Jack Eichel scores 1st goal with Knights in win over Sharks

With the Golden Knights in the grips of the dog days of the schedule and starting to look over their shoulder in the Pacific Division, Sunday was the perfect time for one of team’s stars to be a difference maker.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that center Jack Eichel came through when it was needed most. Goalie Logan Thompson’s role might have been more unexpected.

Eichel sparked a big night from the first line with his first goal in more than a year, Thompson earned his first NHL win, and the Knights stopped the bleeding by beating the Sharks 4-1 at SAP Center in San Jose, California.

“I thought we generated a good amount of chances,” Eichel said. “Overall it was a good effort by our group. It was really nice to see (Thompson) get rewarded with the win. I thought he played great for us.”

After losing three straight and seeing the playoff race tighten, the Knights showed some of the urgency coach Pete DeBoer was seeking and won their 10th straight against rival San Jose.

Eichel finished with a goal and an assist, as did first-line wingers Max Pacioretty and Chandler Stephenson.

Thompson turned away 35 of 36 shots in his second career start. San Jose’s Nick Bonino ended the shutout bid with 9:43 remaining in the third period.

Keegan Kolesar scored in the first period to give the Knights a lead they’d never surrender, and defenseman Shea Theodore added two assists to give DeBoer his 499th career victory.

“I liked a lot of our five-on-five play,” DeBoer said. “I thought we defended much better than we did the other night, which is where it starts for us.”

Here are three takeaways from the game:

1. Trust in Thompson

The fact DeBoer turned to the backup for such an important game was telling, and Thompson turned in a strong performance ahead of his 25th birthday Friday.

He made a handful of timely stops in the first period, including Matt Nieto and Logan Couture on short-handed breakaways. The Sharks pushed trying to make it a one-goal game late, but Thompson stopped a pair of scrambles around the crease.

“You get a lead like that, it’s my job to lock it down,” Thompson said. “I was a lot more calm this time than the first time. I was just real excited and looking forward to the opportunity.”

Thompson signed a three-year contract extension Jan. 30 and earned more playing time with Robin Lehner currently sidelined, according to DeBoer.

“I really liked the way he practiced recently, so that gave me some confidence he could come in and do the job,” DeBoer said. “With Robin hurt, we’re going to need both (Laurent Brossoit) and him to play some games for us because we get pretty busy pretty quickly.”

2. Elite Eichel

For those wondering what all the fuss was about with Eichel, check out the second goal.

Eichel carried the puck for 10 seconds in the offensive zone during four-on-four, hit the brakes to avoid Sharks forward Timo Meier and found Stephenson in front. He then drove to the front of the net and buried the return feed from Stephenson for his first goal since Jan. 28, 2021, with Buffalo against the New York Rangers.

In three games, Eichel has three points since being activated from long-term injured reserve following artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck.

“I think that as you get more comfortable, your hands, your feet, your timing, it all starts coming back,” Eichel said. “Those little plays that I think you’re bobbling now or you’re maybe not connecting on, I think they all start coming. That’s really when you start piling on chances as a line.”

3. Long-range goals

While Thompson was sharp, Sharks goalie James Reimer allowed a pair of goals that he wants back.

Kolesar’s opening goal came from the top of the right circle and slipped between Reimer’s right arm and his body. Pacioretty’s shot from the left sideboards in the second period surprised Reimer and gave the Knights a 3-0 advantage after officials had to review whether the puck went in.

“We knew it was in right away,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “We got the little cameras behind us. We cheat. We can see it.”

Pacioretty has three goals in his past two games after ending an 11-game drought.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.