It’s not just that the Golden Knights have the NHL’s second-best power play, scoring on 37.5 percent of their opportunities this season.

It’s that they look even more dangerous than last year’s second-ranked unit did.

The Knights (4-0-2) have an NHL-leading 26 goals this season, nine of which have come on their 24 power-play opportunities. Three of those goals on the man advantage came in their 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

The Knights will try to use their special teams edge to push their winning streak to four games, and their point streak to seven, when they host the Carolina Hurricanes (5-0-0) on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s pretty fun,” said right wing Mitch Marner, who scored one of his two goals Saturday on the power play. “So many different threats out there that make plays.”

More than Hertl

The Knights had a top-10 power play just once in their first seven seasons, finishing ninth in 2019-20.

They hit new heights with a 28.3 percent success rate last year.

Center Tomas Hertl provided the Knights a net-front element they didn’t have before. Hertl scored a franchise-record 14 power-play goals last season.

His success forced opponents to adjust their penalty kills. The Knights had a successful counter ready to go in left wing Pavel Dorofeyev. The 24-year-old had 13 power-play goals last season and has four already this year.

“It feels good,” said Dorofeyev, who led the Knights with 35 goals last season. “I’m just enjoying every single game we’re playing and having fun out there. It’s always fun when you have starts like that.”

Change in mindset

Hertl and Dorofeyev often receive the puck from captain Mark Stone, who serves as the team’s power-play distributor from the goal line.

Stone has three options when the puck is on his stick. He can take it to the net himself, find Hertl in front or pass to Dorofeyev in the right circle.

Stone and Dorofeyev, despite the Knights’ power-play success last season, didn’t connect often. That’s changed this year. Dorofeyev is creeping lower in the circle and getting the puck to the net quicker.

“It’s just simple plays from the guys,” Dorofeyev said. “I can see what they intend to do and read off them. (Stone) makes a great play there every time.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy always felt Dorofeyev had a quick release, but it’s reached another level this season.

“Those pucks are coming in pretty good. They’re coming in through feet and sticks, so he’s got to be ready for them,” Cassidy said. “As long as we’re getting action around the net, that’s good, but Pav’s release … it’s been dynamite.”

Cassidy said another thing that’s helped the Knights’ power play is their puck recoveries. They’ve kept possession and been able to reset, instead of being forced to chase the puck and reload through the neutral zone.

“We’re right back into our set before they have a time to sort through their reads and we’re right back at making our low plays,” Cassidy said. “I think we’ve been in sync on that.”

New look, same results

The main change the Knights have made to their top unit this year is replacing defenseman Shea Theodore with Marner, giving them a five-forward look.

Marner has just two power-play points so far from his spot on the blue line, but that’s due in part to the Knights’ success down low.

“I imagine at some point, (Marner) will get more opportunities to make some plays, but right now, we really like the goal line play until it doesn’t work for us,” Cassidy said. “Keep going to what works for you.”

Marner’s focus right now is finding space. He did that on his power-play goal Saturday, taking a wall pass from Stone and weaving around Calgary goaltender Dustin Wolf in the second period.

“For me, it’s just trying to find open ice for Jack to make his plays, kind of just go man-to-man,” Marner said. “They do a really good job down low making teams pay. It’s been a lot of fun to watch.”

The Knights could become even more dangerous on the man advantage if Marner can do that consistently. It’s notable that Dorofeyev scored the team’s first four power-play goals this season, but he has none of its last five.

“You want to have options on your power play,” Cassidy said. “You can’t just be a one-trick pony.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.

Up next

Who: Hurricanes at Golden Knights

When: 7 p.m. Monday

Where: T-Mobile Arena

TV: KMCC-34

Radio: KKGK (1340 AM/98.9 FM)

Line: Knights -125; total 6