Golden Knights Week: Marner Is the Fastest Golden Knight to 100 Points, Connelly Keeps Delivering, a Free Eichel Night on Ice, and a 3-0-1 Road Trip

by Ryan Rose

What Happened This Week

Marner sets a new franchise mark

Marner now has 100 points with Vegas, on 27 goals and 73 assists. He needed 98 games. The old franchise record belonged to Mark Stone, who reached 100 in 103 games on March 5, 2021. Marner beat that pace by five games. Those numbers come from "Hertl scores twice in third, Golden Knights pull away from Sabres" by Heather Engel at NHL.com.

He did it in style. After a scoreless first period, Marner stole a Tage Thompson pass at the blue line in the second. He went in alone on a breakaway and scored short-handed at 12:17. Then, early in the third period, he fed Tomas Hertl for a goal. VegasGoldenKnights.com says that assist was point number 100.

Marner came into Sunday playing some of his best hockey. The Pittsburgh game on Nov. 3 pushed his point streak to 11 games, with 16 points over that stretch, according to NHL.com.

Connelly keeps showing up late

Trevor Connelly, 20, scored in all of the first three games of the trip, and every goal came in the third period. The Las Vegas Review-Journal covered his run in "‘Big moments’: Rookie becoming clutch performer for Golden Knights" by Danny Webster. The paper's summary says his back-to-back goals "came at crucial points."

In Boston on Nov. 2, he tied the game at 7:23 of the third. In Pittsburgh on Nov. 3, he tied it again on a breakaway at 11:19 of the third. In Detroit on Nov. 5, he scored the winner with 1:42 left in a 2-1 game.

Going into Sunday, the team listed him with seven goals, second among NHL rookies. He also had 12 points, tied for first among rookies. After the Detroit game he told NHL.com, "As soon as I saw (Eichel) get some speed going I tried to match it."

A free opening night with Jack Eichel

FOX5 Vegas reported the details in "Oasis Ice Rink kicks off holiday season with tree lighting featuring Jack Eichel, Swaggy P" by Martha Cruz. The rink opens Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The night includes the third annual tree lighting and a drone show.

Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, team emcee Mark Shunock and hockey content creator Swaggy P are all set to appear. Skate rental, admission and hot chocolate are free for opening night guests. The rink then runs through Jan. 4, 2027.

A 3-0-1 road trip

Vegas earned seven of a possible eight points on the East Coast swing. The trip opened with a 3-2 shootout loss in Boston on Nov. 2. Then came a 3-2 win in Pittsburgh on Nov. 3, a 2-1 win in Detroit on Nov. 5, and the 4-1 win in Buffalo on Nov. 8.

Taylor Love recapped the finale at VegasGoldenKnights.com in "Golden Knights Finish Road Trip 3-0-1 with 4-1 Win in Buffalo." Hertl scored twice in the third period. Eichel had the game-winner, set up by Ivan Barbashev. Adin Hill stopped 28 of 29 shots. The win moved Vegas to 12-5-2 as of Nov. 8.

Buffalo outshot Vegas 14-6 in the first period, but special teams turned the game. "Our PK was huge," coach Ryan Craig told NHL.com. Hertl was hard on himself, even with two goals. "I didn't like (my) first two (periods)," he said. He has now earned a point in four straight games.

The Pittsburgh game may have been the wildest of the trip. Hertl opened the scoring on a power play in the first period. The Penguins then scored twice in the third, on goals by Tommy Novak and Rickard Rakell, to take a 2-1 lead. Connelly tied it, and Hertl won it on the power play with 35 seconds left. Hill made 23 saves, and Pittsburgh went 0-for-6 on the power play. NHL.com's Wes Crosby wrote that the win snapped a 1-3-2 stretch, in "Hertl's late power-play goal lifts Golden Knights past Penguins."

Detroit was a goaltending game. Carter Hart made 25 saves. Anton Johansson put the Red Wings ahead early in the third, and Braeden Bowman tied it a little over two minutes later. Detroit coach Todd McLellan gave Vegas some credit afterward. "We held a Stanley Cup contender to one goal, but we make one mistake at the end and it is in the net," he told NHL.com.

Ice hockey players on the ice in front of the stands at a hockey stadium

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

A franchise record is the kind of thing that lasts. Scores fade in a week, but "fastest to 100 points" will still be true years from now, until someone breaks it. It also happened in Season X, the team's 10th season, while fans are already looking back at how far this team has come.

The rookie story has a real local tie. Connelly came up through our own backyard. He played last season for the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights' minor league team. If you went to a game at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson last year, there is a good chance you watched him. Now he is scoring big goals in the NHL.

That matters for families, too. Kids here can watch a young player come through Henderson and then see him on TV in a Golden Knights jersey. A few years ago, that path did not exist in Southern Nevada.

The Oasis Ice Rink news is the part you can actually use. Free things are hard to find on the Strip, and a free skate with free rentals is a real savings for a family of four. Standard skating starts at $30 plus taxes and fees after opening night, so one night out can add up fast.

Locals also get a break for the rest of the rink's run. FOX5 reports that Nevada locals can skate starting at $15 plus taxes and fees, but only on select dates and late nights. Nevada residents and Fontainebleau Rewards members also get free self-parking. FOX5 calls it the only real ice rink on the Strip.

And the home schedule is good news for anyone who has been waiting to see this team in person. Vegas comes back on a three-game winning streak, with five straight at T-Mobile Arena.

Background and History

Vegas got Marner in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2025. He signed an eight-year, $96 million contract, and Toronto got forward Nicolas Roy back. NHL.com covered it in "Marner traded to Golden Knights by Maple Leafs, signs 8-year, $96 million contract" by Dave McCarthy. About 16 months later, he owns the team's fastest path to 100.

The player he passed is still around, too. Stone, who held the mark for more than five years, set up Hertl's game-winner with 35 seconds left in Pittsburgh this week.

Sunday had a second bit of history tied to Buffalo. Nov. 4 marked five years since Vegas traded for Eichel from the Sabres. The Review-Journal called it the most important trade in team history in "‘A special player’: Revisiting the Jack Eichel trade 5 years later" by Danny Webster. Going into Sunday, Eichel led the team with 23 points. Four days after that anniversary, he scored the game-winner in the building where he used to play.

He has been piling up assists, too. Eichel had two in Pittsburgh and became the third Golden Knight with 50 games of two or more assists. He got there faster than anyone in team history, in 332 games, NHL.com reported.

Connelly's rise has been quick. The Hockey News reported in "Talented Golden Knights Rookie Scores Goal in NHL Debut" by Hannah Kirkell that he had 14 goals and 49 points in 46 games for Henderson last season. He then added six points in six playoff games, as Henderson made the postseason for the first time in four years.

Injuries had kept him out of earlier training camps, so this fall was his first. He earned an opening night spot anyway. Then he scored in his NHL debut, a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at T-Mobile Arena, according to VegasGoldenKnights.com. General manager Kelly McCrimmon described him this way: "Elite hockey sense, elite talent."

Red and white ice hockey goal sitting on a sheet of ice

What Happens Next

The team's five-game homestand starts Wednesday, Nov. 11, against the Utah Mammoth. The team lists puck drop at 6:30 p.m. on TNT, with radio on X 107.9 and 105.7 Maxima. It is also a Military Appreciation Knight, which fits the Veterans Day date.

KTNV's published season schedule, "Season X: Here's the full schedule for the 2026-2027 Vegas Golden Knights season," shows the rest of the stretch. Nashville comes in on Nov. 13 and Vancouver on Nov. 15. Dallas plays at T-Mobile Arena twice, on Nov. 17 and Nov. 19. KTNV notes times can change, and it listed the Utah game at 7 p.m., so check the team's site before you leave the house.

That schedule also shows no game on Nov. 18, the night Eichel is set to be at the rink. The team then heads to Winnipeg on Nov. 21.

The Oasis Ice Rink has a full calendar after opening night. Las Vegas Ice Theatre performs Nutcracker on Ice on Dec. 3 at 6 p.m., free for rink guests. Movie nights run on select dates from Nov. 24 through Dec. 29, with showings at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Hours change through the season, so look before you drive. FOX5 lists 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Nov. 19 to 22, then 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Nov. 23 and 24. Thanksgiving week runs late, from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Nov. 25 to 28. From Nov. 30 to Dec. 18, weekdays run 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and weekends run 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. The 2 a.m. closings come back Dec. 19 to 30 and Jan. 1 and 2.

Santa is listed for Dec. 24 and the Grinch for Dec. 25, both from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Firepit rentals start at $200 for up to six guests, if your group wants a spot to warm up.

Mark Dec. 12 if you want one more Marner storyline. Vegas plays at Toronto, his old team, and the rink plans a watch party. FOX5 lists a 3 p.m. start, a pregame show at 3:30 p.m., public skating with the VGK cast at 4 p.m., and a live broadcast of the game.

One note on dates. Older coverage of this rink listed Nov. 19 and Jan. 17. We are using Nov. 18 and Jan. 4 because those are the dates in FOX5's Nov. 4 story.

Ryan's Take

I coach my son's 8U hockey team here in Las Vegas, so I hear about this team at the rink every week. Eight-year-olds do not care about shot totals. They care about the breakaway. Marner stealing a pass and going in alone is exactly the kind of play my players will try to copy at practice, and I am fine with that.

Connelly is the story I like most. He played right down the road in Henderson last season. That is what a local hockey system looks like. Hockey has become part of daily life for a lot of families in this valley. City National Arena in Summerlin is the team's practice home, and it was built partly to be a hub for youth and recreational hockey. Henderson has its own team and its own building. Things like that shape how people feel about a neighborhood, even if they never show up on a listing sheet.

If you are thinking about a move and hockey is part of your family's week, say so early in your home search. A 6 a.m. drive to practice is something you feel all season long, so it is worth mapping before you fall in love with a house.

Close-up of a person wearing a pair of ice skates on a rink

What You Can Do

Plan for opening night. The Oasis Ice Rink event starts at 5 p.m. on Nov. 18 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, on the north end of the Strip. FOX5's story does not say whether you need to reserve a spot, so check the Oasis Ice Rink page before you go. A free night with a star player could draw a crowd, so getting there early is a smart move. If you have a Nevada ID, bring it, since the resort's local parking and pricing are for residents. How residency is checked is not stated in the story.

Pick a home game. Five games in nine days gives you plenty of chances. If a weeknight is too much with school the next day, Sunday, Nov. 15, against Vancouver may be the easiest one for families.

Watch the Silver Knights for free. Want to see the next Connelly? The Henderson Silver Knights announced more games on The Spot-Vegas 34 in "SILVER KNIGHTS ANNOUNCE REMAINING TELEVISION BROADCAST DATES FOR 2026-27 SEASON." The next ones are Nov. 14 against the Calgary Wranglers at 6 p.m. and Nov. 25 against the Abbotsford Canucks at 7 p.m. You can watch on Cox channel 34, DIRECTV channel 34, or over the air on 34.1 with an antenna.

Get your kids on the ice. If your child is asking about hockey after a week like this, start with the rink closest to you. Call and ask about learn-to-skate classes. You do not need to buy a full set of gear on day one. Ask what the program can lend or rent, and find out if your child likes it first.