Gene J. Puskar / AP
Vegas Golden Knights’ Phil Kessel (8), sits on the bench as Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) takes the ice during the first period in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 | 2 a.m.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy has a vision for the third line, wanting it to be known as the shut-down, defensive line that occasionally chips in with scoring.
Upcoming schedule
• 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. New York Rangers — TNT (Cox 18, DirecTV 245)
• 7 p.m. Friday vs. Flyers — AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Cox 313, DirecTV 683)
• 5 p.m. Sunday vs. Bruins — AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Cox 313, DirecTV 683)
The challenge is finding the right personnel to execute the vision, as the most recent pairing of Nicolas Roy, Paul Cotter and Phil Kessel has struggled with productivity in their four games together.
Entering Monday night’s contest at Boston, Kessel had three points in Vegas’ previous two games, but two came in Saturday’s 4-1 win in Detroit. He has just 11 points through 26 games.
Roy’s only point in the same two-game stretch was an assist on Kessel’s goal Saturday, but it came seconds after Kessel exited the penalty box and got behind the defense for a breakaway.
“It’s a work in progress,” Cassidy said. “There’s different choices there, but I think it’s still a work in progress in terms of playing together away from the puck, how they complement each other.”
While the Golden Knights have propelled to the top record in the Western Conference through the first week of December, the team’s most glaring weakness is the lack of production from its third line.
Kessel has not produced to what the Golden Knights would have hoped when they signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in the offseason. He’s been passive at times offensively with no willingness to shoot more. As someone brought on to help aid the power play, Kessel has just four points on the man advantage.
Outside of Kessel, the different forwards Vegas has tried in those spots haven’t delivered either.
Michael Amadio, who scored a career-high 11 goals in 53 games with the Golden Knights as a waiver claim last year, has just two points through 14 games.
Brett Howden, who has played every forward spot from as high as second-line left wing to fourth-line center, has three points in 21 games. His defensive game is suited more toward what Cassidy wants in that line, but the need for offense with Kessel negates that and puts more pressure on Howden defensively.
Cotter’s forechecking should be a strength to drive offense, but he still lacks in the physicality department when fighting for pucks in the corner or going for loose pucks.
“I’m a physical player,” Cotter said. “I have to come in, play physical. It’s kind of my role to get energy for the guys.”
The hope for Cassidy is Roy can be that anchor to bring some stability to the third line. His play on the fourth line with William Carrier and Keegan Kolesar was eventually going to warrant an elevated role. Roy has 13 points in 23 games in the first year of a five-year contract extension he signed this summer.
The Golden Knights could also look for outside help to supplement the line ahead of the March 3 trade deadline. The team, however, faces salary cap issues and won’t have much flexibility, meaning the best outcome could be being patient with the present roster.
The team, after all, is one of the best in the league — even with the third line’s struggles.
“They’re probably the one line that doesn’t have some level of chemistry as the other lines,” Cassidy said. “It’s going to take some time. Just find a way to keep your head above water on the days where the puck isn’t finding you.”
Strong debut for Miromanov
Defenseman Daniil Miromanov made a strong first impression in his season debut for Vegas over the weekend.
Miromanov played 16:34 and had one shot on goal Saturday against the Red Wings in place of Alex Pietrangelo (who was out of the lineup for personal reasons). Miromanov took the spot of Ben Hutton, who has seen his ice time diminish over the past week.
The 25-year-old Miromanov was paired with Nicolas Hague, and the two were on the ice for 16 shot attempts while allowing just six.
“I never seen him play other than a couple of games in (AHL) Henderson I watched on the computer,” Cassidy said. “He moved the puck, had composure, made the plays he was supposed to in front of him. For a young guy, when you go play a clean game like that and help the team win, those are positives.”
