You knew it might be his night after those first five minutes. Adin Hill withstood the immense pressure and high-danger shots like he did earlier this season. Made a few terrific saves.
By game’s end, you thought he might have turned a corner. Sure looked like it.
Hill was more than solid in goal Sunday evening and the Golden Knights were just as good over the final two periods, beating defending Stanley Cup champion Florida 4-1 at T-Mobile Arena.
It hasn’t been the best of times for Hill lately. He entered 1-3-1 in his last five starts. He allowed 15 goals and had a save percentage of .874 during that span. Forgettable numbers, for sure.
But it was different Sunday under the pressure and physicality Florida brings. Hill stopped all but one of 32 shots. The one that got past him was deflected.
“It feels good, especially against a team like Florida,” Hill said. “We did a great job just playing our game. We survived those first few minutes.
“It’s always fun playing a team that’s physical like them. It gets you into the game a little more. They throw a lot of pucks at the net.”
A big win
How badly do you need a win in late January when you again sit atop the Pacific Division in points?
Maybe a little more than you expect.
The up-and-down nature of the Knights of late had them 2-6-1 in their last nine games entering Sunday.
They’re also chasing what Florida has, which is the Cup.
It might be just one win, but it was big. The Knights probably didn’t deserve a 1-0 lead after one period but certainly deserved the victory. Hill absolutely did.
“It’s a long season,” center Nicolas Roy said. “We all know how good a goalie (Hill) is. He was unbelievable today. They had a good push those first couple shifts and he was the one who kept it at 0-0.”
It was, after that early barrage of action from the Panthers, a memorable defensive effort from the Knights. Little plays. Important ones. Not giving up rebounds or second-chance shots. Allowing Hill to cover the puck. Taking away sticks when Florida shot from sharp angles.
“It’s always huge when you can do that,” Hill said.
Sixteen days remain before the beginning of the 4 Nations Face-Off, before a two-week break in NHL action. Knights coach Bruce Cassidy has an idea about how his team might compete before then.
“We have this three-game homestand and then hit the road and then the 4 Nations, so we’re not going to be at home for a while,” he said. “How about we string some good hockey together? If the results are wins, that’s obviously what we want.”
They should string together the final 55 minutes of Sunday’s game. The wins would definitely come if so.
Start of something?
The Knights earned five points their last four games and a 4-3 loss against Dallas on Friday could have gone either way. They played, as Cassidy said, with good focus upon grabbing a 1-0 lead Sunday.
Maybe this starts something. Maybe beating the defending champs gets the juices flowing a little and more victories soon follow. This much is certain: Should Hill continue to play like he did Sunday, stringing together good hockey won’t be an issue.
“It’s nice to get a big win on home ice,” said Hill, who will compete for Team Canada at the 4 Nations. “A lot of our losses have been by one goal. A bounce here, a play there. It happens, right?
“Just stay in the moment. That’s how I approach every day. So (Monday) we’ll get back to practice and the next day (against the Stars on Tuesday) will be fun. The 4 Nations will be fun and exciting, but we have a job to do here. It’s always about this team first.”
He might have just turned a corner Sunday. He was that good. Far better than what we’ve seen from him of late.
You knew it might be his night after those first five minutes. It was.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.
