Barbashev-Roy-Marchessault Line Making A Difference For Golden Knights
Line has been the main source of scoring for Golden Knights since Jack Eichel's lower-body injury.
Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports - Barbashev-Roy-Marchessault Line Making A Difference For Golden KnightsWhen Jack Eichel went out, Nicolas Roy understood that he didn't have to replace Eichel note for note. He had just to go out and play the same way he always does.
So far, it's been a great fit for Roy to play alongside Jonathan Marchessault and Ivan Barbashev.
"The strength of his game is more down low below the circles than a rush game, but he certainly do that. He's long, and his ability hold on pucks down low and see the ice is what makes him a good complement to those guys," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He’s able to get those guys to the puck and he’ll finish some plays himself. He goes to the net. Some pucks will arrive at those guys. It frees up Barby a little bit if he's at the net to roam a little, if he sees usually guy going there so it's just good hockey IQ and good puck possession skills."
Roy has registered a point in 10 of the 12 games with Barbashev and Marchessault, with eight of them coming in a row.
If we don't spend as much time in the ‘D’-zone where we have more opportunities to go on the rush or to put in the O-zone. But winning of my battles all over the ice, protecting pucks I have a chance and also like being net front for these guys, like having a screen I think it's really important.
Barbashev had scored in eight of the 12 games.
Marchessault has 11 goals in the last 12 games, and has only not tallied a point in two of the games since Eichel's injury. Prior to this stretch of goals, Marchessault had gone nine games without a goal.
Pending a serious drought, Marchessault looks to be on track Vegas's first 30-goal scorer since doing it in the 2021-22 season - where he scored 30.
"He's always been streaky. He's in a good one, right now," Roy said. "He's scoring almost every game. So we'll try to keep it going as long as we can."
Eichel is expected to return sometime this season, but given how line is playing without him lessens the urgency to bring him back before he's absolutely ready.
In the meantime, Roy and his linemates will attempt to produce at the level they have been in the 12 games since Eichel went out.
"We've been clicking. We got three guys that like to make plays and hold on to pucks," Roy said. "So I think we spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. Obviously ‘Marchy’ is a nice shooter, so we try to get him the puck as much as we can. ‘Barby’ is making great plays out there and I think we're we've just been clicking."
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