Golden Knights impress Oilers with third-period surge in Connor McDavid's return | Golden Knights

It wasn't the start to the season that Noah Hanifin had imagined.

There are ups and downs in the territory and the defender acknowledged that. Meanwhile, others on the blue line have taken up the offense.

Hanifin was able to shine in the last two games. On Wednesday he got to play the hero.

Hanifin scored two goals in the third period, including the game-winner with 48.4 seconds left, to give the Golden Knights their first road win of the season, 4-2 over the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

“It started to get to us a little bit,” Hanifin said of the Knights’ first road win in five games (1-3-1). “When you play away, you have to play these games.”

Hanifin had a three-point game against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday that included his first goal of the season – a buzzer-beater at the end of the second period to tie the score at 2-2. The Knights won 4-3 in overtime.

Once again trailing by one, Hanifin responded with a power play goal at 10:05 to make the score 2-2.

The Knights (9-3-1) then took advantage of a loss by the Oilers (6-7-1) in the defensive zone as time dwindled. Left wing Ivan Barbashev found a sharp Hanifin unprotected and scored the goal for a 3-2 lead with less than a minute left.

Captain Mark Stone added the empty-net goal with four seconds left.

Center Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, and goalie Adin Hill made 27 saves to help the Knights' sixth win in seven games.

“I thought we played well,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “That’s what our boys need to win on the road.”

Hanifin's slow start was uncharacteristic with just one assist and he was minus-3 in his first six games.

Since joining Alex Pietrangelo at the helm on Oct. 22, Hanfin has seven points — three goals, four assists — and is plus-9 at five-on-five.

“He just moves so well,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “He’s playing great at the moment and it’s great to see.”

The Knights' blue line is arguably the deepest in the league. Pietrangelo has 12 points in 13 games; Shea Theodore has 10 points in 12 games.

They acquired Hanifin and signed him to an eight-year extension for this type of production in April.

The defenders' offensive performance was an “anything you can do, I can do better” situation. Now it's Hanifin's turn.

“I think we gave it to them in the third,” Hanifin said. “That was the difference.”

Here are three takeaways from the win:

1. Put an end to road problems

Given the situation, it might have been the Knights' best performance of the season.

They were outscored 18-11 in their first four away games. They didn't play well defensively. Neither Hill nor Ilya Samsonov were in ideal positions at times.

It came together on Wednesday.

Hill had his best result of the season with his fourth win in a row. It was the first time he allowed fewer than three goals in the starting lineup. To ensure this, he had to make many crucial saves.

No bigger stop came than 1:38 into the third when Hill dove to his right to stop Oilers forward Viktor Arvidsson.

The Oilers received a boost with the return of captain Connor McDavid after he missed the last eight days with an ankle injury that was expected to keep him out longer.

The Knights kept McDavid and center Leon Draisaitl off the scoresheet, and the only goals allowed were a deflection by defenseman Brett Kulak and an accidental dive that landed on forward Zach Hyman's stick.

It was the biggest confidence boost the Knights could have asked for, for the team and their goalie.

2. McNabb, the Iron Man

McNabb became the Knights' all-time leader in games played with his 515th appearance on Wednesday, surpassing the mark once held by right wing Jonathan Marchessault.

McNabb is considered one of the most underrated players in the league by his teammates. He has been a steady, reliable defender since the Knights selected him from the Los Angeles Kings in the 2017 expansion draft.

The original underdog ran his 191st straight regular-season game on Wednesday, hitting a shot in 20:03. He has not missed a regular season game since March 26, 2022.

3. Hutton moves in

Experienced defender Ben Hutton made his season debut on Wednesday in place of Nic Hague.

The 31-year-old had a shot in 13:18 while skating with Zach Whitecloud on the third pairing.

Hague, who returned Saturday after a three-game absence with a lower-body injury, is back to normal.

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