Jack Eichel, Mark Stone off to blistering start for Golden Knights

The Golden Knights have won eight of their first 10 games, fueled by a blistering start from their top line. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone combined for five points in Saturday's 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, placing both players among the NHL's top 10 scorers. Eichel added two assists to reach 18 points on the season, trailing only Edmonton's Connor McDavid for the league lead. Stone contributed a goal and two assists just two days after recording a natural hat trick against the Calgary Flames.

The duo finished the week with 13 combined points, but Eichel emphasized the team's balanced attack. "We've had good starts. We've gotten out to leads," Eichel said. "Transition game has been working well. We're getting pucks to the net and making plays. Our D are getting involved. We're doing it by committee, which is great." The Knights have received contributions throughout the lineup, including a quiet three-assist night from Ivan Barbashev against the Flames. Coach Ryan Craig noted Barbashev's game is in a "very good spot" despite the forward not yet scoring a goal.

Eichel and Stone made franchise history Saturday by recording multiple assists in the first five minutes of a game, just the ninth such instance in the NHL over the past 25 years. Eichel set up Rasmus Andersson 1:00 into the first period and found Noah Hanifin three minutes later for a quick 2-0 lead. "With Jack, you've always got to expect it. It was a hell of a pass. That's why he's one of the best players in the world," Andersson said. At five-on-five, the top line has outscored opponents 8-1 and holds a 54-47 shot advantage through 104 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Knights have navigated a relatively soft schedule to this point, with the 5-3-1 Seattle Kraken representing the only winning team Vegas has defeated. However, the early results mirror previous strong Octobers for the franchise. Three different defensemen scored in the win over Pittsburgh, though the power play has struggled after surrendering shorthanded goals in back-to-back games.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal