Zach Whitecloud’s return headlines emotional game for Golden Knights
Derek Hegna
Host · Writer
What better way to close out a pivotal late-season homestand than an emotionally charged matchup?
On Thursday, T-Mobile Arena plays host to one of the more beloved locker room presences for the Vegas Golden Knights, as defenseman Zach Whitecloud returns to the Strip when the Calgary Flames hit the ice.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date: Thursday, April 2
Time: 7:00 pm PST
How To Watch: SCRIPPS, ESPN+
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
Back in January, Whitecloud was part of a package that was sent to Calgary in exchange for defenseman Rasmus Andersson. It will be the first time Whitecloud has faced his former team since then, sitting on the opposite side of the organization that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and played 368 NHL games for. It will be an emotional day for him, but it is clear that the Golden Knights will be equally as amped up.
“Hopefully he does (what Jonathan Marchessault did), takes off his helmet and does a full lap,” Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar said after Wednesday’s practice. “Maybe they give him a microphone.”
While the return of a friend is always nice, it will be business as usual for the Golden Knights once the puck drops. With the division still very much in flux, here is how Vegas can cement their claim to a playoff spot.
Out of the gate
Vegas has still had issues starting games, with the Golden Knights being outscored 3-0 in the first period of all three games of the homestand so far.
The Flames could prove to be a tonic in that department, however, after giving up five first-period goals in their loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. For a Golden Knights team that found its game from the second period on in their previous game against the Vancouver Canucks, keeping that momentum and pouncing early would give them some breathing room later on. New head coach John Tortorella has stressed a north-south strategy, and this is a perfect opportunity to implement it.
Renaissance Mitch
Tortorella has never been afraid to make changes to his personnel, and Mitch Marner will be the latest experiment.
Marner’s first season in Vegas has been interesting out of necessity, with the star forward having to play center after a rash of injuries. That remained true in Monday’s game against Vancouver, but Marner swapped places with Jack Eichel between Ivan Barbashev and Mark Stone from the second period onward. That lineup will likely continue to remain in place against Calgary, but Tortorella has suggested that Marner could find himself in various roles down the stretch.
“I liked the way the lines progressed as we went through the game. I thought there was some chemistry there, and I thought everyone chipped in. I moved [Marner] around quite a bit onto different lines also; I think that’s something I may try a little bit more,” said Tortorella after Monday’s game.
The other side
Similar to Whitecloud, Thursday’s game will also be the first for Andersson against the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
While it took some time for Andersson to find his stride in Vegas, he has started to catch fire lately with three goals in the last four games. Wednesday’s practice made it seem as though his performance will be rewarded, as he was back on a pairing with former Calgary teammate Noah Hanifin. The Golden Knights have needed the version of Andersson that was tearing it up with the Flames this season with 10 goals prior to the trade, and it remains imperative that that remains the case down the stretch.
