Published Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 | 3 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 | 10:11 p.m.
End of game: Golden Knights jump to top of NHL standings in win over Sabres
No one is playing better hockey in the NHL than the Vegas Golden Knights. A 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday bumped the Golden Knights into the top spot in the NHL.
There were multiple milestones in the game. Mark Stone scored his 600th career point, Tanner Laczynski scored his first goal of the season and first of a Golden Knight, and Jack Eichel picked up two points (a goal and an assist) against his former team.
Adin Hill made 23 saves on 24 shots. His shutout bid was spoiled in the final two minutes of the game as Jason Zucker scored on a Sabres power play. The Golden Knights outshot the Sabres, 33-24.
The Golden Knights missed Victor Olofsson’s impact on the power play. The forward was ruled out ahead of the game due to illness, and the Golden Knights’ power play went 0-for-2.
Vegas improved to 27-9-3 on the year. With 57 points, it jumped to the top of the league standings after the Winnipeg Jets lost to the Detroit Red Wings 4-2.
The Golden Knights are on the road on Tuesday to take on the San Jose Sharks at 7:30 p.m.
End of second period: Golden Knights maintain 2 goal lead against Sabres
Despite a scoreless 20 minutes, the Vegas Golden Knights hold a 2-0 lead over the Buffalo Sabres at the end of the second period.
The Golden Knights had a wide shot advantage, outshooting the Sabres, 12-4. Vegas also went on the power play for the first time tonight after Dylan Cozens was called for holding, but didn’t record any shots on net during the man-advantage.
Buffalo went on the power play as well after Tomas Hertl was called for holding, but couldn’t find the back of the net. The Golden Knights hold a 26-10 shot advantage in the game.
End of first period: Laczynski, Stone put Golden Knights ahead of Sabres
Tanner Laczynski’s first goal of the season and Mark Stone’s 600th career point put the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, 2-0, at the end of the first period.
A shot from Zach Whitecloud at the point was slightly redirected by Brett Howden to Laczynski, who put the puck into the wide-open net for a 1-0 lead. It’s his first goal since December 5, 2023, when he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Later in the period, Jack Eichel made a cross-ice pass to Stone, who was driving to the net, and he tipped in the puck to put the Golden Knights up by two. It’s Stone’s third point in two games and Eichel’s 41st assist of the season.
The Golden Knights dominated in the first period, outshooting the Sabres 14-6 and forcing Buffalo to give up the puck 10 times. Brett Howden nearly scored off a takeaway, stripping the Buffalo player of the puck and going on a breakaway. He’d miss the net on the opportunity.
Pregame: Eichel to face former squad as Golden Knights host Sabres
Jack Eichel will play against some familiar faces tonight as the Golden Knights host the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m.
Eichel has been with the Golden Knights for four seasons now but started his career in Buffalo, picked No. 2 overall by the Sabres in the 2015 NHL Draft. He spent five and a half seasons in Buffalo before being traded to Vegas in November 2021.
This was expected to be Victor Olofsson’s first game against his former team, the Sabres, since signing with the Golden Knights this summer. However, during pregame, it was announced that he would not play due to illness.
Former Golden Knight and fan-favorite Alex Tuch returns to Vegas with the Sabres. He was traded to Buffalo in 2021 but is an “Original Misfit” who played 315 games and scored 172 points as a Golden Knight.
The Golden Knights are coming off a come-from-behind win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, 5-2, where they scored four straight goals after going down 1-0. Depending on how other results around the league go tonight, if Vegas wins, it could pass Winnipeg for the No. 1 spot in the league.
After losing 13 straight games, Buffalo has won three of its last five but has dropped back-to-back games. It’s coming off a collapsed 6-5 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, in which it gave up a 3-0 lead.
Players to watch
Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (center) 38 games played, 10 goals, 40 assists, 50 points; Shea Theodore (defense) 37 games played, 4 goals, 27 assists, 31 points; Brett Howden (forward) 38 games played, 15 goals, 4 assists, 19 points.
Buffalo: Tage Thompson (center) 34 games played, 18 goals, 15 assists, 33 points; Jason Zucker (forward) 39 games played, 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points; Alex Touch (forward) 39 games played, 12 goals, 16 assists, 28 games played.
Non-active players
Golden Knights: Ivan Barbashev (upper body), Nicolas Roy (upper body), Victor Olofsson (illness).
Buffalo: Jacob Bryson (illness), Jordan Greenway (undisclosed)
How to watch
TV: Scripps Sports (Cox Communications, channel 38), KnightTime+ (streaming)
Betting line
Golden Knights: -205, Buffalo: +170.
Over/under: 6.5 (-115/-105)
Who is goal
Golden Knights: Adin Hill – 24 games played, 16-6-2 record, 2.65 goals against average, .902 save percentage, 2 shutouts.
Buffalo: James Reimer – 8 games played, 1-4-1 record, 3.04 goals against average, .888 save percentage.