The Vegas Golden Knights have been in a bit of a rut lately, and Saturday’s 5-2 victory is something the team can try and use as a launching off point in 2024. The Golden Knights entered the game losers of 6 of the last 7, and Jack Eichel opened the scoring 6:25 into the game to get the team going.
It was the start of a strong night for Eichel who entered the game with just a goal in his last 5 games played, but all things considered he’s been the Golden Knights’ best forward this season.
Mat Barzal answered just under 5 minutes later to get New York back in the game, and the score would remained tied 1-1 for the rest of the period and most of the 2nd period.
The Golden Knights then had one of their better scoring sequences of the year in which they scored 3 goals in just under 4 minutes of game time. Pavel Dorofeyev scored off a tip in at 17:11 to give Vegas a 2-1 lead late in period.
Nicolas Roy scored a goal of his own 1:30 later to give Vegas a 3-1 lead, but the New York Islanders immediately challenged for goaltender interference. The review determined that there was no interference, and because of that the Golden Knights went to what would be their only power play of the evening.
There wasn’t enough time left in the period, so the power play rolled into the start of the 3rd, and Eichel scored again to make it 4-1 just 31 seconds into the period.
Matt Martin responded at 2:42 of the period to make it 4-2, and Roy scored the final goal of the game at 4:20 to secure a 5-2 lead which ended in a much needed Golden Knights win.
Logan Thompson had a strong night in goal with 28 saves on 30 shots, including 24 saves at even strength and 4 while the team was shorthanded.
Here’s a look at how the expected goals battle went, and that late sequence in the 2nd that bled over into the 3rd really made the difference for the Golden Knights against Ilya Sorokin.
Vegas now sits at 23-12-5 on the season with 51 points as the No. 2 team in the Pacific Division, and they will get back in action on Wednesday, January 10 vs. the Colorado Avalanche in Denver.