LAS VEGAS —
“He’s an elite player in the league,” Cassidy said of Eichel. “He’s excited to play again. He was having I would say an All-Star-type of year when he started. Might still be in the mix.”
The Knights have won three straight and four in a row at home, where they struggled to win at times during the first half. Vegas improved to 12-9-0 at home, where it will play its next six games.
Ty Smith scored early in the third for Pittsburgh, his first of the season, and Sidney Crosby added his 20th with 1:30 to go. Casey DeSmith made 26 stops.
Kessel opened the scoring against his former team when he punched home Cotter’s pass into the net less than two minutes into the game. Eichel to made his presence known shortly thereafter, beating DeSmith with a quick wrist shot on a breakaway down the right side of the slot.
Stephenson’s one-timer over DeSmith’s glove midway through the first made it 3-0.
The Penguins dominated the second period, outshooting Vegas 20-12, but couldn’t solve Hill. Instead, it was Vegas extending its lead with just 11 seconds left when Stone deflected Brayden McNabb’s shot past DeSmith.
Pittsburgh spoiled the shutout bid in the third when Smith finished a drop pass in the high slot and snapped it past Hill.
Cotter’s late goal provided the final margin.
“We’re a better hockey team than that. We showed it in the second and the third, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance because we didn’t play well enough in the first,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I’m sure everyone involved is frustrated because our expectations are high. When you don’t live up to them … that’s one of the emotions you deal with.”
