Jack Eichel, 'trying to get a little more aggressive,' scores his first goal with Vegas Golden Knights

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Jack Eichel on Sunday began to show some of the many reasons the Golden Knights acquired him.

After being held out of the goal column in the first two games of the season, Jack Eichel scored his first goal as a Golden Knight and added an assist as Vegas defeated the San Jose Sharks, 4-1. The Golden Knights snapped a three-game losing streak with a 10th straight win over San Jose.

The Vegas Golden Knights took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a nifty give-and-go by Jack Eichel, who was delayed from making his Vegas debut due to artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck. It was his first goal in over a year. The goal was scored during a four-on-four play with both teams in the penalty box.

There was a little bit of relief, as he said on the game broadcast.

On November 4th, Vegas acquired Eichel in a deal with the Sabres and he had surgery the following week. He made his debut last Wednesday as a top-line center after practicing with the Golden Knights for a month.

It is a little bit of pressure off of him. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said that he liked his game tonight.

Beyond the statistics, the young man looked more at ease against the Sharks; his skating strides were long and he was active in the corners on puck battles. He tried a wraparound, spinorama shot on San Jose goalie James Reimer in the third period. He was stopped on a break. As the game went on, he looked more and more like the player that became a star in Buffalo. He worked 18 shifts on the ice Sunday night.

"It is starting to come, I am just trying to get a little more aggressive." I feel like I have been passing up chances to shoot the puck in order to be more aggressive. I have to keep getting pucks to the net and keep them from the other team.

DeBoer agreed.

He said that he was starting to get more comfortable, that he was using his speed and that he was getting his timing.

The win came in the second career NHL start for Goaltender Logan Thompson, who was up from the team's American Hockey League affiliate. Thompson, who lost his first start last month against Nashville, made 35 saves, including a few memorable ones late in the game.

The Golden Knights maintained their dominance of the rivalry by scoring three times and adding an empty-netter. The goal was scored early in the second.

Vegas won all eight meetings against San Jose last season. The Golden Knights have not lost in San Jose since they blew a three-goal lead in the first round of the playoffs.

The Sharks are winless in their last six games. Reimer made 31 saves.

The report was contributed to by the Associated Press.