In Las Vegas, the Golden Knights’ Max Pacioretty returned to the bench on Saturday and helped in a 6-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes.
“I’ve come back from a lot of injuries before, so it wasn’t the craziest situation to be in,” Pacioretty said. “In the second there, I got a little fatigued, so I had to make sure I had to bear down in the third. I was better in the third. The goal feels good, but at the same time, you’re wondering how you’re going to manage the game.”
Robin Lehner made 29 saves in the Vegas win.
“We did a lot of good things,” Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said. “I loved our start to get the early lead. I thought they pushed back a little in the first. I thought we regrouped between the first and second. I loved our second period. We really grabbed control with how we played even though it wasn’t on the scoreboard, and that set up the third.”
The Knights improved to 40-29-4.
Zach Whitecloud and Pacioretty scored in the first period to give Vegas a 2-0 lead.
Barrett Hayton was the lone striker for Arizona.
“We knew it would be tough. They played extremely well, so a lot of credit to them,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “It was really tough for us to sustain possession and make a few plays in a row on the puck. That’s one of the best performances from an opponent we’ve had.”
Brayden McNabb and Evgenii Dadonov also scored for the Knights.
“We know we have a chance, and we know we kind of control our own destiny,” McNabb said. “Tonight was good. We got the two points. Took care of business, but we’ve got a big road trip coming up. So it’s almost like last game, where you have to flush this one and be ready for the next one.”
Vegas’ Jake Leschyshyn scored just past the midway point of the third period for a 5-1 lead.
“We haven’t been able to be the four-line team that we want to be because of the injury situation,” DeBoer said. “Tonight is the first night in a long time where we had the bodies to try and play that type of game. We want to be that team (that has a balanced offense). That’s what we have to be. That’s what wins in the playoffs.”
Jack Eichel scored late in the third for the 6-1 final.
Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves in the Arizona loss.
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