Golden Knights players let guard down during NHL Network show
DALLAS — Max Pacioretty likes to shoot far-side. Nick Holden’s proudest hockey moment came in bantams.
Those were two of the details the Golden Knights players revealed on their segments on the NHL Network show “Ice Time,” which will premiere Saturday along with an interview with left wing Jonathan Marchessault. The segments will air at 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday and at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Pacioretty’s and Holden’s parts were filmed Aug. 27 at City National Arena with NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp, who played 11 seasons in the NHL and won the 2003 Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils. And Rupp believes the timing, when some Knights were back for informal skates but had yet to begin training camp, helped the players open up.
“The fans of hockey overall are going to love it because you see a different side,” Rupp said in August. “Catching them this time of year, it’s always really good because it’s before the grind starts, you know?”
Rupp got Pacioretty to discuss his wrist shot — the best on the Knights — while the two were on the ice shooting pucks. Rupp wanted to know how Pacioretty, who has the 10th-most goals in the NHL since 2011, crafted his shot.
“Max Pacioretty didn’t really have a slap shot. (He) grew up shooting wristers because the ceiling in his basement was too low,” Rupp said. “That’s stuff we love. That’s stuff that kids get to hear, too. Little things that the guys do to make themselves better as kids.”
Holden’s sit-down conversation had a different feel but was just as casual. After discussing his proudest hockey moment — a hat trick in bantams (ages 13 and 14 in Canada) that led to a local newspaper clipping — Holden talked about the most difficult players in the NHL to defend, among other things.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon made Holden’s list.
“It’s always fun to do this stuff, especially when the interviews are like that and you’re casual and goofing around,” Holden said. “You don’t have to sometimes be serious about your answer.”
Friday the 13th
Friday’s 3-2 overtime victory at Dallas marked the third time in Knights history that they played on Friday the 13th. They went 1-1 in the first two games, including their 2-1 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series April 13, 2017.
“I’m superstitious,” right wing Alex Tuch said. “I don’t really think about Friday the 13th, though, not in that way. I’m superstitious in other ways. I’m more into habits and stuff.”
Tuch said he’s superstitious about aspects of his pregame routine, like how he gets dressed and what he eats. He declined to share specifics.
“They’re secret; I’m sorry,” Tuch said. “I can’t say anything.”
Hague out
Knights rookie defenseman Nic Hague missed his second consecutive game Friday after the Knights said he felt “under the weather” Thursday.
Hague has six assists in 25 games.
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Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
