3 takeaways from Knights’ win: Dads still have magic on road
Whenever the Golden Knights need a boost, they just need to bring the dads on the road.
The Knights turned in a strong defensive performance and defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 at Honda Center on Wednesday.
Centers Nicolas Roy and Tomas Hertl scored, and defenseman Shea Theodore had two assists for the Knights (10-4-2) for their first win in three games. Right wing Pavel Dorofeyev also added his team-leading ninth goal.
Goaltender Adin Hill made 22 saves and earned the win after being pulled in Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Hill gave up four goals on 21 shots before being replaced by Akira Schmid.
“We just didn’t like our effort at home last game,” Theodore said. “Sometimes getting on the road and getting that mentality is good.”
It was the first game of the Knights’ annual fathers trip, which normally produces good results. The Knights improved to 10-0-1 when the dads tag along, and they’ll be in Delta Center on Friday against the Utah Hockey Club.
The win was just the Knights’ second on the road this season (2-3-2).
“We haven’t played that many road games yet, so the road record isn’t where we want it to be,” Hill said. “But it’ll get better.”
The Knights gave up the first goal, but found a response.
Anaheim forward Brock McGinn followed up a rebound at 17:39 to give the Ducks (5-8-2) a 1-0 lead. Roy, however, found an answer with 49 seconds left off a feed from Theodore to tie it 1-1.
Defensive breakdowns and turnovers behind the net plagued the Knights late in the opening frame. They made corrections in the second period and were rewarded.
The Knights held the Ducks to five shots on goal while putting 14 of their own in the second period. One of them came on a Hertl rebound at 6:43 for a 2-1 lead.
In turn, the Knights gave Anaheim no room in the offensive zone with elite gap coverage and quick breakouts.
“Good resiliency,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “There were pockets of the game where we played really well, the way we wanted to. For a road game, close to 60 minutes.”
That effort carried over in the third when Dorofeyev capitalized on a turnover and scored on a rebound 4:29 into the period for a 3-1 lead.
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano scored with 13 seconds left, but the damage was already done.
The Knights won’t believe all is fixed after a win against a Ducks team tied for the fewest points in the Western Conference, but their defensive structure was much improved after letting things get away against Carolina.
Just make sure the dads are around.
“Cool day for them,” Hill said. “Good day for us, too.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
1. Eichel picking apples
Center Jack Eichel extended his point streak to four games with an assist on Hertl’s power-play goal, giving him 20 on the season.
Eichel joined Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon as the only players to reach the 20-assist mark so far. Eichel became the fastest player in Knights history to reach 20 assists (16 games), surpassing captain Mark Stone’s mark of 20 games set in 2020-21.
Eichel continues to play at an absurd pace with a team-leading 25 points in 16 games. With Stone still day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Eichel is taking on the offensive load and has done admirably well.
2. Denisenko called up
The Knights called up left wing Grigori Denisenko from the Silver Knights before the game while reassigning left wing Jonas Rondbjerg back to Henderson.
Denisenko played just 8:27 and committed an offensive-zone hooking penalty late in the second period. He played just one shift in the third period.
The 24-year-old was the 15th overall pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2018 NHL draft, but he has yet to stick at the NHL level, with seven assists in 33 career games.
3. Dorofeyev stays hot
Dorofeyev moved up to the top line in the second period in place of Alexander Holtz, and it was a move that paid off with his third-period goal.
Dorofeyev now has a team-leading nine goals, four shy of his career-high of 13 that he set last season. Five of those goals have come in his last six games.
Cassidy has tried to find a combination that works on the top line with Stone out. Dorofeyev may get a chance given what he’s done this season.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.