesse Granger can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Jesse on Twitter at twitter.com/JesseGranger_.