TRENDING First CFP rankings NFL execs talk trades What MLB's labor proposal means Week 9 Waiver Wire NFL Power Rankings Story by Story by Golden Knights' special teams spark turnaround as road trip reaches midpoint (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) W.G. Ramirez · The Hockey News - Las Vegas Golden Knights Wed, November 4, 2026 at 6:30 PM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vegas Golden Knights may have found the formula to turn a frustrating stretch into something far more promising.
Two games into their four-game road trip, the Golden Knights have collected three of a possible four points, showing renewed resilience after a difficult stretch in which victories had become increasingly elusive.
Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins was particularly revealing. Vegas didn't dominate offensively, didn't overwhelm Pittsburgh with scoring chances and certainly didn't make things easy on itself.
But when the game demanded execution, its power play and penalty kill delivered.
Tomas Hertl scored twice with the man advantage, including the winner with 35 seconds remaining, as Vegas converted two of four power-play opportunities. The Golden Knights have now scored at least one power-play goal in four consecutive games, helping a unit that ranks sixth in the NHL at 29.4 percent, converting 15 of 51 opportunities.
The bigger development, however, may be happening at the opposite end of special teams.
After struggling to prevent power-play goals earlier this season, Vegas successfully killed all six Pittsburgh opportunities, including a critical 1:22 two-man disadvantage late in the third period.
Rather than surrendering a potentially devastating goal, the Golden Knights survived the two-man disadvantage without allowing a shot on goal. Pittsburgh's Tommy Novak was subsequently penalized for tripping, and Hertl delivered the winner.
The performance was particularly encouraging considering Vegas entered the road trip with one of the NHL's least effective penalty kills.
Tuesday's perfect effort lifted that figure to 73.9 percent, with the Golden Knights having successfully killed 34 of 46 opposing power plays. That leaves Vegas tied for 21st in the league, hardly an elite ranking but a meaningful step toward establishing greater defensive reliability.
There is still work ahead. Vegas has surrendered too many quality opportunities and continues searching for the defensive consistency that defined its better stretches.
But the Golden Knights are beginning to demonstrate something equally important: the ability to survive difficult moments without allowing them to dictate the outcome.
With Detroit awaiting Thursday, the special teams may be providing the foundation for a much-needed turnaround.
Trevor Connelly is rapidly establishing himself as more than an exciting young prospect.
The 20-year-old has scored game-tying goals in consecutive games, including a breakaway finish midway through the third period on Tuesday after Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead.
His sixth goal of the season moved him into a tie for the NHL rookie lead, but the timing of his contributions may be even more impressive.
Connelly also scored the equalizer in Monday's shootout loss at Boston, demonstrating a growing comfort level in pressure situations.
For a Vegas team searching for secondary scoring and offensive consistency, his emergence could prove increasingly valuable.
While the Golden Knights have experienced their share of offensive inconsistencies, Mitch Marner continues to produce.
His assist on Hertl's first-period power-play goal Tuesday extended his personal point streak to 11 games, giving him 16 points during that stretch.
Marner's vision and ability to create shooting opportunities have been especially valuable on the man advantage, where his chemistry with Hertl and Mark Stone continues to develop.
With Jack Eichel also collecting two assists against Pittsburgh, Vegas has the offensive foundation necessary to sustain its production.
The challenge now is translating that creativity into more consistent five-on-five scoring.
The Golden Knights enter Thursday's game at Detroit with a 10-5-2 record and three points from the first two games of their four-game trip.
Perhaps more important than the results has been their response to adversity.
Vegas rallied to force overtime in Boston before surviving Pittsburgh's third-period comeback attempt the following night.
Adin Hill stopped 23 shots Tuesday, while the Golden Knights demonstrated the defensive determination necessary to survive a late two-man disadvantage.
After losing five of six games, Vegas has an opportunity to build momentum rather than simply stop the bleeding.
Thursday's matchup with Detroit offers another chance to demonstrate that the improved execution and resilience are becoming sustainable.
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring the game-winning power-play goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena.
Source: Sports
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