3 takeaways from Golden Knights’ 4-1 win over Hurricanes – Hockey Writer – Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights suffered their first loss of the season on Monday night, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 at T-Mobile Arena. It was a statement win for a bruising team that relied on star forward Jack Eichel to keep its hot streak going, while also being helped by solid goaltending in Adin Hill and Akira Schmid, the latter of whom was coming off an injury.
Despite mounting injuries, the 2023 Stanley Cup champions have proven that their depth, structure and poise are still championship-caliber and that their offense can perform well even against elite opponents.
1. Jack Eichel leads Cavaliers into prime offensive form
The Golden Knights enter Monday’s game with a strong offensive surge. At 8 minutes and 42 seconds into the first quarter, Eichel’s pass was blocked by a Hurricanes defensive player. He opened the scoring and the Golden Knights led 1-0. It was his sixth goal of the season and he continued to lead the league in scoring with 16 points.
The supporting cast also contributed: Ivan Barbashev had a goal and an assist, and Pavel Dorofeyev notched his seventh goal of the season to tie him for the three-way lead in the NHL. William Carlson ended the game with an empty-net shot, marking another milestone as he scored his 400th point for the team.
This offensive surge came against the Hurricanes, the last undefeated (5-0-0) team (and our highest-ranked team) entering the game. The Golden Knights broke that record and established their ability to score against the competition.
They performed well in transition, with Eichel’s playmaking setting the tone. But the team’s scoring depth means they don’t rely on just one line — a key advantage as the season progresses.
2. Goalkeepers’ plight may be overstated
Alarm bells rang at 9:54 of the first period when starting goalie Adin Hill left the game with a lower-body injury after four saves. However, Schmid came into the game and calmly stopped 22 of 23 shots to improve his record to 4-0-0 and help Vegas hold the Hurricanes within one goal.
“It’s both difficult and easy [to come into the game cold]”You just jump in,” Schmid said via NHL.com. You don’t actually think too much about it, like you probably did when you first started. You just play around and see how it goes. “
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Schmid’s performance suggests that perceptions of the fragility of the goaltending tandem may be exaggerated, at least for now. While Hill’s injury is concerning, the Golden Knights proved they have the depth and presence of mind to absorb the loss and still execute at a high level.
The home team launched a high-intensity Cannes attack and only scored one goal, while changing goalkeepers midway through the game, which reflected both the team’s overall defense and Schmid’s calmness. The young netminder has now had two outstanding performances in a row and continues to prove that his stellar preseason performance was no fluke.
3. Injuries continue, but Golden Knights are OK for now
The game began without Golden Knights captain Mark Stone, who was placed on injured reserve with a wrist injury on Monday and is considered week-to-week. On top of that, the club has lost guard Noah Hanifin and center Brett Howden.
However, despite the mounting absences, the Golden Knights showed resilience after Hill left the game. They shuffled the deck, relied on depth players, and still made plays on both ends of the ice. Stone’s absence means someone else has to step up. The team responded with balanced scoring and tight defense.
The willingness of the supporting cast to fill gaps and maintain structure suggests the Pacific Division leaders may be better equipped than most teams to weather this injury period. While losses inevitably have an impact during a long season, Monday’s performance once again emphasized the balance and depth of the Golden Knights’ roster.
What’s next for the Golden Knights?
With the win, the Golden Knights sit atop the NHL with 12 points. They’ll get four days off before heading east to Florida, where they’ll face back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning starting Saturday.
