- Trevor Connelly scored in his first NHL game, beating Spencer Knight late in the first period
- The Golden Knights’ 2024 first-rounder joined Cody Glass on a short franchise list
- Read below for video of the goal and the bench going nuts for the rookie
Trevor Connelly didn’t make anyone wait.
The Golden Knights rookie scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut Tuesday night, putting Vegas up 2-0 on the Chicago Blackhawks with 4:38 left in the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
Brayden McNabb fired a shot from the point and Connelly got a piece of it in front. The puck stayed loose, so the 20-year-old grabbed his own rebound on the weak side and tucked it past Spencer Knight. Watch Connelly’s first career goal:
Connelly threw his arms up, slammed into the glass and got mobbed by his teammates. He was still grinning when he got back to the bench, where the rest of the Knights lined up to greet him.
Chris Maathuis caught the bench’s reaction:
That was his third shot of the period. Connelly went pointless through three preseason games, putting seven shots on net without a finish.
It also put him in rare company. As the Review-Journal’s Danny Webster pointed out, Connelly and Cody Glass are the only 20-year-olds to score in their NHL debut for Vegas. Glass, the first draft pick in franchise history, is also the only Knight who debuted younger. Connelly checked in at 20 years and 212 days old.
Vegas had some fun with it too:
Connelly went 19th overall to the Knights in 2024. He put up 49 points in 46 games for AHL Henderson last season, the best scoring rate of any rookie in the league, and came into camp with a real shot at a roster spot. He opened camp skating with Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson and never gave the job back.
Camp almost went sideways early. Connelly was helped off the ice after a hit from behind by Utah’s Gabe Smith in a Sept. 12 rookie game, but he recovered in time to play three of Vegas’ four preseason games.
Olofsson opened the scoring on the power play in his first game back with the Knights, with Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore setting him up. Eichel then made it 3-1 late in the second period after Jordan Greenway got Chicago on the board.
One game, one goal. Connelly picked a pretty good night to kick off Year 10 in Vegas.
