ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Vegas Golden Knights were willing to look anywhere for a spark after getting pretty badly outplayed for two games on their way to a home split in their second-round series against the Ducks.
They probably didn’t expect to find it in an early 2000s cult classic that represents some of David Spade’s finest comedic work.
A Thursday night viewing of “Joe Dirt” in the team room at the Knights’ hotel certainly isn’t responsible for a dominant 6-2 victory over Anaheim in Friday’s Game 3 at Honda Center that gave them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
But what it represents may have had a far more significant impact on the outcome.
The Knights looked more connected as a unit than they had at any point in the first two games of the series, particularly in scoring three goals to chase Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal after 20 minutes.
The lineup changes and line shuffling from coach John Totorella worked. A big contribution from the team’s stars, especially Mitch Marner, also played a major role. The Knights controlled the puck more, a big point of emphasis. Their special teams were dominant.
But sometimes turning things around just comes down to good old-fashioned team bonding.
“I think sometimes to have a successful road game in the playoffs, you know you have to simplify your game a bit and get back to the basics, and that’s kind of what we need right now to get back to our identity,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said before the game. “Sometimes just hanging out in the room together and spending time together with limited distractions helps. You’re with the team 24/7 and that can be beneficial when there is some adversity going on and you’re in a bit of a battle. It’s good just to be together.”
Even if that means having a movie on in the background of the team room that not everyone is locked in on, or even appreciates the humor in. Pavel Dorofeyev didn’t truly appreciate “Joe Dirt,” which was on in the room after the televised playoff action on Thursday night. Keegan Kolesar was more amused. William Karlsson didn’t love it, but was open to the idea he may not have been locked in enough on the plot to truly pick up the brilliant subtleties of the script.
But there was no doubt the team was all on the same page once the puck dropped on Friday night.
Jack Eichel’s 10th assist of the postseason may have been his prettiest and it came just 66 seconds into Friday’s game as Shea Theodore put the Knights ahead early and quieted a raucous crowd.
“We like playing on the road,” Theodore said after the game. “It’s always fun to come into a loud building and shut them up.”
The Knights would add a short-handed goal and then a power-play tally just before the end of the first period.
They looked for 20 minutes like a completely different team than the one that was constantly chasing the action for two full games at home and more like the one that delivered one of its best efforts of the season last week to close out Utah on the road.
“Everybody talks about home-ice advantage, but I bet if you talked to the majority of coaches and players in the playoffs, it’s probably easier to play on the road,” Tortorella said after the game. “They’re together. They’re doing things prior to games and off days they’re together. I think it’s more of a focused group. And you do simplify on the road. You just worry about playing hockey. There’s no other distractions, and you’re with your teammates more. I think that helps.”
Home ice had been pretty good to the Ducks before Friday, however.
The shellacking of Anaheim is perhaps made more impressive when considering the Ducks had been 3-0 at home in the postseason, averaging more than five goals per game.
They had also been 54-34 all-time in the playoffs and 27-13-4 this year in games played in Disneyland’s shadow.
But the Knights made it harder on the Ducks than it was for Joe Dirt to find his real parents.
It may have even been enough for Karlsson to give the movie another shot, though “Tommy Boy” is probably a better platform from which to appreciate Spade’s comedic talents.
Perhaps that would also conjure the vibes to bring Tomas Hertl his first goal since March 4.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
