Vegas defeated Chicago 4-0 at T-Mobile Arena. Adin Hill stopped all 21 shots for his first shutout of the season. Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice on the power play, Rasmus Andersson and Keegan Kolesar added even-strength goals. Vegas outshot Chicago 32-21 and went 2-for-4 on the power play.
Knight of the Night
Adin Hill
Stopped all 21 Chicago shots to record his first shutout of the season and preserve a four-goal lead through three periods.
How Dorofeyev Powered the Power Play
First Period Dominance
Vegas jumped ahead 3-0 through the opening frame, establishing control with crisp puck movement and net-front presence. Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring at 8:33 with a power-play slap shot, assisted by Mitch Marner and Mark Stone, giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead. The power play executed the cycle game down low, working the puck to the goal line before Dorofeyev one-timed a feed from the left circle.
Rasmus Andersson extended the advantage to 2-0 at 11:35 with an even-strength wrist shot from the point. Noah Hanifin and Dorofeyev assisted on the play as Andersson fired through traffic and beat Spencer Knight cleanly. Bruce Cassidy emphasized getting pucks to the net quicker from the blue line, and Andersson's goal validated that approach. The shot created a race to the net front, forcing Chicago defenders to battle for position while the rebound sat available.
Keegan Kolesar capped the first-period surge at 12:00 with a tip-in, assisted by Jeremy Lauzon and Nic Dowd. Lauzon fired from the point, and Kolesar redirected the puck past Knight to make it 3-0. The fourth line established physicality early, with Brett Howden and Braeden Bowman engaging Chicago forwards and creating space for scoring chances. Cassidy credited the bottom six for dragging the team into physical confrontations, noting that when Jeremy Lauzon and Kaedan Korczak join the battle, the entire bench gets involved.
Second Period Execution
Vegas added a fourth goal at 12:51 of the second period when Dorofeyev scored his second power-play tally of the night. Stone and Marner assisted on the wrist shot that extended the lead to 4-0. The power play executed the goal-line play Cassidy had stressed, working the puck low and creating a high-danger chance from the slot. Dorofeyev's release beat Knight cleanly, and the Golden Knights went 2-for-4 on the power play.
Adin Hill faced minimal pressure through the second period but made a critical save early on the penalty kill. Cassidy noted the importance of Hill's first PK save, even if it wasn't a high-danger chance, because it set the tone for the special teams battle. Chicago generated a loose puck down low, but Hill controlled the rebound and prevented any momentum shift.
Third Period Shutdown
Vegas managed the final frame with disciplined gap control and neutral zone structure. Chicago generated few high-danger chances, and Hill faced just seven shots in the third period. The Golden Knights blocked passing lanes through the middle of the ice, forcing Chicago to dump pucks in and chase from behind. Cassidy praised the defensive posture of his forwards, particularly Tomas Hertl's backchecking to save a goal when Hill attempted to play the puck but the pass slowed down in the trapezoid.
A hand-pass challenge in the third period overturned a potential Chicago goal. Mark Stone and Shea Theodore spotted the infraction from the corner and alerted the bench. Dave Prior relayed the information, and after reviewing goalie interference and the offside, officials confirmed the hand pass and waved off the goal. Cassidy credited his players for being on top of the play and ensuring Hill preserved the shutout.
Final shots: Vegas 32, Chicago 21 Power play: VGK 2-for-4, CHI 0-for-2 Faceoffs: VGK 62%, CHI 38%Key Players
Adin Hill
21 saves, 1.000 SV%, shutout — Hill made the first save on the penalty kill early and denied every Chicago scoring chance to secure the shutout.
Pavel Dorofeyev
2G 1A, both power-play goals — Dorofeyev scored twice on the power play and assisted on Rasmus Andersson's even-strength tally to reach 34 goals on the season.
Mark Stone
0G 2A, both on power play — Stone assisted on both Dorofeyev power-play goals and quarterbacked the top unit to a 2-for-4 night.
Cassidy Credits Fourth Line and Blue Line Aggression
Defensive Structure and Puck Management
Bruce Cassidy expressed satisfaction with the team's defensive discipline and puck management, noting the group has cleaned up first-period execution over the past two games. The Golden Knights have now posted back-to-back strong opening frames following a stretch where slow starts plagued their results. Cassidy emphasized that getting pucks to the net quicker from the blue line creates second-chance opportunities and forces defenders to establish net-front position.
The coach singled out the bottom six for establishing physicality and dragging the team into battles. Brett Howden's return to the lineup added net-front presence, and his willingness to engage opposing players created space for Braeden Bowman and the rest of the fourth line. Cassidy noted that when the bottom six gets the other team's attention through physical play, the entire bench responds. Stone, Ivan Barbashev, and other top-six forwards become more engaged when they see their teammates battling in the corners and winning slot battles.
Blue Line Contributions
Cassidy praised Rasmus Andersson's willingness to shoot from the point, noting that the defenseman has embraced the directive to fire pucks through traffic rather than looking for the extra pass. Jeremy Lauzon also contributed by pounding pucks toward the net, creating the deflection opportunity for Kolesar's goal. The coach acknowledged that Shea Theodore still looks for the extra pass due to his playmaking instincts, but the rest of the defensive group has adopted a shoot-first mentality.
The pairing of Lauzon and Korczak has developed a physical identity, with Lauzon dragging Korczak into confrontations through his aggressive forechecking. Cassidy noted that Korczak, as a young player, sometimes drifts when his focus wanes, but Lauzon keeps him on his toes by engaging opposing forwards and creating an environment where both defensemen must stay alert. The coach emphasized that when the bottom pair plays with size and physicality, Vegas becomes harder to play against in the slot.
Special Teams and Hill's Rhythm
Cassidy credited Adin Hill for finding his rhythm and making the critical first save on the penalty kill. Even though the chance wasn't high-danger, Hill's ability to control the rebound prevented Chicago from generating momentum. The power play executed the goal-line play on both Dorofeyev goals, validating the emphasis on working pucks low and creating high-danger chances from the slot. Cassidy contrasted the first unit's early struggle with their second opportunity, where they executed the play exactly as drawn up.
We needed those guys to step up tonight if we were going to win, especially if we give up four. So, we needed all of them.
Vegas Extends Pacific Lead to One Point
The Golden Knights hold first place in the Pacific Division with 76 points through 67 games, one point ahead of the second-place Anaheim Ducks (75 points in 66 games). Edmonton sits third with 73 points in 67 contests, while San Jose occupies fourth with 70 points in 64 games. Seattle trails in fifth with 69 points in 65 games. Vegas ranks fourth in the Western Conference and 13th overall in league standings, riding a two-game winning streak.
Three-Game Homestand Begins Tuesday
- Tue, Mar 17: vs Buffalo, 10:00 PM (Home)
- Thu, Mar 19: vs Utah, 10:00 PM (Home)
- Sat, Mar 21: at Nashville, 2:00 PM (Away)