Jack Eichel recorded a goal and two assists as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday. Five different players found the net for Vegas to secure the win in the opening game of the regular season.
Victor Olofsson opened the scoring for the Golden Knights at 10:30 of the first period, converting on a power play with a snap shot assisted by Eichel and Shea Theodore. Trevor Connelly doubled the lead at 15:22 of the frame by tipping in a feed from Brayden McNabb and Theodore. Chicago responded in the second period when Jordan Greenway scored with a wrist shot at 12:23, assisted by Ryan Greene and Wyatt Kaiser, but Eichel restored the two-goal cushion for Vegas at 15:12 on a snap shot set up by Ivan Barbashev and McNabb.
Patrick Kane brought the Blackhawks back within one at 4:04 of the third period with an unassisted wrist shot. Just 39 seconds later, Noah Hanifin answered for Vegas at 4:43 with a wrist shot assisted by Nic Dowd and Marc Gatcomb. Mark Stone sealed the result with an empty-net slap shot at 17:27, assisted by Eichel and Barbashev.
Carter Hart earned the win in net for Vegas, stopping 24 of 26 shots. Spencer Knight made 32 saves on 36 shots for Chicago as the Golden Knights outshot the Blackhawks 37-26. Vegas finished 1-for-3 on the power play, while Chicago came up empty on two opportunities with the man advantage.
The victory moves Vegas to 1-0-0 on the season, while Chicago drops to 0-1-0. All six goal scorers in the contest tallied their first goals of the regular season, and Eichel reached three points on the campaign.
The Golden Knights return to action when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, October 20. The Blackhawks next play when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, October 23.
