5 takeaways from the Golden Knights’ thrilling win in Detroit

The masses are running out of words to describe the run Trevor Connelly is on.

It’s one thing for the Vegas Golden Knights rookie to be on a heater. It’s another when it happens in the biggest moments of the game, during a time where the team is struggling to find offense.

Connelly did it again Thursday night, scoring a highlight-reel goal for the third straight game. This time, it was the game-winner in the 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

“I feel like just every game, every practice, getting more comfortable,” Connelly said. “It’s a new experience for me. Just learning from these guys and taking little things from them everyday and just trying to bring it on the ice.”

TREVOR CONNELLY 😳

That's three straight games with a goal! https://t.co/JsWzPr4EyE

— NHL (@NHL) November 6, 2026

Connelly has seven goals this season, one behind Chicago’s Roman Kantserov for the league lead among rookies.

There’s plenty of hockey to be played. The fact Connelly already has the feel of a big-game player is the best-case development the Knights could have asked for.

He’s the reason why the Knights have gotten five of six points on this road trip, which ends Sunday in Buffalo.

Here are five takeaways from the win:

1. Line changes work

Given the Knights’ offensive woes the past few weeks, coach Ryan Craig was in need of some sort of spark.

Craig shortened the bench in the third period by going with three forward lines after falling behind 1-0.

The combinations proved to work. Connelly was moved to the top line with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

Braeden Bowman, who started on the fourth line, moved up with Victor Olofsson and Tomas Hertl.

The changes paid off. Bowman scored the tying goal two minutes after Detroit opened the scoring, and Connelly’s game-winner came while playing with the Knights’ top forwards.

Craig said the decision was “a little bit of everything,” but the primary task was to find a spark. Those lines combined to outshoot the Red Wings 17-3 at five-on-five in the third, according to Natural Stat Trick.

“Just trying to find something after we had kind of lost it a little bit,” Craig said.

They found that something. Whether it stays that way Sunday in Buffalo is another story. The Knights won’t go another game with Ivan Barbashev being benched.

2. Goaltending grades strong

The one bonus to the Knights getting top-notch goaltending right now is it’s getting the shine while the offense finds its footing.

Carter Hart and Adin Hill have arguably been the Knights’ best players the past two weeks. They’ve been the best this road trip, for sure.

Hill is 2-1-0 with a .915 save percentage and 2.36 goals-against average his past three games. Hart has been stellar with a .932 save percentage and GAA of 1.62. Hart finished with 25 saves Thursday in one of his better performances.

They just haven’t gotten the run support in their losses. The Knights have scored 18 goals in the past eight games.

It’s a good sign the Knights are getting the type of tandem they not only needed, but that they expected.

“Guys did a good job of boxing guys, tying up sticks,” Hart said. “Overall, a great game from everybody.”

3. Olofsson back

The Knights got Olofsson back Thursday after missing the past month with an upper-body injury, recording an assist in 14:08.

Olofsson’s presence was missed. That’s obvious considering he notched four goals in his first four games before going down in Seattle.

Craig put Olofsson back on the top power play unit after Connelly admirably filled in for him in his absence.

BIG TIME BO 😤 https://t.co/8PxCwOi6Po

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 6, 2026

The Knights went 0-for-3 on the man advantage, but the top unit had its looks. Olofsson had a couple of looks, but the timing was slightly off. Connelly was moved to the second unit.

Olofsson had the secondary assist on Bowman’s tying goal.

“The goals would be the noticeable thing. Got off to a real good start,” Craig said of Olofsson. “His attention to detail, the details in his game, I’m really impressed by.”

4. Lauzon saves the day

On a night where Hart stacked the pads for a highlight-reel save, the best goal prevention Thursday came from defenseman Jeremy Lauzon.

With a loose puck sitting in the blue paint on a Detroit power play, Lauzon swiped the puck away after squeaking by Hart.

“Big save from (Lauzon) in the third period on the penalty kill,” Hart said.

Another reminder why defensemen should get Vezina Trophy votes. Joking, partially.

Jeremy Lauzon saves a goal. https://t.co/vVTT81hmIO

— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) November 6, 2026

5. Don’t make Mark Stone mad

The Knights’ captain got sent to the penalty box in the third period on an interference call. That was only the subplot.

A furious Stone was begging for a call on Red Wings goalie Daniil Tarasov for laying a check on a Knights power play.

Stone retaliated with three different plays that could have sent him to the box. He even slashed Tarasov’s stick out of his hand in retaliation.

A furious Mark Stone, who felt something should've been called on Tarasov, retaliates by knocking Tarasov's stick out and gets called for interference of his own.

Red Wings to the power play. https://t.co/PIMxWsRD5P

— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) November 6, 2026

The Red Wings not only held the puck long enough to end the Knights’ power play, but did enough to get a sixth skater on the ice. The action went well over a minute before the whistle blew.

Sometimes, you just need to find humor in a 1-1 game. That provided it.

Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.