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Golden Knights Gameday

7 Observations: Special Teams Shine; Golden Knights Beat Bruins

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Mark Stone and Jack Eichel celebrate after scoring 12/13/2023 (Photo/Screenshot- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)
Mark Stone and Jack Eichel celebrate after scoring 12/13/2023 (Photo/Screenshot- Vegas Golden Knights via Twitter)

The Vegas Golden Knights (3-0-2) played the first of a three-game homestand on Thursday against the Boston Bruins (3-2-0). After a back-and-forth first period, they blew things wide open in the second. The Bruins pushed in the third, but the Golden Knights held on to win 6-5.

The Bruins broke the ice just over two minutes into the first period. Akira Schmid couldn’t swallow up Charlie McAvoy’s blast from the point, and Tanner Jeannot cleaned up the change. 

A minute and a half later, the Golden Knights answered back with a goal of their own. Mitch Marner sprung Pavel Dorofeyev, who turned on the jets past Jordan Harris and beat Jeremy Swayman far side. 

After finding the equalizer, the Golden Knights spent much of the first period in their own zone. There was a stretch of about three minutes where they were hemmed in, icing the puck four consecutive times. 

The Bruins regained the lead at 16:44 in the first period. After Kaedan Korczak lost a board battle, the Golden Knights were soft in front of their net, and a blast from Nikita Zadorov at the point went in off of Jeremy Lauzon. 

Less than two minutes later, the Golden Knights tied it again. A great shift from the fourth line resulted in a tired Bruins team. Ben Hutton held the zone and fired a shot on net; Swayman made the save, but Cole Reinhardt swatted in the rebound.

The Golden Knights controlled the second period, outshooting the Bruins 13-7. They had three power play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 for 1:29 that they failed to capitalize on.

The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night at 4:14 in the second period. At the end boards, Mark Stone took a hit to make a play and found Jack Eichel in the slot. Elias Lindholm blocked Eichel’s shot, but the puck fluttered up and over Swayman. 

Two minutes later, the Golden Knights extended their lead on their first power play opportunity of the night. Pavel Dorofeyev rang a shot off the crossbar; Tomáš Hertl crashed the net and banged it in.  

The Bruins answered back with a power play goal of their own at 8:15 in the second period. Morgan Geekie threaded a pass to David Pastrňák in the left circle, and Pastrňák rifled a shot through traffic that beat Akira Schmid.

The Golden Knights regained their two-goal lead at 18:24 in the second. Mark Stone broke up a pass intended for David Pastrňák and took off shorthanded on a 2-on-1 with William Karlsson. Stone hit the iron with his shot, and Karlsson crashed the net to bang it in. 

Just over two minutes into the third period, the Golden Knights extended their lead to three. Mitch Marner sprung William Karlsson at the blue line; Karlsson blew past Tanner Jeannot, did a power move to the net, and stuffed the puck in around Jeremy Swayman.

The Bruins came alive less than two minutes later. Tomáš Hertl suffered a rare loss in the dot to Sean Kuraly, and Mark Kastelic scored right off the face-off.

The Bruins made it a one-goal game 1:06 later. Mikey Eyssimont entered the zone, cut into the right circle, and fired a shot that leaked through Akira Schmid. 

After surrendering two quick goals, the Golden Knights locked it down defensively and outshot the Bruins 13-8 in the third period. Their puck possession made it difficult for the Bruins to pull Jeremy Swayman for the extra attacker, but they finally did so with 1:23 remaining. Ivan Barbashev drew an interference call 13 seconds later, effectively ending the game, and the Golden Knights held on to win.

Three stars of the game: William Karlsson, Mark Stone, Jack Eichel

7 Golden Knights Observations 

1. For the first time this year, the Golden Knights were truly the better team for most of the game. The Bruins scored first, but the Golden Knights responded, and did so when the Bruins jumped ahead again.

2. Now this is the offense that this Golden Knights team boasts. William Karlsson’s two goals were special-teams tallies, but they got a goal from a player on each line. Their six goals tonight give them the most in the league with 20.

3. Akira Schmid didn’t have his best game tonight. The Bruins ended his seven-game streak of allowing three goals or lessin games with the Golden Knights. Schmid allowed five and saved -2.23 goals above expected.

4. Mark Stone probably played his best game of the season tonight. However, he also went down the tunnel after losing an edge and pitching face-first into the boards. Stone, ever the hockey player, didn’t miss a shift and was on the ice at the end of the game defending a one-goal lead.

5. Cole Reinhardt won’t have a spot on the roster when Brett Howden is healthy, and I think that’s a shame. He played very well tonight, and his goal was exactly the kind that Bruce Cassidy wants the Golden Knights to score.

6. Pavel Dorofeyev’s goal tonight might be his best of the season. He scored at 5-on-5 off a brilliant feed from Mitch Marner and completely blew past Jordan Harris at the blue line. He’ll likely cool off eventually. He can’t score at a 98-goal pace forever, right? Right?

7. Not enough can be said about how Jack Eichel is starting this season. He leads the league in points with 11 in five games, and his five goals are tied for second in the league. But he’s not just scoring– he’s laying out to block shots on the penalty kill, too. That’s who Eichel is.

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