Twenty-four hours after a tough loss in Boston, the Vegas Golden Knights found themselves in another tightly contested battle in Pittsburgh. For the second time in two nights, rookie Trevor Connelly delivered a late game-tying goal, while Tomas Hertl played the hero in a 3-2 triumph over the Penguins. On another questionable night of officiating, Pittsburgh received six power-play opportunities, but the Golden Knights capitalized on their own chances thanks to Hertl's two goals. In addition, Adin Hill earned the start and was one of the team’s top penalty killers, making key saves throughout the contest to continue his strong start to the season.
Win: Is it too early to start calling Trevor Connelly “Captain Clutch”?
Unless a player is drafted first overall, the expectations going into their first NHL season aren’t as great. For Connelly, who spent last season in the AHL in Henderson, he made the Golden Knights' opening night roster and has quietly become a dark horse for the Calder Trophy. In Boston, he took a huge hit from Charlie McAvoy and came back to score the game-tying goal. Against the Penguins and one of the game’s all-time greats, Sidney Crosby, Connelly stole the spotlight again with another late game-tying goal, giving an almost lifeless Golden Knights team a chance to salvage two valuable points.
Win: Tomas Hertl finds his groove on the power play
Hertl scored three goals in the first four games of the season before Victor Olofsson suffered an injury. Over the next 11 games, Hertl managed only two goals. In Pittsburgh, the seven-time 20-goal scorer was the driving force behind the Golden Knights’ offense against the Penguins, scoring the game’s first and last goals to secure a Vegas victory. Moreover, Hertl secured his second two-power-play-goal game of the season, following a two-goal performance against the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 6. Through 17 games, Hertl has seven goals and is on pace for another 30-goal season.
Sin: NHL officiating (again)
On Monday night, the Golden Knights lost Braedan Bowman to a major penalty and game misconduct, playing more than half the game down a man. That left head coach Ryan Craig to mix and match the rest of the lines to keep pace with the Bruins. Meanwhile, at one point, McAvoy laid a questionable hit on Connelly and only received a minor penalty. In Pittsburgh, it seemed like the Golden Knights were once again battling not just another NHL team, but the league's officiating crew too. The Penguins, known for decades for having some of the game’s greatest power-play specialists of all time, were granted six power-play opportunities. Yes, the Golden Knights themselves received four chances on the man advantage, but it seemed like every time there was a whistle, a Vegas player was turning their heads to see if they were next to go to the box.
Win: Mitch Marner makes history while chasing another Golden Knights record
The Golden Knights are not scoring six goals a game like they were two weeks ago, so with only a goal or two on the board, it’s getting more difficult for Mitch Marner to continue his hot streak. Against the Bruins, he had two assists to reach 10 games with a point, and against the Penguins, he set up Hertl’s first goal of the game, giving him a point in 11 consecutive games. Currently, the franchise record for consecutive games with a point is 14, held by Mark Stone, which he set last season. Regardless of whether Marner catches Stone's point-streak record, he's already made franchise history by becoming the first Golden Knights player to record an assist in 11 consecutive games.
What’s next for the Golden Knights?
Through the first two games of their four-game Eastern Conference road trip, the Golden Knights have escaped with three of a possible four points, which is critical in the Pacific Division. As Vegas continues to make up ground on the division-leading Edmonton Oilers, they next face the Detroit Red Wings and then the Buffalo Sabres before returning to The Fortress.
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