In Columbus, Ohio, on a chilly Thursday night, the Vegas Golden Knights emerged victorious with a decisive 4-0 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Adin Hill was a wall in front of the net, making 27 saves to secure his fourth shutout of the season and the 11th of his NHL career.
Nicolas Roy and Brandon Saad were instrumental in the Golden Knights’ win, each contributing a goal and an assist. Additionally, Pavel Dorofeyev found the back of the net, while Tomas Hertl provided two crucial assists to bolster the team’s offense.
For the Blue Jackets, Elvis Merzlikins made a commendable 25 saves, though the efforts weren’t enough to prevent their slide. This marked Columbus’s second consecutive loss and the fourth in their last five games.
The Golden Knights wasted no time as Roy capitalized on a power play opportunity, converting a pass from Jack Eichel at 12:00 in the first period. This goal was Vegas’s first shot of the game, placing them ahead at 1-0 despite the Blue Jackets having fired 18 shots, eight of which were on goal.
Brandon Saad extended the lead to 2-0 at 19:01, just before Dorofeyev stretched it further to 3-0 at 12:17 in the second period. The night was capped off by Alex Pietrangelo, who sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the third, bringing the final score to 4-0.
The performance was another highlight for Saad, whose recent form continues to be a welcome asset to the team following his free-agent signing on January 31. Saad has netted three goals in the last four games and amassed five in 13 appearances for the Golden Knights.
The Blue Jackets’ return home was less than triumphant after a challenging 1-3-0 road trip, with Thursday marking the first of four straight home games.
A pivotal moment arose when Dorofeyev received a four-minute double minor for high-sticking at 14:13 in the first period. Columbus had an opportunity to level the scores but failed to convert their chances. Instead, the Golden Knights managed to hold their ground with two key saves and quickly restored momentum with Saad pushing the lead to 2-0.
Jack Eichel, who was instrumental in the first goal, extended his point streak to seven games. His assist not only contributed to the night’s tally but also set a new franchise record for points in a season with 79, surpassing William Karlsson’s previous record set in the 2017-18 season.
Looking ahead, both teams will be back on the ice this Saturday. The Blue Jackets are set to host the New York Rangers, while the Golden Knights are scheduled to face off against the Buffalo Sabres.
