The Vegas Golden Knights have had a strong season, consistently finding ways to win, and they continued that trend on Friday against the San Jose Sharks.
After trailing by a goal going into the third period and struggling to control the fast and young Sharks, the Golden Knights needed something to change the momentum.
A penalty was called, but it wasn’t in favor of the Golden Knights. However, they took advantage of the situation. Alexander Holtz was penalized for tripping just 50 seconds into the third period, and Brayden McNabb and Jack Eichel scored shorthanded goals to tie the game and then take the lead.
McNabb’s goal came during 4-on-4 play after the Sharks’ penalty carried over from the second period. Eichel won the faceoff, which set up the breakout. The puck was passed back to McNabb, who used his signature curl and drag shot to score.
“He’s just such a glue guy on the team,” said Alex Pietrangelo. “You love seeing a guy like that have success.”
Just 23 seconds after tying the game, Mark Stone passed to Eichel, who beat Alexander Wennberg down the ice and set himself up for a breakaway. Eichel outwaited goalie Alexandar Georgiev to put the Golden Knights up 4-3.
With just over 14 minutes left in the third period, Pavel Dorofeyev ended his 11-game goalless streak to add an insurance goal for the Golden Knights. Dorofeyev wasn’t the only one ending a dry spell—Eichel’s goal was his first in six games, and McNabb’s was his first since October 17, the fifth game of the season.
The Golden Knights have shown they can win in many ways. They’ve shut teams down in defensive battles, outscored opponents in high-scoring games, and used their special teams to shift the game when needed. Their power play is ranked sixth in the NHL, and they’ve scored the second most shorthanded goals.
Experienced teams with a winning mentality understand that each game is different. The Golden Knights may enter with a specific game plan that works perfectly or one that doesn’t, but their calm and collected approach allows them to find a way to win together as a team.
