Will Carrier gets physical in return to Golden Knights’ lineup
Will Carrier returned to the Golden Knights’ lineup Jan. 4 with renewed vigor and physicality.
The forward has always relished contact as part of his game, but lately Carrier has been throwing his weight around the ice. In the eight games he has played since coming off injured-reserved with an upper-body injury suffered Nov. 25, he has 29 hits. That’s tops among the Knights’ forwards with David Perron a distant second with 16 during that same eight-game stretch.
“I’m not trying to look for it,” Carrier said Tuesday prior to the Knights facing Columbus. “We’ve been in the O-zone a lot chasing down pucks and I think that’s a big part of it. I’m just trying to play hard and bring some momentum to the team.”
Carrier’s linemate Pierre-Edouard Bellemare believes the increase in physical play from Carrier is a by-product of Carrier ramping up his overall game.
“I think he has even more speed than before and every time he comes into the corner he comes out on top. He’s winning the battles in the corners,” said Bellemare, whose first-period goal in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Carolina was set up by a nifty backhand pass from Carrier. “It has always been the way he’s played. He’s a physical guy with a lot of speed. He’s just hungry and it’s good to see.”
Haula line clicking
The Knights’ No. 2 line of Erik Haula, James Neal and David Perron has heated up recently. Neal has scored in three straight games, Haula has four assists in his last three and Perron has two goals and two assists in his last three games.
“Everyone’s talking out on the ice and we’re moving the puck and making plays finding each other,” Haula said.
Haula, whose career-high in points came in 2015-16 when he had 34 with the Minnesota Wild, is closing in on passing that mark. Haula has 15 goals, equaling his career high set last year with the Wild, and 32 points.
Dansk works out
Goaltender Oscar Dansk was cleared to work out and was on the ice Tuesday following the morning skate at City National Arena.
Dansk has been on injured-reserve since Oct. 31 after suffering a lower-body injury against the New York Islanders.
No timetable has been determined for Dansk’s return to action. But coach Gerard Gallant said the goaltender has made progress in his rehab.
“He’s skated a lot the last three weeks so that’s a good sign for him,” Gallant said. “He’s just been cleared so we’ll see where it goes.”
More Golden Knights: Follow all of our Golden Knights coverage online at reviewjournal.com/GoldenKnights and @HockeyinVegas on Twitter.
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.