Ivan Barbashev has been a Swiss Army knife for the Vegas Golden Knights through the first two games of their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth. The forward has goals in back-to-back games and leads the team in hits, providing both physicality and skill as the series shifts to Salt Lake City tied 1-1.

In Game 1, Barbashev delivered nine hits and sealed a 4-2 win with an empty-net goal. In Game 2, he showcased his offensive creativity, weaving through traffic to score a backhand goal that briefly tied the game 2-2 after Utah had taken a 2-1 lead.

“It isn’t me,” Barbashev said. “I don’t usually do it as much. I’ll just try to play with whatever comes to me.”

His goal in Game 2 came after he forced a turnover, retreated to the blue line to stay onside, then cut through the Utah defense to fire a backhand past Karel Vejmelka. The sequence was a reminder of Barbashev’s ability to read and react, a trait that Jack Eichel has praised in his linemate.

Barbashev has been a mainstay on the top line alongside Eichel and captain Mark Stone, though coach John Tortorella has occasionally loaded up that line with Mitch Marner. While that trio has controlled possession, it hasn’t produced on the scoreboard. Tortorella said he will continue to assess the line combinations.

“He’s playing well,” Tortorella said of Barbashev. “He’s a good 200-foot player. Certainly a good, honest, physical player who gives us some good minutes.”

Barbashev’s versatility will be crucial in Game 3, the first home playoff game in Utah history, at Delta Center on Friday. The Knights are focused on countering Utah’s speed, which broke them down in the second half of Game 2, a 3-2 loss.

“We gave them a lot of opportunities,” Barbashev said. “I think they had a lot of room with the puck. They took advantage of it. It’s a really skilled team. They can make plays. I think we gave them too much time.”