Cody Eakin scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 29 shots he faced to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a dominant 5-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.
Eakin, who didn’t reach seven goals until late February last season, has found his scoring touch much earlier this time. “I’m just having fun out there,” said Eakin, who is currently on pace for 38 goals, well above his career high of 19. “The pucks are going in now, but I know there will be times when they don’t. I’ll just try to ride the wave.”
Vegas matched its season-high goal total, with Alex Tuch and Nick Holden adding a goal and an assist. Tomas Hyka also scored, and Max Pacioretty contributed two assists as the Golden Knights played one of their most complete games of the season.
Coach Gerard Gallant praised his team’s effort: “Tonight was a big game for us. We worked hard defensively, and that sparked our offense. The guys went to the net and scored some nice goals. Hopefully, we’ve regained some of our confidence.”
Fleury, playing with flashy new gold pads, earned his third shutout of the season and 51st of his career, tying him for 24th on the NHL’s all-time list. “The pads are a bit flashier than my usual ones,” Fleury joked, adding that as a member of the Golden Knights, “might as well try a little golden gear and have some swagger.”
The shutout was Fleury’s second consecutive at home, a stark contrast to his struggles on the road trip, where he allowed 10 goals in three games. “Sometimes, as a goalie, you try to do too much when things aren’t going well,” Fleury explained. “But this is the best place to play. The crowd, the energy—it’s amazing every night.”
Anaheim goalie John Gibson was pulled early in the second period after allowing three goals on just 12 shots. Ryan Miller replaced him and stopped 11 of 13 shots, but it wasn’t enough to slow down Vegas’ potent second line of Eakin, Tuch, and Pacioretty.
Eakin promoted to the second line due to Erik Haula’s injury, has meshed well with Tuch and Pacioretty. “Cody and I have had chemistry since last season,” said Tuch, who has been productive since returning from injury. “Adding Max to our line has been a huge boost. We’re connecting on plays we didn’t last year.”
Vegas scored late in the first period when Tuch buried a rebound past Gibson. Just 25 seconds into the second, Eakin made it 2-0 with a wrist shot off a feed from Tuch. Holden added a bizarre goal moments later when his shot ricocheted off the boards, and Ducks center Adam Henrique accidentally knocked it into his own net.
Eakin continued his hot streak with a breakaway backhander over Miller’s glove, making it 4-0. Hyka capped off the scoring with his first goal of the season, beating Miller from the left wing.
Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle acknowledged his team’s lackluster effort. “When Vegas gets fired up, they play at a fast pace. We didn’t have the competitive spirit tonight, which surprised us.”
Game Notes:
- The game was part of Military Appreciation Night, with 92-year-old Edward Hall, a Pearl Harbor survivor, dropping the ceremonial first puck.
- Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler will undergo surgery for a complex facial fracture after being hit by a puck in Monday’s game.
- Anaheim goalie John Gibson remains one win shy of 100 career victories.
- The Ducks have killed 23 of their last 26 power-play opportunities.
Up Next:
- Ducks: Host Toronto on Friday.
- Golden Knights: Host St. Louis on Friday.