SALT LAKE CITY — It was another slow start for the Vegas Golden Knights but despite it, they scored consecutive goals in a 4-2 victory against the Utah Hockey Club at Delta Center on Friday.
“They certainly had their way in the first, especially in the last half of it. We were spinning our wheels a little bit, and they were making plays, and we weren’t shutting those down close and quick enough,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidys aid. “So we started to build our game in the second, and third, and eventually we found it. Our intensity level was good and we started executing a little better, put them on their heels, and that’s what can happen. All of a sudden, now you’re pushing and you’re creating turnovers.”
William Karlsson scored twice, including the game-winner. Tomas Hertl also scored twice, while Adin Hill made 32 saves and was great in net for the Golden Knights.
“First of all, ‘Hillsy’ really kept us in the in the game, especially in the first period. A lot of credit to him,” Karlsson said. “Obviously Tomas, too. He buried the two goals on the power play, and that is the way to come back. We stuck with it and eventually, we got rewarded.”
Here are three takeaways from Friday’s game:
Karlsson Comes To the Rescue
Karlsson scored twice in the third period in a span of 49 seconds but his scoring doesn’t tell the whole story, he was effective on the defensive end as well. His ability to steal pucks from other players, his forecheck pressure, and his ability to create for his teammates, played a huge role for the Golden Knights in coming back in the game.
Karlsson has long been one of the better two-way players in the NHL, and against the Utah Hockey Club, it paid off in a big way.
Hertl Power
Hertl added two more goals to his power-play resume. Six of the seven goals he’s scored this season have come on the power player, particularly in the net front, bumper area of the ice.
The power play has been more effective than it has been in past seasons, but it’s not necessarily how many goals are scored, but rather when the goals are coming in that makes the power-play is one of the key reasons why the Golden Knights are winning games.
“You have to be careful you don’t get dependent on it, rely on it too much,” Cassidy said. “Think it’s going to keep you in the game all the time or get you back in the game. But some nights you need it. We just need it. We needed it tonight because our offense wasn’t there early on.”
Golden Knights Stick Up For Each Other
Ian Cole laid a big hit on Hertl in the third period that sent the Czech to the ice. Nicolas Roy immediately went to his teammate’s defense, instigating a fight with Cole, drawing a two-minute instigating penalty, five-minute fighting, and a 10-minute misconduct penalty.
The Golden Knights responded in a big way, killing off the two-minute penalty.
“I’m always happy about that. In today’s game, some hits there are quick responses, and that’s always a topic for discussion. But those are the ones that look like could be high, but it wasn’t, I don’t think it was but you don’t know,” Cassidy said. “ Good on Nic. Those are the penalties you should kill. If you’re a tight-knit team, you really should. It should be automatic that when you stick up for a teammate, any one of those situations, that you’re going to get it done…make sure you go the extra mile to get it clear.”
With Roy in the penalty box for the remainder of the third period, the Golden Knights played with 10 forwards the rest of the way.
“Guys are going to get more minutes. I’ve never had a player come to me and say, ‘I’m playing too much coach.’ So they want to play,” Cassidy said. “The risk with that is what happens down the road. Will it have a residual effect on Sunday or next week? You have to be careful of that. But that’s the hand we were dealt tonight. We’ll rest tomorrow because of that. We have to be careful that we manage our rest and our recovery.”
Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.
