It was an efficient start to the road trip for the Vegas Golden Knights as they edged out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night.
Reilly Smith continued his impressive start to the year with a pair of his goals, while Marc-Andre Fleury once again did Marc-Andre Fleury things as the Vegas Golden Knights picked up a big W.
It was a return to winning ways for the Knights who had dropped a 4-3 Overtime decision to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, and adding some consistency to their game will now be the main mission going forward.
But back to the present day and it was Smith who once again possessed the Midas Touch as he potted two tucks, including a shorthanded effort in the second period.
Fleury made 29 saves from 30 shots on what was another outstanding night for the future Hall of Famer, while William Karlsson also enjoyed a two-point night with a pair of assists.
Overall, it was a solid effort from the Golden Knights who got the job done although there are tougher tasks ahead.
However, for now, let’s dive into our biggest takeaways from the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2-1 success over the Columbus Blue Jackets…
1. Smith’s Got The Golden Touch
Reilly Smith has been absolutely lethal in-front of net for the Vegas Golden Knights through 16 games this year.
After potting 19 goals in 74 games last season, Smith is just 10 tucks away from matching that total already after an explosive start to the 2019-20 regular season.
He tallied two goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets last night to take his points tally to 13 on the year (nine goals, four assists).
One of those goals was a shorthanded effort with Smith having established himself as a potent threat on the penalty kill.
The 28-year-old has three shorthanded points (two goals, one assist) and he is playing at the peak of his powers when it comes to his ability to put the puck in the net this year.
And let’s not forget Smith’s overall contribution, either. He’s a favorite of the coaching staff due to the fact that he can do a little bit of everything, and he’s developed into a real leader for this franchise.
With the way things are going, don’t be surprised if Smith carves out career-highs in a number of categories this year.