LAS VEGAS — The first player announced from the Las Vegas Golden Knights’ starting lineup Thursday was Phil Kessel, a nod to his one-of-a-kind milestone.
It was one of several tributes at T-Mobile Arena to the NHL’s “Ironman.”
Kessel became the the first player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 consecutive games, the cherry on top of a 4-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes that snapped the Knights’ two-game losing skid.
“It’s phenomenal, especially the way the game is played and it’s so physical now,” Knights forward William Carrier said of Kessel’s feat. “And he’s won Stanley Cups. It’s not like they’re easy games. He’s been there and grinding, and the playoffs are tough. I tip my cap to him. I don’t think we’ll see that ever again.”
Kessel’s streak started Nov. 3, 2009, while he was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he set the NHL record when he appeared in his 990th consecutive game Oct. 25 at San Jose.
Since the NHL was founded in 1917-18, 369 players have played 1,000 career games, and none did it consecutively until Kessel.
Before the game against the Coyotes, the Knights honored Kessel, whose wife, Sandra, and daughter, Kapri, were in attendance.
President of hockey operations George McPhee presented Kessel with a special edition, 3-liter bottle of Foley Johnson wine to honor his record-breaking 990th consecutive game.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner also was given a custom sculpture inspired by Las Vegas to recognize his 1,000th consecutive NHL game, while the announced crowd of 17,708 received a towel with the “Phi1Kessel” hashtag to commemorate the achievement.
Kessel, who received congratulations from his teammates after the pregame ceremony, didn’t record a point and finished with three shots on goal in 16:01 of ice time.
Carrier, Mark Stone and Reilly Smith had third-period goals, and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo also scored.
Here are three takeaways from the victory:
1. Protect the lead
Coach Bruce Cassidy wants the Knights to become more comfortable playing with a one-goal lead and closing out low-scoring games. That point was driven home after Tuesday’s 5-2 loss when San Jose scored four times in the third period.
Against the Coyotes, the Knights added to their lead in the final period with three goals.
Carrier drove to the net and scored 31 seconds into the third period for a 2-0 lead, and Stone batted a puck out of the air past Coyotes goalie Karel Vejmelka for his fifth goal at 5:53.
Smith tacked on his ninth goal late.
The Knights are now 8-1 when leading after two periods and snapped a six-game streak of allowing three or more goals.
2. That’s special
Special teams cost the Knights in Tuesday’s loss, but that phase came through against the Coyotes.
Pietrangelo’s rocket one-timer from the right point with a power play winding down came at the right time and was the first goal by a Knights defenseman at home.
The Knights finished 1-for-5 on the power play, and defenseman Shea Theodore hit the post late in the third.
The penalty kill, which has struggled this season, went 4-for-4.
3. Ring the bell
The only fight the Knights were involved in before Thursday was Oct. 28 when defenseman Zach Whitecloud dropped the gloves, though that barely qualified as a scuffle.
Buffalo and Detroit were the only teams with fewer fighting majors than the Knights.
But Keegan Kolesar decided to dance in the second period with Coyotes tough guy Liam O’Brien. Neither player landed any clean punches before the linesmen stepped in.
Kolesar led the Knights in penalty minutes last season with 68 but had only one minor penalty entering the game.
The third period also was tense with a few scrums after the whistle.
