This Jonathan Marchessault strike was the Golden Knights' third goal in 91 seconds, just 6:02 into the contest.
The first great play of this shift belongs to William Karlsson, who surprises Joe Pavelski with a pokecheck as the San Jose captain is surveying his breakout options. Marchessault picks up the loose puck at center ice and tosses it to a regrouping Smith.
This is where Smith manufactures more speed with his hockey IQ.
Instead of charging at the Sharks blueliners head-on -- Smith would've been the only Knight attacking with speed, as Karlsson had come to a full stop to stay onside -- he ambles toward the wall.
This stall tactic allows Marchessault to go from 0 to 60 and Karlsson to churn his legs. Now, instead of a 1-on-2 with speed, Vegas has a more equitable 2-on-2 with speed.
Marchessault and Karlsson fill two lanes, backing off Brent Burns and Paul Martin respectively. Smith hurtling toward Martin-Burns on his own would've been way easier to defend.
"Yeah, I heard Marchy coming in the play late," acknowledged Smith. "I was just trying to hold up and buy time to get him the puck."
You can hear Marchessault calling for the puck in the video clip:
Marchessault confirmed that it was probably him.
"I like to talk out there. Make it easier for their teammates, let them know where I am."
I followed up by asking him who's the loudest Golden Knight, in terms of calling for the puck. "I would probably say myself," he said.
By the way, Burns has to gap up on Marchessault. Poor defending from the 2017 Norris Trophy winner.
There's also more than a passing resemblance to Karlsson's setup of Brayden McNabb's series clincher against the Kings, which I mooned over here.
Gerard Gallant spoke about this line's ability to create speed with their hockey intelligence, "We try to do that in practice all the time. But you don't coach plays like that. Players read off of each other. That's why chemistry is really important; that's why I like to stick with lines as much as you can. Reilly Smith is a smart, smart hockey player."
Pluses
Gallant seemed more impressed by his team's 60-minute defensive effort than the seven goals scored.
"It's a message that the players said before I got into the dressing room between the 2nd and 3rd period," noted Gallant. The Knights were up just 5-0 at that point. "It doesn't matter the score in the game. You keep playing the same way. You're just trying to finish the game the right way."
Here's my favorite example of what Turk was talking about:
Up 5-0 and on the power play, Marchessault hustles back to catch an unsuspecting Eric Fehr, breaking up a Sharks 2-on-1.
I've written a bit about San Jose's "pick" plays, but Jon Merrill got one back on the Sharks on the game-opening Cody Eakin goal:
It's a small play, but it contributes to getting the puck out and preventing Evander Kane from backchecking Eakin; it also leads to the zone entry which would eventually become Eakin's goal:
Merrill took the worst of it, but that's taking a hit to make a play, right?
"I don't remember the play," said Merrill.
When I described it to him, he added, "You're just trying to give your teammates more time and space. You're entitled to your ice. So if you can somehow get in their way without taking a penalty, good for you.
"There are times when you try to run intentional, subtle interference.
"It's part of the game."
Minuses
However, Merrill did remember getting picked by Tomas Hertl late in the opening frame:
"As the series goes on, if they continue to do more and more of that, the refs are going to notice it. Maybe they'll make those calls," noted Merrill. "But if it leads to a quality scoring chance, you've got to call it."
Of course, I don't have to make this judgment call at full speed, but it looks like Hertl leaves his natural position in front of the net to pick Merrill. The pick also would've led directly to a Mikkel Boedker scoring chance, had Boedker not whiffed on the backhand.
Not surprisingly, things got out of hand with San Jose falling so far behind.
Kane will have a hearing with NHL Player Safety today; Pierre-Edouard Bellemare missed practice this morning, and according to Gallant, was evaluated by doctors today.
That said, considering Bellemare did not appear to miss a shift, I'd expect him to be ready to go on Saturday.
(Update: Kane has been suspended for one game by the NHL.)
San Jose’s Evander Kane suspended one game for cross-checking Vegas’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. https://t.co/R5Nts4CTHF
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