Vegas Golden Knights coach John Tortorella isn’t overly concerned about his team’s defense despite being four games into one of the wildest Stanley Cup Final series in recent memory.
Well, except for one key area.
“(Jordan Staal) is killing us in front of the net,” Tortorella said. “We have to do a better job around the blue (paint).”
Staal scored twice in a 5-3 victory on Tuesday in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2 with Game 5 set for Thursday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
He also became the ninth NHL player and first since 1982 to score in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final. Staal is the first player to do it at age 37 or older, and his five goals in the series trail only Brad Marchand (six) from last season for most goals in a Final at that age.
“He’s a big man,” Tortorella said of Staal. “He’s a good player. That’s where he lives. We just have to do a better job. We have to be stronger. We have to win that battle.”
They haven’t done it nearly enough in this series.
Staal, who is also the first team captain to score in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final, is the third-oldest player to record a multigoal game in the Final.
While Staal is more known for his defensive prowess, leadership and faceoff ability, he’s also been finding a way to do damage in front of the opponents’ net for many years.
“Everyone knew he was a good defensive player, but he’s got some real offensive abilities too, and we’re putting some good players with him that can really bring out the other side in him,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “For whatever reason now, goals are going on. But he’s always played like that.”
The Knights have paid the price for letting him find room to operate.
Staal’s first goal, which put the Hurricanes ahead 3-1 in the first period, came on a deflection. He was engaged with Knights defender Jeremy Lauzon just outside the crease on the power play when a shot from the point deflected off the wrist of Brayden McNabb and dropped right in front of goaltender Carter Hart. Staal created just enough space to bang it into the net.
“I’ve been telling the guys to get to the hoop for years,” he said. “Good things happen around there, especially the way (the Knights) play. There’s an opportunity to get there, and you just need a bounce. That power play goal I think went off of four different guys and just kind of sat there for me. But you have to be there. We can still do a better job of that, too. Get in front of (Hart’s) eyes, get to the net and find a way to get bounces and create chaos. That’s been our MO for a long time, and it’s working for me. We have to keep doing that.”
Staal’s game winner to break a 3-3 tie was more creative.
After a Knights turnover and a spectacular save by Hart, the puck ended up in the corner with several Knights skaters chasing after it. Seth Javis won a battle and pushed it to Nikolaj Ehlers, who fed it across toward Staal.
The oldest player in the series saw the puck slide by him, but he reached back as he fell to the ice and got just enough on it to pop it over a diving Hart to put Carolina in front with 13:28 remaining.
“I heard everyone go quiet and heard some guys yelling, and I don’t know, I was just in my own world,” said Staal, who joyfully stayed face down on the ice as his teammates came over to congratulate him. “Incredible moment, obviously. Just let out a big yell and celebrated with the guys.”
Tortorella had a different view.
“The most frustrating thing for me is they don’t earn the winning goal,” he said. “It’s not so much the turnover. Carter makes a great save, and then we make another mistake. We leave the front of the net.”
Staal, who had only two goals all postseason before this series and tied a career high with 20 in 75 regular-season games, was more than happy to take advantage.
He is a big reason the Hurricanes reached this point and has had an even bigger impact in getting them back even in the series to make it a best of three.
“When you watch him all the time, you get spoiled,” Brind’Amour said. “I get to coach him all the time so I know I’m spoiled with that player. That’s what he is night in and night out for however long he’s been around. He’s big and strong and takes every shift like it’s his last. He takes a lot of pride in that and in being the leader of this team. And he does it by example.”
The Knights will be in trouble if they can’t get him away from the crease.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
