Jack Eichel scored two goals, including the decisive tally early in the third period, leading the visiting Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on October 24, 2023. This win marks the first regulation victory of the season for the Golden Knights, who improved their record to 2-0-2.
The game started with the Flames taking an early lead. Mikael Backlund opened the scoring at 7:32 of the first period, finishing a give-and-go with MacKenzie Weegar. Just over four minutes later, Blake Coleman doubled Calgary’s advantage, finding the net with a shot that beat Vegas goalie Adin Hill on the glove side. The Flames ended the first period leading 2-0, outshooting the Golden Knights 10-8.
Vegas responded in the second period, with Eichel scoring his first goal of the night at 10:00. He capitalized on his own rebound to bring the Golden Knights within one goal. Eichel’s efforts were supported by Tomas Hertl, who not only scored later in the game but also provided an assist.
The turning point came in the third period, where the Golden Knights scored twice in just 2:27. Kaedan Korczak tied the game at 2-2 at 4:11, putting a loose puck past Flames goalie Dustin Wolf. Eichel then gave Vegas the lead by powering past Flames defenseman Daniil Miromanov and tucking the puck into the net for his second goal of the night and fourth of the season.
With just seven seconds remaining, Hertl sealed the victory by scoring into an empty net. The Golden Knights’ performance demonstrated resilience, overcoming an early two-goal deficit to secure the win.
In a concerning turn of events, Hill was replaced by Akira Schmid to start the second period after sustaining a lower-body injury from a shot by Matt Coronato. Hill had allowed two goals on ten shots before being sidelined. Schmid excelled in relief, stopping all 19 shots he faced in his second appearance of the season.
The Flames, who have now lost three straight games, are searching for answers after their early-season struggles. As their performance continues to falter, the Golden Knights are looking to build momentum from this victory.
Brett Howden missed the game for Vegas due to a lower-body injury, with Cole Reinhardt stepping into the lineup as his replacement. The Golden Knights will aim to maintain their form in upcoming matches as they strive for consistency this season.
