Silver Knights Beat Tucson 4-1 in Joel Ward's First AHL Game as Head Coach

by Ryan Rose

What Happened in Tucson

The first period was quiet. Neither team scored. Henderson did not get on the board until the middle of the second period, and when it did, the goals came in a hurry.

Samuel Mayer opened the scoring at 8:46 of the second period on a power play. Mathieu Cataford set him up, and Lucas Johansen also got an assist. Mayer beat Tucson goalie Jaxson Stauber to make it 1-0. The lead did not last long. Sammy Walker tied it for Tucson at 9:35, just 49 seconds later.

Henderson answered right away. Alex Weiermair scored only 16 seconds after the Tucson goal, with assists from Joe Fleming and Riley McKay. That put the Silver Knights back up 2-1, and they never gave the lead back. Ward later praised Weiermair's skill and said he liked how hard the young forward worked on faceoffs.

In the third period, Cataford made it 3-1 at 6:47, with help from Viliam Kmec and Johansen. Then Jakub Demek added the fourth goal at 12:54, with Sloan Stanick and Mayer picking up assists. Cataford and Mayer each finished with a goal and an assist. Johansen had two assists. Those three were named the three stars of the game.

Nine different Henderson players recorded at least one point. For a preseason game with a roster still being sorted out, that kind of spread matters. It means the scoring did not depend on one line or one player.

Ice hockey players skating on an indoor rink during a professional game

The Penalty Kill Was the Real Story

The final score was nice. The penalty kill was the part that should get Henderson fans talking. Tucson had four power plays and scored on none of them. Three of Henderson's minor penalties came in the third period, right when Tucson was pushing hardest.

Tucson outshot Henderson 17-6 in the third period alone. That is a lot of pressure to sit through with a two-goal lead. Lindbom stopped everything that came his way in that period, and the skaters in front of him kept Tucson from getting the second goal that would have made it a close game.

Ward told reporters that the team used a mix of penalty killers and that a lot of players were trying out new roles. That is normal for the preseason. Coaches use these games to test who can handle tough minutes. Going 4 for 4 on the kill with a mixed group is a good sign that the system is sinking in, not just that one or two players had a great night.

The power play was a different story. Henderson went 1 for 6 with the man advantage. The one goal was a big one, since Mayer's opener got the game going. But one goal on six chances leaves room to improve before the games start to count.

Five Names to Know Before Opening Night

If you plan to catch a game in Henderson this fall, these are the players from Saturday's win worth learning first.

Carl Lindbom, goalie. He faced 27 shots and stopped 26. The only goal he allowed came in the second period. After that, he shut the door, including during a third period where Tucson fired 17 shots at him. Cataford gave him credit after the game for helping the team close it out. A goalie who stays calm when the other team is pushing is exactly what a young roster needs.

Mathieu Cataford, forward. A goal, an assist, and a spot on the three stars list. Ward said Cataford has grown into more of a leader since the rookie tournament. Cataford said his offseason work has him feeling lighter and faster on the ice. He is in his second year, and it showed.

Samuel Mayer, forward. He scored the first goal of Ward's first AHL game as Henderson coach, on the power play, and set up the last one. Mayer was another of the game's three stars.

Alex Weiermair, forward. His goal came 16 seconds after Tucson tied the game, and it turned out to be the game winner. Ward liked his skill and his work on faceoffs, and said the next step for him is doing it every night.

Lucas Johansen, defenseman. Two assists and a third star. He set up two of Henderson's four goals, including the power-play opener. For a defenseman, that kind of passing helps the whole team move up the ice.

Jakub Demek, who scored the fourth goal, is worth a mention too. So are Kmec, Fleming, McKay, and Stanick, who all picked up assists. Nine players on the score sheet is a sign of depth.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

If you live in Henderson, Green Valley, Anthem, Seven Hills, or Inspirada, the Silver Knights are your neighborhood team. Their home rink, Lee's Family Forum, sits at 200 S. Green Valley Parkway, on the old Henderson Pavilion site. For a lot of families on the east side of the valley, it is a short drive, not a trip to the Strip.

The players who won in Tucson are the same players you are likely to see at Lee's Family Forum this season. Several of them came down from Vegas Golden Knights training camp. We wrote about that roster move in our post on how VGK cut camp to 28 and sent nine players to Henderson. Cataford, Kmec, Lindbom, and Weiermair were all part of that group. On Saturday, all four made a mark on the score sheet.

There is also a simple family angle. AHL hockey is a way to watch future NHL players up close. The Silver Knights exist to develop players for the Golden Knights. When a young forward like Cataford or Weiermair plays well in Henderson, there is a real chance you will see him at T-Mobile Arena someday. Parents who want their kids to see pro hockey without the price and hassle of a Strip game often start here.

And the team has built its home schedule with families in mind. According to the team's schedule release, Saturday home games start at 6 p.m. and Sunday home games start at 5 p.m. There are six Kids Day Sundays, when fans 14 and under get a giveaway and can walk onto the ice for a post-game slapshot. Those early start times work for a school night routine in a way that a 7:30 p.m. game on the Strip often does not.

Professional hockey players in front of the net during a game, showing the kind of pressure the Silver Knights killed off

Background: How Henderson Got Here

The Silver Knights are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. The 2026-27 season will be their seventh in the AHL. They play home games at Lee's Family Forum, a city-owned arena that opened in 2022. Before that, the team played at the Orleans Arena while the Henderson building was under construction.

This season also brings a new face behind the bench. Ward took over the Silver Knights after Ryan Craig moved up to the Golden Knights staff. The team's schedule release in July called 2026-27 the club's first season under Ward. Saturday in Tucson was the first time fans could see his Henderson group play a full AHL game against another AHL team.

The opponent was a familiar one. Tucson is a Pacific Division rival, and Henderson will see a lot of the Roadrunners this season. The regular season schedule has Tucson visiting Lee's Family Forum on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24. That means Saturday's win was a small preview of a matchup Henderson fans can watch in person in less than a month.

The 72-game schedule includes 36 home games and 36 road games. Henderson plays all nine Pacific Division opponents, plus two Central Division teams, the Texas Stars and the Iowa Wild. The team also plays 11 of its first 15 games at home. That home-heavy start is a big deal for a young roster. A strong October in front of local crowds can set the tone for the whole season.

It helps to understand how preseason works in the AHL. These games do not count in the standings. Coaches use them to try new line combinations, give ice time to players fighting for a job, and see who handles pressure. That is why Ward talked about players trying new roles rather than about the score. A win is nice. What coaches really want to see is effort, structure, and players doing their jobs when things get hard.

By that measure, Saturday checked a lot of boxes. Henderson came back from a slow first period, answered a tying goal in 16 seconds, and held a lead through a third period where it was badly outshot. Those are the moments a new coach uses to decide who he can trust. When the games start to count on Oct. 3, the players who handled those moments in Tucson may be the ones who get the big minutes at home.

What Happens Next

The Silver Knights had one more preseason game on the trip, against the Colorado Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 27, at Tucson Convention Center Arena. Puck drop was set for 3 p.m. Pacific. After that, the team heads home to get ready for opening weekend.

Here are the first home dates at Lee's Family Forum, per the team's official schedule:

Saturday, Oct. 3: Silver Knights vs. Bakersfield Condors, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4: Silver Knights vs. Bakersfield Condors, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14: Silver Knights vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23: Silver Knights vs. Tucson Roadrunners, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24: Silver Knights vs. Tucson Roadrunners, 6 p.m.

A few things are worth watching between now and Oct. 3. First, the roster is still moving. The Golden Knights are making their final cuts before their own season starts, and some of those players may land in Henderson. That can shift the lineup Ward uses on opening night.

Second, watch the goalie spot. Lindbom's 26-save night gives him a strong first impression in Ward's system. Whether he gets the opening-night start is up to the coaches, but a performance like Saturday's makes the case.

Third, keep an eye on the special teams. A perfect penalty kill in one preseason game does not guarantee anything. But if it holds up in the first few weeks, it could be a real strength. The power play is the piece that needs work.

As Ward put it after the game, "I thought a lot of guys stepped up, played really well tonight." That is the tone Henderson will carry home.

Ryan's Take

I will be honest. A preseason hockey score is not going to move home prices in Henderson. But the team that plays at Lee's Family Forum is part of why Green Valley and the surrounding neighborhoods feel the way they do. When I show homes near Green Valley Parkway, buyers often ask what there is to do nearby. A pro hockey team a few minutes from the house is a real answer, and it is one that families especially like.

I also think about how an arena changes a neighborhood over time. When the Henderson Pavilion site was turned into a hockey arena, some neighbors worried about traffic. What followed was a steady schedule of games and events that brings people into the area on weeknights and weekends. For homeowners near the arena, that is worth knowing about, both the good and the busy. If you are buying close to Lee's Family Forum, drive the area on a game night before you commit, just like you would check a school zone at drop-off time. It takes an hour and it can save you a surprise later.

Hockey players competing on the ice at an indoor arena, similar to the setting at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson

What You Can Do

If you want to see this team in person, circle Saturday, Oct. 3. The Silver Knights host the Bakersfield Condors at 6 p.m. at Lee's Family Forum, 200 S. Green Valley Parkway in Henderson. The rematch is Sunday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. Ticket options, including single games, flex plans, and full season memberships, are listed on the Henderson Silver Knights website. Check there for current prices, since we have not confirmed them.

If you have kids, look for the Kids Day Sunday dates on the team's promotions page. Fans 14 and under get a giveaway and a chance to take a post-game slapshot on the ice. That is the kind of memory that turns a kid into a lifelong hockey fan.

And if you live close to the arena, plan around game nights. Weekend games start at 5 or 6 p.m., and weeknight games start at 7 p.m. Traffic on Green Valley Parkway picks up before puck drop. Knowing the schedule helps you time errands, dinners, and school pickups on busy nights.

If you are thinking about a move to the east side of the valley, this is also a good time to look around. Green Valley, Anthem, and Inspirada each feel different, and the easiest way to learn them is to spend an evening out in the area. Grab dinner near the arena, catch a game, and drive the streets you are curious about on the way home. You will learn more in one night than in a week of scrolling listings.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.