3 takeaways from Knights’ OT win: Tying home win streak record

Especially a two-goal hole at home.

Brett Howden scored at 2:15 of overtime, and the Knights’ firepower was too much for Utah Hockey Club in a 4-3 victory Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

The Knights (8-3-1) improved to 8-0 at home, matching the franchise record for longest home winning streak set during the inaugural 2017-18 season.

“I felt like our line had some looks, a couple chances in front,” Howden said. “The more chances you get, the better you feel about your game. Obviously I wish we wouldn’t have pushed it to overtime giving up the late goal. But it’s nice that we were able to close this game out.”

The Knights bounced back from Wednesday’s loss at Los Angeles, dominating possession for most of the game on the way to a 35-19 advantage in shots on goal. But they were forced to the extra period by an opportunistic Utah (5-4-3).

In overtime, Howden hopped over the boards and took a pass from defenseman Noah Hanifin along the left wing. Howden cut around Utah’s Alexander Kerfoot and backhanded the winner past goaltender Connor Ingram.

“The only chances we gave up were the goals,” Tomas Hertl said. “We knew we had to push, we had the chances, we just had to be stronger and sometimes smarter against these teams.”

Hanifin knocked in a rebound to beat the second-period buzzer and tie the game at 2. Pavel Dorofeyev also scored in the second off an assist from Hertl, who recorded his 500th career NHL point.

In the third period, William Karlsson split the Utah defense and scored on a backhander at 5:37 to put the Knights ahead 3-2 before Kerfoot notched the tying goal for Utah with 6:50 remaining.

Logan Cooley scored on Utah’s first shot with 8:08 left in the first period, and defenseman Ian Cole added a goal in the second period to put Utah on top 2-0 before the Knights answered with three straight goals.

“I know we thought we were playing a solid game. We hadn’t given up a lot,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It wasn’t like we had to tear everything down or get the guys going. It’s just we didn’t execute as well offensively tonight as we had in the past, and then sure enough in the third we score a rush goal and it starts to come together because guys can do it.”

Here are three takeaways from the win:

1. More Howden

The former first-round pick is getting a chance to play higher up in the lineup with Hertl and Dorofeyev, and Howden is taking advantage.

He has six goals through 12 games. His career high is nine, which he set in 2019-20 with the Rangers and again in 2021-22 with the Knights.

“I think I’ve just built confidence over the years,” Howden said. “It goes a lot to your linemates, too, the way that they play. I’m just trying to balance some energy and play a good two-way game and bring offense when I can.”

Howden also factored into the first goal, as he hustled to hold the puck in the zone at the blue line and then sent a cross-ice feed to Hertl, who found Dorofeyev wide open at the back door.

Cassidy likes Howden’s speed and defensive awareness along with his ability to also take faceoffs. Howden finished with two points, four shots on goal (six attempts) and added two blocked shots in 15:12 of ice time.

“It looks like maybe he’s finding his offensive game more,” Cassidy said. “We’ve talked about it that we need some people internally to step up to replace goals that left town. And he’s one of the guys we identified.”

2. Hanifin joins in

Utah utilized a 1-1-3 forecheck in the neutral zone, and Hanifin said the extra space allowed the Knights defensemen to join the rush.

Hanifin was especially active jumping into the play, notching his first goal of the season to highlight a three-point effort. He used his speed to set up Karlsson’s go-ahead goal in the third period.

Hanifin carried the puck from behind his own net into the neutral zone and hit Karlsson in stride streaking through the middle of the ice.

“That was something that we were trying to take advantage of as a D corps is get up in the play and skating,” Hanifin said. “That’s the game I’ve been trying to get to for a while. Just get up in the play, using my feet, using my skating ability. When I do that I can open up some other things for other players.”

3. Roster move

Goaltender Ilya Samsonov was scratched Saturday, and Akira Schmid was recalled from the Silver Knights to serve as the backup.

Samsonov started Wednesday’s 6-3 loss at Los Angeles, stopping 21 of 27 shots. He practiced Friday, but Cassidy said the goaltender was “sore” when he arrived at City National Arena for Saturday’s morning skate. There is no timeline for Samsonov’s return.

The Knights don’t play again until Wednesday at Edmonton.

Schmid, 24, was acquired in a trade with New Jersey during the offseason. He is 1-5 with a 3.56 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in six starts with the Silver Knights.

Also, defenseman Nic Hague returned to the lineup after missing the past three games.

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