Vegas’ top‑10 power play has hit a rough patch, surrendering shorthanded goals in back‑to‑back games and going 2‑for‑12 in its last three attempts as the team prepares to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
During a two‑game road swing in Minnesota and Nashville, the Knights were blanked on the power play in a 4‑2 loss to the Wild (0‑for‑5) and again in a 0‑for‑2 effort against the Predators. A turnover near the half‑wall allowed Nashville forward Adam Edstrom to get behind center Jack Eichel; after Edstrom lost the puck, goaltender Adin Hill was out of his crease and could not stop the follow‑up, while a mis‑communication between Eichel and Mitch Marner created a 2‑on‑1 for Calgary. Defenseman Jake Middleton found a soft spot in the slot and beat Carter Hart, and Flames forward Joel Farabee had a shorthanded breakaway seconds earlier.
The Knights answered 48 seconds later when Braeden Bowman scored with one second left on the power play, restoring a two‑goal lead. Coach Ryan Craig called the sequence a “reset shift,” noting it was a “big moment in the game” and praising the unit for regaining the advantage. Mark Stone completed a natural hat trick with a late third‑period power‑play goal, cementing a 6‑2 victory.
Despite the recent hiccups, Vegas still ranks seventh in the league with a 25.7 percent conversion rate and has won seven of nine games. Stone said, “When we’re in the zone, we’re really dialed in,” adding, “I think we’re maybe a little out of sync on the break‑ins.” He also noted, “You look at the power plays we had (Thursday), when we get possession in their end and move the puck around, we had some really good chances… For whatever reason, our entries need to be cleaned up a little bit. We’ll keep working at it.”
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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