The Vegas Golden Knights’ second line, consisting of Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl and Alexander Holtz, found chemistry in their final pre-season game of 2024.
Dorofeyev opened the scoring for the Golden Knights after he and Holtz worked together to gain the San Jose Sharks zone. The puck worked its way up at point before Alex Pietrangelo found the 23-year-old Russian winger wide open in front of goal.
The Sharks took the lead with back-to-back goals before Holtz scored his first as a Golden Knight. Dorofeyev found a loose puck and sent it down low to Hertl behind the Sharks net. Hertl loves to operate from behind the red line and has many of his best playmaking moments in that area. With time behind the net, Hertl found a wide-open Holtz who made no mistake from the slot.
In the second, Dorofeyev found the back of the net once again. A Hertl faceoff win led to a point shot from Zach Whitecloud, which Dorofeyev deflected in.
The trio wasn’t done just yet. Five minutes after Mark Stone regained the Golden Knights’ lead, Dorofeyev recorded a hat-trick, this time off of the rush. Hertl used his incredible vision to find Dorofeyev for a one-timer that he got all of.
Holtz only played 10:03 and Dorofeyev finished with just 12:02 of time on ice but they had a massive impact. Dorofeyev finished with three goals, one assist, and four shots on goal. Holtz recorded a goal and an assist with one shot on goal. Hertl picked up three assists with one coming on Stone’s power play marker.
Finding linemates for Hertl has been a talking point since they acquired him at last year’s trade deadline. The 30-year-old never found the right linemates for him during the Golden Knights’ seven-game series against the Dallas Stars and was part of the reason why he struggled. HC Bruce Cassidy acknowledged it and set out to find him the right partners.
Cassidy had high praise for the three of them but specifically Dorofeyev.
“That line was very dynamic offensively.”
Cassidy also spoke about Dorofeyev’s strengths, saying he is excellent around the boards, smart without the puck and has poise in front of the net. Those traits mix nicely with what Hertl and Hotlz have to offer. Hertl is a creative playmaker who is always looking for the open man. Holtz is looking to shoot it. He can make plays with the puck but loves to work the give-and-go to find space for a one-timer or take a touch and shoot.
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Dorofeyev built chemistry with Stone and William Karlsson but due to his injury, Cassidy has had to change his lines. It’s still early but if the Hertl, Holtz and Dorofeyev can build their chemistry, the Golden Knights could have three very formidable lines.
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