Golden Knights beat Ducks 3-2 for 5th straight win
ANAHEIM, Calif. — A perfect pass from Paul Stastny set up Max Pacioretty for the game-winning goal midway through the second period as the Golden Knights earned a 3-2 victory over the Ducks at Honda Center on Friday night.
It was the kind of play the Knights envisioned when they acquired the longtime friends in the offseason to help bolster the team’s second line.
“When you get those two guys to sign on to be part of our group, you know you’re getting two guys with incredible pedigree in this league and two guys that know each other and know each other’s games,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “They have a chemistry already built in so the adjustment period is so much smaller, as you could see tonight.”
Pacioretty’s goal came 31 seconds after Tomas Nosek had tied the game at 2-2 when he worked around a defender and dove to tap in a rebound at 10:15 of the second.
It was the kind of answer coach Gerard Gallant hoped for when the Ducks grabbed the lead with two quick goals just 18 seconds apart early in the second period when Daniel Sprong scored on the power play and Carter Rowney followed it up moments later on a rush.
“We just said, ‘Let’s settle down and get back to our game,’ ” Gallant said. “I thought we did that and then we got two quick ones ourselves shortly after that so it was a good response.”
Stastny and Pacioretty have both missed time with injuries this season, delaying the vision the veterans had of accomplishing big things in their first year playing together in the NHL.
Pacioretty went down with a lower-body injury on Dec. 17 and returned to the lineup Friday just in time to help the Knights to their fifth straight win.
“It’s been a start to the season nobody drew up with the injuries and playing through them and then finally having to come out for both of us,” Pacioretty said. “To be able to come in now and feel pretty good and kind of start from scratch and put together a good win as a line and a team felt really good.”
It was just the sixth time they had both been active for the Knights (25-15-4) this season.
“They’re both high-end players that can make plays,” Gallant said. “It was a real nice play by Stastny and Pacioretty found the opening and put it in. They played real well. It was a good night for those guys for sure.”
Stastny made the play as he drew the defense toward him and found a wide open Pacioretty streaking down the ice on the far post for the tap-in goal.
“He’s the best at that,” Pacioretty said. “He made it easy for me. It started with a good play from (Alex) Tuch. Hopefully we can build off that.”
The Knights, who have recorded a point in eight consecutive contests, struck first with a goal by Schmidt in the first period.
Schmidt’s goal came with an extra attacker after the Knights possessed the puck for more than 45 seconds on a delayed penalty. He blasted a shot from the point that got by All-Star goalie John Gibson, who had 39 saves.
Fellow Pacific Division All-Star Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 shots for the Knights, who open a three-game homestand at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Devils at T-Mobile Arena.
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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.