Golden Knights find chemistry late in victory over Utah Hockey Club

It's hard to believe that halfway through the preseason, less than two weeks out from opening night, the Vegas Golden Knights' star players just saw their first live-action in four months.

Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo, Adin Hill, Ivan Barbashev, Victor Olofsson, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore all played their first game of the preseason against the Utah Hockey Club on Friday, and early on it showed.

Bobbled passes, turnovers and lack of chemistry were abundant in the first two periods of the game. However, it was time that the Golden Knights' vets needed to knock the dust off.

A three-goal third period, highlighted by two goals in 29 seconds, powered the Golden Knights to a 5-2 win over the newly formed Utah Hockey Club.

"We finished well working backward," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "The third period was very good. In the second (period), we did some good things and in the first (period), we looked like some guys hadn't played, and it was probably the same on their (Utah's) side."

Notably on the power play things began to even out as the game went on. Against Los Angeles on Wednesday, which ended in a 3-2 loss, center Tomáš Hertl emphasized just how bad the power play looked and the need for it to get better.

While Hertl didn't play Friday, the power play was 1-for-3, capitalizing off a goal in the second period from Alex Pietrangelo after the unit failed to convert twice in the first period.

In those first two opportunities, the power play units passed more than they shot. Pietrangelo's goal was on a slap shot showing that the unit just needed to loosen up to find the back of the net. 

"We had a first couple of power plays, and we couldn't really find much rhythm," said Olofsson, who had the primary assist on the power-play goal. "That third one, we found a couple of nice plays, got that goal and got a little bit of momentum."

Pietrangelo and Eichel knocked all the rust off by the end of the game, each finishing with a goal and an assist. Barbashev had a goal and Theodore picked up an assist as well.

The veterans stole the show, but the guys who have played every preseason game continued to contribute. Tanner Laczynski recorded his third point in as many games as the primary assist on a Pavel Dorofeyev.

He also centered the line of Stone and Dorofeyev, which is usually anchored by William Karlsson, who is out with an injury. Considering how much progression Laczynski's made in the preseason, he could steal a roster spot come opening night.

"He's (Laczynski) a good add to our organization," Cassidy said. "It's a very small sample size, but he's helped us in the preseason. I don't know on Oct. 9 how it will play out, but just looking at him now, knowing there's a guy down there that can play with high-end offensive players in the middle of the ice."

Another player who is also trying to prove themselves and has played every preseason game is Tanner Pearson, who is on a paid tryout. He finished with the primary assist on a Keegan Kolesar goal.

After the game, Kolesar did not mince words when describing Pearson's efforts in the preseason.

"A guy like that, he's working hard every game," Kolesar said. "He's got something to prove try to get a contract spot on this team. It's also motivation for me to get some chemistry going with him, and it could be a fun year with him."