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Golden Knights’ Zach Whitecloud takes beating, keeps playing

Updated September 2, 2020 - 3:18 pm

Zach Whitecloud blocked a shot with 5:38 left in the first period Tuesday and was so shaken up he didn’t play the rest of the frame.

But when another opportunity to sacrifice his body came in the third period, the rookie defenseman didn’t hesitate. He blocked his third shot of the game to prevent Robin Lehner from having to make a save.

There’s no doubt Whitecloud has taken a beating in the Golden Knights’ second-round series with the Vancouver Canucks in Edmonton, Alberta. Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet even compiled a “highlight” package of the first-period block he made and the hits he took in Game 5.

He still keeps playing, though, which earned the 23-year-old the respect of his teammates and coaches.

“He looked a little bit like a car accident victim at the end of the game,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “He had been through the ringer. But he’s involved. He’s involved physically. He’s engaged in doing the dirty work like blocking shots. This time of year you need guys that are warriors like that.”

Whitecloud hasn’t been shy about inviting punishment. He knows that’s part of his role with the team.

He’s tied for second on the Knights in blocked shots this postseason with defenseman Brayden McNabb. Both have 27 in 13 games. Only defenseman Alec Martinez (34) has more. Whitecloud, however, is putting his body on the line more frequently considering he plays about six minutes less per game than Martinez and close to four minutes less than McNabb.

That’s mainly because so much of Whitecloud’s ice time comes on the penalty kill. He leads the Knights by playing 3:28 shorthanded per game because he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

“Zach has been great for us, on the penalty kill especially,” said McNabb, Whitecloud’s penalty-kill partner. “He’s really grown into that position and he’s been playing really well.”

Marchessault’s penalties don’t concern DeBoer

Left wing Jonathan Marchessault leads the Knights with 14 penalty minutes this postseason, six more than his next closest teammate. He’s taken three minors in the last two games.

DeBoer said he wasn’t worried, however. Marchessault had only 28 penalty minutes in the regular season and DeBoer disagreed with both the calls that went against him in Game 4.

“Last night was an uncharacteristic, undisciplined penalty for him,” said DeBoer of Marchessault’s first-period slashing penalty. “He was upset about a play at the other end and took a penalty. The two the night before, the phantom high-stick that was their stick and the goalie interference, which we found out after was agreed to wasn’t even a penalty. That’s two the night before that really aren’t penalties. I don’t have a concern about that.”

COVID-19 shut out

The NHL has done such a good job making its two secure zones safe that players aren’t even concerned about why they’re in them to begin with. Right wing Reilly Smith said a positive COVID-19 test is “definitely the least of our worries right now” after the league has gone five straight weeks without one since teams moved into the bubbles.

“I think it’s not really on anyone’s mind about getting sick or having a positive test at this point,” Smith said. “It’s just the burden of getting tested every day.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.

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