Jack Eichel recorded a goal and two assists to surpass 700 career points as the Vegas Golden Knights opened their season with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
Rookie Trevor Connelly scored in his NHL debut, while Victor Olofsson, Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone also found the net. Carter Hart made 24 saves as Ryan Craig earned his first win as Vegas head coach.
Patrick Kane scored in his return to Chicago, but the Blackhawks could not complete their third-period comeback. Jordan Greenway added Chicago’s other goal, while Spencer Knight stopped 32 shots.
Olofsson Opens Scoring on Power Play
Vegas generated the first breakthrough midway through the opening period.
Olofsson took advantage of a Golden Knights power play and beat Knight with a wrist shot from the far side that found the top corner.
The goal gave Vegas its first lead of the season.
It also provided an encouraging start for a Golden Knights lineup adjusting after the offseason departure of Pavel Dorofeyev.
Dorofeyev led Vegas with 37 goals last season, including 20 on the power play, before being traded.
The Golden Knights showed balanced scoring in their opener, eventually receiving goals from five different players.
Connelly Scores in NHL Debut
Connelly added to the lead with the first goal of his NHL career.
The rookie found a rebound near the net and lifted the puck over Knight’s pads to make it 2-0.
The goal highlighted a memorable NHL debut for Connelly and gave Craig’s team control during the first half of the game.
Vegas continued generating opportunities against Knight, eventually finishing with 37 shots on goal.
Chicago stayed within reach behind its goaltender and began cutting into the deficit late in the second period.
Greenway brought the Blackhawks within one.
Greenway Cuts Vegas Lead
Chicago’s first goal came late in the second period.
Greenway fired from the right circle and beat Hart, reducing the Golden Knights’ lead to 2-1.
The goal gave Chicago momentum entering the third period.
Hart had kept the Blackhawks scoreless before Greenway’s shot got through.
Chicago then produced another important moment early in the third when Kane scored against his former team.
Kane was back with the franchise he helped lead to three Stanley Cup championships.
He marked his return with a backhand goal that again reduced Chicago’s deficit to one.
The Blackhawks had created an opportunity to complete the comeback, but Vegas responded quickly.
Hanifin Answers Chicago’s Push
Hanifin provided an important response after Kane’s third-period goal.
The defenseman scored shortly afterward to restore the Golden Knights’ two-goal advantage.
The goal stopped Chicago from building on the momentum created by Kane’s score.
Vegas controlled the closing stages from there.
Eichel played a central role throughout the night, finishing with three points as he reached another career milestone.
His goal and two assists moved him to 701 career points.
The performance gave the Golden Knights’ top center a productive start to the season after he entered the opener just below the 700-point mark.
Eichel Reaches Career Milestone
Eichel’s three-point performance provided the individual highlight of the opener for Vegas.
By reaching 701 points, he moved beyond the 700-point threshold during the Golden Knights’ first game of the season.
His contributions also reflected the balanced offensive performance Vegas received throughout the lineup.
Five different players scored.
Olofsson opened the scoring, Connelly added his first NHL goal, and Hanifin answered Chicago’s third-period push.
Eichel also scored before Stone completed the scoring with an empty-net goal.
That depth helped compensate for the offseason loss of Dorofeyev, who had been one of the Golden Knights’ most productive scorers the previous season.
Craig Wins Head-Coaching Debut
The result also marked Craig’s first win as an NHL head coach.
Craig moved into the position after spending six seasons as a Vegas assistant and three seasons coaching the organization’s AHL affiliate in Henderson.
He took over a veteran Golden Knights team that reached the Stanley Cup Final last season.
His first game behind the Vegas bench produced a balanced offensive effort and a solid performance from Hart in goal.
Hart stopped 24 of Chicago’s 26 shots.
At the other end, Knight faced heavier pressure and finished with 32 saves.
The Golden Knights maintained control despite Chicago twice cutting into their advantage.
Kane Scores in Chicago Return
Kane’s third-period goal was one of the notable moments for the Blackhawks.
His backhand brought Chicago within one and gave the team an opportunity to push for an equalizer.
Vegas responded before the Blackhawks could complete the rally.
Hanifin restored the two-goal cushion, and the Golden Knights protected the advantage from there.
Stone eventually scored into an empty net to secure the 5-2 result.
Chicago played the opener without Connor Bedard.
Bedard is recovering from shoulder surgery and is not expected to return until at least late October.
Without him, the Blackhawks received goals from Greenway and Kane but could not generate enough offense to match Vegas.
Golden Knights Start Season With Balanced Attack
Vegas entered the season needing to replace significant scoring after trading Dorofeyev.
The opener offered an early example of how the Golden Knights could spread that production across the lineup.
Five players accounted for the five goals, while Eichel contributed three points.
Connelly also made an immediate impact in his first NHL appearance.
Chicago stayed competitive into the third period, twice reducing the deficit to one.
The Golden Knights answered when necessary and prevented the Blackhawks from drawing even.
Stone’s empty-net goal then finished the scoring and gave Craig a win in his first game as head coach.
Up Next
The Blackhawks continue their road trip Thursday night with a visit to Utah.
The Golden Knights remain home and host the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.
