The Vegas Golden Knights opened the 2026–27 NHL season with a 5–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, September 29, at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
Jack Eichel led Vegas with a goal and two assists, while Victor Olofsson, Trevor Connelly, Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone also scored. The result gave Ryan Craig a victory in his regular-season head-coaching debut for the Golden Knights.
Vegas spreads the scoring
Vegas received goals from five different skaters and continued a strong recent pattern in opening games. The Golden Knights are now 7-0-1 in their past eight season openers, according to a Reuters roundup published September 30.
Eichel’s three-point night supplied the headline, but Vegas also got two assists apiece from Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore and Ivan Barbashev. Goaltender Carter Hart stopped 24 shots in the win.
Chicago’s goals came from Patrick Kane and Jordan Greenway. Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight faced sustained pressure and finished with 32 saves.
Why the opener mattered
The game marked the start of Vegas’s defense of the Western Conference title and the first regular-season test under Craig. A balanced scoring line and multiple contributors from the blue line gave the Golden Knights an encouraging early result, although one game does not establish a season-long trend.
For Chicago, the opener offered a difficult road assignment against the reigning conference champion. Knight’s 32 saves kept the Blackhawks within range for stretches, but Vegas’s depth ultimately separated the teams.
The official NHL game center lists the September 29 matchup at T-Mobile Arena and provides the league’s game data. Vegas and Chicago are scheduled to meet again on December 29 and January 24.
Follow additional results and team developments in AskNovus’s NHL section.
Featured image: An ice hockey game. Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash. The stock photo is illustrative and does not depict the September 29 game.