Line of new Golden Knights comes through in victory over Senators

By Justin Emerson

Published Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021 | 7:30 p.m.

Updated Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021 | 7:50 p.m.

If the Golden Knights were to speak frankly, they’d likely concede that even they didn’t expect to ice the line that led to their game-winning goal on Thursday.

Offseason addition Brett Howden and rookies Jake Leschyshyn and Jonas Rondbjerg aren’t exactly a murderer’s row, but with the injuries Vegas has sustained, and after trading a player from the active roster earlier in the day, options were limited. Entering the night, the three had combined for 16 career games with the Golden Knights.

Simply put, they performed. They set up the Golden Knights’ tally to give them a two-goal cushion, part of a three-goal period that powered Vegas to a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.

“They did what we need them to do,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “They had my trust that they were hopping over the boards and tilting the ice. I thought they really established a forecheck and were buzzing around using their young legs and their speed.

“That’s how we’re going to have to win games. We’re not going to have the luxury of having lines that we can’t play or lines that don’t show up to play.”

Their goal was a thing of beauty, too. Leschyshyn wasn’t credited with a point, but did a good job getting to the net and drawing attention away from the goal-scorer. Rondbjerg, playing in his third career game, swung wide around the net and found Shea Theodore, who hit a crashing Howden for a cross-ice pass and the deflection goal.

It was Howden’s first goal with Vegas, and the first point of Rondbjerg’s career.

“We've played with each other a few times now this year and I feel like every time we play together we just keep getting better," Howden said. "I think I'm starting to feel more comfortable as each game goes on. I feel like I'm really starting to find my game, being a dependable player, a guy that works hard and can chip in offensively once in awhile when the chance is there."

Howden’s goal followed William Carrier’s second of the season, and came 64 seconds before Jonathan Marchessault’s first goal of the season, a three-goal output in the second period that marked the most in any frame by the Golden Knights this season.

Alex Pietrangelo netted his first of the season in the third period, then Marchessault added his second of the night into an empty net.

“I think we played pretty well offensively today,” goalie Robin Lehner said. “We still need to get back to our Vegas hockey that we’re used to. We still have a few things defensively to work on.”

The Golden Knights gave up 39 shots on goal and 65 total attempts, the fifth game in a row they’ve allowed at least 60 attempts. The defense has struggled often this season, but on Thursday, at least, it was made irrelevant by Lehner's play.

In what is becoming a recurring theme this season, Lehner was tremendous again. In the first period he made several key saves, 16 total, that kept Ottawa from pulling ahead, and the only goal he conceded was a second-period redirect by Matthew Tkachuk to make the game 3-1.

“That was really the key, that was when we needed him most was in the first period or that game could have gone sideways quickly,” DeBoer said. “It’s a different game if you’re chasing it all night. He was our best player in the first, allowed us to kind of get our feet under us, and I really liked our second period and our third period.”

The game was almost secondary to the news earlier in the day that Vegas had swung a deal for Sabres star center Jack Eichel. Despite not being physically with the team, his presence was everywhere as players and coaches were asked all day how excited they were to add a player of his caliber.

Eichel will undergo neck surgery in the next week or so, and won’t be able to play for Vegas for months, at least. But his next NHL game will be with the Golden Knights, and that’s enough to get a smile out of his new teammates. Oh, and the win in Ottawa didn’t hurt.

“He’s a world-class player,” said Lehner, his former Sabres teammate. “I’ve played with him for a few years and I’ve seen what he can do. When he’s healthy and on his game, he’s up there with anyone. He’s pretty incredible.”