LAS VEGAS — In the waning moments of the third period, Jack Eichel had the game on his stick.The Golden Knights star found himself all alone in front of the net, staring down Carolina Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi in desperate need of a tying goal. He whipped a snapshot that whistled just over the crossbar.Moments later, the Hurricanes scored an empty net goal and went on to win Game 4 by a score of 5-3 to even the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2 as the series shifts back to Carolina.At times this postseason, Eichel has been everything for the Golden Knights. His coach, John Tortorella, anointed him the best 200-foot player in hockey after a dominating defensive effort against Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche in the conference final, and for good reason.But through four games in the Stanley Cup Final, Eichel hasn’t delivered the offensive output Vegas needs from a player of his caliber. He has yet to score and has only two assists in the series.Eichel is the engine that powers the Golden Knights and has been almost from the moment he arrived from Buffalo in 2021. Mark Stone is the captain and the emotional leader. Shea Theodore anchors the blue line. Mitch Marner has had the hot hand in these playoffs and is the rightful favorite to win the Conn Smythe.But Eichel is the No. 1 center, who faces — and usually wins — the toughest matchups on a nightly basis. He’s dominant as a penalty killer and a focal point on the power play. He can singlehandedly create offense in a way few players in the world can, and he drives the play regardless of his linemates. He’s the player with the eight-year contract worth $108 million that kicks in at the start of next season.Eichel is the Golden Knights’ best player. If they’re going to win a second Stanley Cup title in four years, they will need him to be that over the next two (or three) games.In these playoffs, Eichel hasn’t looked quite as dynamic with the puck as we’re accustomed to. Over the years, he’s had so many shifts in which he jumps over the boards, demands the puck, then uses his speed and strength to bully his way through defenders, and either drives it to the net himself or sets up a teammate for a backdoor tap-in. Those shifts haven’t disappeared entirely, but they’ve become increasingly rare — a trend that stretches back to the Olympic break in February.In 50 games before the Winter Olympics, Eichel was averaging 0.42 goals and 1.36 points per game. In the 24 regular-season games since he returned, with a gold medal draped over his neck, he averaged 0.25 goals and 0.92 points per game.