Jack Eichel’s overtime goal capped a wild 6-5 comeback victory for the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, but the bigger story might have been the return of goaltender Adin Hill after a three-month absence. Hill, who hadn’t played since Oct. 20 due to a lower-body injury, stopped 23 of 28 shots in his first action since late October. Despite allowing five goals, he made several key saves to keep the Knights within striking distance.
Coach Bruce Cassidy acknowledged that Hill looked rusty, noting, “It looked like Adin Hill had not played in three months.” However, Cassidy added that the team didn’t ease him into the game, as Toronto’s high-powered offense applied pressure from the start. The Maple Leafs jumped to a 3-1 lead on goals from Morgan Rielly, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews, with a power-play goal and a two-on-one tally adding to Hill’s workload.
Hill’s highlight came in the first period with a scorpion-style save while rolling on his back, which center Jack Eichel called “the potential save of the year.” Eichel praised Hill’s performance, saying, “He made some huge saves. Made a huge save in the first period.”
The victory extended Vegas’s winning streak to six games, matching a season high. The Knights will aim for a seventh straight win Saturday night against the Nashville Predators at T-Mobile Arena.
With Hill back, the goaltending tandem of Hill and Akira Schmid is stabilized. Carter Hart remains week to week with a lower-body injury. Schmid, who has been the No. 1 option in Hill’s absence, is 3-0 in games where he replaced an injured goalie. The Knights have eight games remaining in January, including a road back-to-back in Boston and Toronto, giving Hill ample opportunity to regain his form.
“Hopefully each game, he gets a little better,” Cassidy said. “I don’t know how long it’ll take for him before he feels like he’s back to where he needs to be, but it’s not going to be Saturday or Monday. It’s going to take a little while. We understand that. It’s the hand we’ve been dealt this year.”
