Vegas Golden Knights: Takeaways from Game 1 win against Chicago

2. Second-line dominance

The top line of the returning Max Pacioretty, William Karlsson and Mark Stone was good, but they couldn’t make their chances count.

The same can’t be said for the dynamic second-line, however.

The trio of Jonathan Marchessault, Paul Stastny and Reilly Smith were dominant and they were easily the best line on the ice.

They controlled play, kept the puck and they made sure that Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford was kept busy.

In total, that second-line combined for five points, six hits and 11 shots on goal and they won the game for Vegas.

And Smith was the star of that line with a three-point night, putting up two goals and an assist with a +3 rating in 13:29 minutes of total ice time.

Smith got the primary helper on Shea Theodore’s goal in the second period before lighting the lamp twice in the third period, effectively icing the game for the Golden Knights.

Marchessault also had himself a multi-point night after tallying an assist on both of Smith’s goals in the third period.

It is no secret that you need contributions from all four lines in order to be successful in the postseason, and a second line operating at full tilt could be the big difference for the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.