You don’t make a statement in one of 82 games. Measuring sticks shouldn’t be fretted about at this point in an NHL season.
But intense competitors exist within any professional room, so playing what has been the league’s best team is sure to get the juices flowing a little. Yep. Even before December.
The Golden Knights on Friday night met that side in the Winnipeg Jets for the first time this season and skated away 4-3 winners before 18,044 at T-Mobile Arena.
Here’s the impressive part: The Knights were coming off a five-game road trip — their longest of the season — and that’s usually when you scuffle around for at least the first outing back.
When the batteries need to be recharged.
When the bodies need to rediscover some jump.
But that wasn’t the case with coach Bruce Cassidy’s team.
They had needed energy from puck drop.
‘Take care of business’
“We brought back seven (of a possible 10 points), that’s the first thing,” Cassidy said. “You want to go on the road and take care of business. It’s always easier to laugh and have fun and enjoy the plane ride with some noise if you’ve played well.
“I think they brought back a sense of purpose. Taking care of business is important. That’s what I’ve always tried to preach — let’s take care of business. When you’re not here, have fun together. But let’s practice well and take care of business on the ice.”
They did against the Jets, and you can again point to the team’s center depth for a major reason why.
Jack Eichel is having an All-Star (MVP?) season atop the first line and was on point again Friday with assists on both of Ivan Barbashev’s goals.
But it was William Karlsson manning the third line who made the game’s biggest play.
You would think Karlsson would need the most recharging. Not so.
He missed Monday’s game in Philadelphia to be in Las Vegas for the birth of his second child. Karlsson then flew to Colorado on Wednesday morning to play against the Avalanche that evening.
“I feel good,” Karlsson said following his 700th career game.
He should after this: I’m not sure what constitutes a Pass of the Year candidate, but Karlsson’s backhand feed to Brett Howden for the latter’s second goal of the night will certainly be in the conversation.
It was a thing of beauty — Karlsson skating through the neutral zone and waiting for the play to develop. Watching as Alexander Holtz drove the net and took a few Jets with him. Sliding the pass on the left side to Howden, who calmly tapped it in for the game-winner at 15:55 of the third period.
“When (Karlsson) is going full speed, no one can really catch him,” said Howden, who reached a career-high of 10 goals with his two scores Friday. “I just needed to find a soft spot, and he made the play. Made it pretty easy for me just to put in the net.”
How good was Winnipeg to start things this season? All it did was get off to the best start in league history by winning 15 of 16 games. Sure. It’s just one of 82, and we have yet to see a day in December. So the idea of making any story of statement isn’t needed.
But given where the Knights came from, off that five-game road trip, it’s a significant thing to play this well against this opponent.
Scaling the hurdle
“We were away for a long time, so the guys are excited to be back,” Cassidy said. “Usually when you come back, that first game is a little scruffy. It’s human nature. But our guys did a great job. … You don’t expect the worst, but you know it’s going to be a bit of a hurdle coming home.”
The Golden Knights impressively scaled it Friday night.
And that Karlsson pass for the game-winner. Wow.
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.
