Marc Gatcomb is wasting no time making himself useful for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Through three games, the newest fourth-liner has already shown exactly why that spot matters. Gatcomb, who previously played for the New York Islanders, leads the team with 14 hits and has drawn a penalty. That’s the kind of work that doesn’t always jump off the page, but it sets a tone shift in a hurry.
He showed a little more on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. After Vegas allowed the tying goal, head coach Ryan Craig turned to the fourth line for a jolt. They delivered it with a heavy forecheck that forced a Canucks turnover and helped swing momentum back toward the Golden Knights in their 3-2 win.
“You want to try to tilt the ice back in your favor for sure, and do anything you can,” said Gatcomb following the team’s 3-2 win. “A goal’s always great, but that’s not always going to happen. But I think you just gotta try to get the momentum back in your hands, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Gatcomb was happy to chip in on the scoreboard, but the bigger thing for him was the way the line is starting to define itself.
“As a 4th line, you like to have an identity and a role as to how you want to play each night, and try not to get away from it,” Gatcomb said. “Ultimately, the goal is to win hockey games and to do anything you can to contribute, and that’s not always going to be a [goal], but anytime you can chip in on the score sheet, it's great.
We’re trying to build an identity here. And as we continue playing, and playing how we want, I think the chances are going to come in our favor.”
That’s the life of a fourth liner: all grit, no glamour, plenty of work in the corners and around the net, and not much expectation of reward. Gatcomb, though, is already checking a lot of those boxes for Vegas.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Suddenly Have A Problem They Cant Keep Chasing
The Golden Knights latest setback looked familiar in the worst way, with a slow start leaving them chasing the game again before they ever had a chance to settle in. Vegas did manage to erase the early deficit in the first period, and Tom Hertl supplied the lone goal, but the response only got them so far in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Carter Hart did his part to keep the game within reach, stopping 18 shots, but the bigger concern is the stretch itself. Three straight losses can be shrugged off once in a while, yet the Golden Knights are starting to look like a team that is spending too much time recovering from its own mistakes instead of controlling games from the opening faceoff. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Face Early Road Trip Questions After Lopsided Loss
The Golden Knights first stop on this road trip brought an immediate reality check, as St. Louis controlled the night from the opening goal and rolled to a 6-2 win at Enterprise Center. Vegas had moments, including goals from Brett Howden and Jack Eichel, but the Blues kept answering, with Pavel Buchnevich, Justin Barron, Mason McTavish, Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway all finding the net in a game the visitors never managed to pull back into reach.
For a team that expected to use this trip to settle in, the bigger question now is how quickly the Knights can reset before Saturdays matchup with the Blue Jackets. One lopsided loss does not define a road swing, but it does put a little extra attention on how Vegas responds after giving up the lead early and spending the rest of the night chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Eichel Is Playing Like A Different Star For Vegas
Jack Eichels season has looked different in all the ways that matter most to the Golden Knights. He is on pace for a career-high 41 goals and could become the first Vegas player to hit 100 points in a single season, a marker that would put his offensive run in a class all its own for the franchise. What stands out is not just the volume, but the efficiency, with his shooting percentage climbing to 18.8 percent, the best of his career.
The bigger shift has been how he is getting there. Eichel has played with more aggression and sharper shot selection, and the fit around him has helped, with Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev giving Vegas a more dangerous look whenever the top line is rolling. Even without a power-play goal this season, Eichels production has taken on the shape of a true No. 1 star, and the Knights are benefiting from the version of him that attacks more often and finishes cleaner than before. [Read more 🡒]