Jack Eichel on Sunday scored his first goal since joining Vegas as the Golden Knights beat the San Jose Sharks for the 10th straight time with a 4-1 win.
Eichel’s goal came in his third game back from artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck in November last year as he finished off a nifty give-and-go with Chandler Stephenson.
It was his first goal since Jan. 28 last year with Buffalo.
Photo: Darren Yamashita-USA Today
“It’s obviously been a long time since I scored a goal, so it’s a good feeling,” Eichel said. “It’s just part of my game. Obviously, I want to try to chip in offensively, so it’s good to help contribute tonight.”
Vegas acquired Eichel in a deal with the Sabres on Nov. 4 and he underwent the surgery the following week. He began practicing last month and made his debut on Wednesday last week.
He has a goal and two assists in three games.
“I’m not surprised because he’s a special player,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. “If he wasn’t such a special player, I think it probably would have taken longer, but he’s got such exceptional skill that I think it allows him to get back up to pace quicker.”
Eichel’s goal helped snap Vegas’ three-game winless streak and gave Logan Thompson the win in his second career start in goal.
Thompson, who lost his first start last month against Nashville, made 35 saves.
Keegan Kolesar and Max Pacioretty also scored, while Stephenson added an empty-netter as the Golden Knights maintained their dominance of the Sharks.
Eichel assisted on Pacioretty’s goal early in the second period.
“We know [what] he’s capable of doing offensively,” Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “Jack’s one of those players that when you watch him and he plays, he makes the people around him better.”
Vegas won all eight meetings against San Jose last season and they have not lost to the Sharks since Nov. 21, 2019, at home.
The Golden Knights also have not lost in San Jose since blowing a three-goal lead in the third period of Game 7 in the first round of the 2019 playoffs.
Nick Bonino scored the lone goal for the Sharks, who are winless in their past six games. James Reimer made 31 saves.
“There’s a bunch of [the] season left, but not a ton,” Bonino said. “Lose these games and you run out of time.”
“We’re getting scored on first and then they’re getting the second one,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said. “That’s the main thing when you give a team a two-goal lead early in games. In this league, I know comebacks happen, but teams are very good at protecting the lead.”
Elsewhere, the Hurricanes beat the Penguins 4-3, the Panthers downed the Blackhawks 5-2, the Coyotes outshone the Stars 3-1, the Rangers edged the Senators 2-1, the Blue Jackets spanked the Sabres 7-3, the Wild walloped the Oilers 7-3 and the Canadiens defeated the Islanders 3-2 in a shoot-out.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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