3 takeaways from Knights’ win: Stephenson, Cotter break out

After a shootout win and an overtime victory in the first two meetings, the Knights were dominant from start to finish in a 6-1 road win at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday afternoon to complete a sweep of the season series.

Mark Stone, Nicolas Roy, Zach Whitecloud and Paul Cotter each had a goal and an assist for the Knights (18-5-5) to hand Dallas (15-8-3) its first five-goal regular-season loss at home since January 2022.

Chandler Stephenson ended an extended drought with a rebound goal just 2:24 into the game, and Whitecloud followed 3:12 later as the Knights jumped all over the Stars early and became the first NHL team to reach 40 points.

“We wanted to get the right start, and we did,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We started well by scoring early and getting a lead and then checked well not to allow them to get back in the game. Those were the two biggest reasons why we got the two points.”

It was a strong all-around performance for Whitecloud, who had a plus-3 rating and was credited with the game-winner in his 200th career game.

The Knights improved to 9-0-1 all-time on their annual dads’ trip and have earned at least one point in seven straight games.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

1. Long overdue

Stephenson’s goal was just his third of the season and first since Oct. 14.

Stephenson had been showing some positive signs lately, earning praise from Cassidy and picking up his first assist in seven games Wednesday in St. Louis. He also recorded three shots in that game for the first time in eight games.

Stephenson, who has averaged 64.5 points over the past two seasons, had played in 20 contests without finding the net.

Cotter also snapped a 17-game goalless drought with his pretty backhander in the third period.

He immediately reached to the back of his shoulders as if to indicate the goal had removed a weight of him.

Roy had a modest 12-game goalless spell of his own before his tally.

“We’re a good team and we use everyone and need everyone, but not everybody has to score for us,” Cassidy said. “But if you’re a forward, it’s going to bother you if you go that long. You’re going to need to score sooner or later, and today was the later, I guess. A lot of different guys can do it for us, and those happened to be the guys tonight that really helped us.”

2. Amadio absent

The Knights announced shortly before puck drop that forward Michael Amadio had been scratched from the lineup for personal reasons.

Pavel Dorofeyev was inserted into the lineup for the first time since Nov. 16 in his place.

While no official reason was given for Amadio’s absence, there were some clues on his social media.

Amadio announced several weeks ago on Instagram that he and his fiancee, Bronwyn Bolduc, were expecting their first daughter in December.

Dorofeyev played on a line with Cotter and William Karlsson, scoring his second goal of the season in the third period.

The Stars also had a late scratch, as standout top-liner Roope Hintz was forced out of the lineup with an illness.

3. Back at it

The Knights won’t have much time to rest after their trip, as they will be right back in action with a 7 p.m. Sunday game against the Sharks at T-Mobile Arena.

There’s a good chance Jiri Patera could get the start in net. The 24-year-old, who won his only two career appearances in the NHL last season for the Knights, is 6-6-2 in the American Hockey League this year.

He was called up last week because Adin Hill is dealing with a lower-body injury. Thompson has appeared in six straight games, starting the last four, and is likely to get a day off after making 19 saves in another win.

After struggling to get much offense when he was in the net earlier in the season, the Knights scored six times in each of his two wins on this trip.

“I thought the boys put out two really good games and two big offensive games,” Thompson said after Saturday’s win. “ It’s good to get these points on the road, and it’s good to get in a rhythm. It sucks not having (Hill) around, but I’m starting to feel more confident in my game.”

Hill isn’t expected to be out long-term, but he has not been with the team and almost certainly wouldn’t be called upon to jump right into action.

If Patera does play, he will see a Sharks team that has shown signs of life. While San Jose (8-17-2) is still in last place, it has won three of its last four games on a road trip that ends Sunday and has scored at least five goals in four straight contests.

The Sharks are led by Tomas Hertl’s 23 points, including seven during a current four-game point streak.

San Jose has been outscored 9-1 in two games against the Knights this season, including a 5-0 loss at T-Mobile Arena on Nov. 10.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.