Golden Knights forward Raphael Lavoie scored his first NHL goal Tuesday night, a game-winner that secured a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. The goal came with 11:59 remaining in the game and capped a whirlwind sequence that saw Lavoie inserted into the lineup moments before puck drop.
Lavoie was originally scheduled to be a healthy scratch in favor of Jonas Røndbjerg, who had been recalled from Henderson on Monday. However, goaltender Carter Hart left the morning skate with an injury, forcing the Knights to recall goaltender Cameron Whitehead. Due to salary cap constraints, Røndbjerg was sent back to the AHL, and Lavoie rejoined the lineup.
"I wasn't thinking of playing tonight. I wasn't in the lineup," Lavoie said. "Just before I left the rink, they told me I was playing. That's how it was supposed to happen, I guess." The goal originated from a Marc Gatcomb check and a Ville Heinola shot from the right circle that created a rebound Lavoie buried from eight feet out. "It definitely wasn't a solo effort," Lavoie said. "Pretty much everybody on the ice touched the puck."
Coach Ryan Craig praised Lavoie's readiness, noting the forward stayed on the ice after the morning skate as scratches typically do. "He takes advantage of an opportunity. Sometimes that's what happens," Craig said. "You don't think about it. You just go up and play." The goal was Lavoie's first in 26 career NHL games spanning four seasons.
The Knights will need to recall another forward for their upcoming four-game road trip, but Lavoie's performance complicated that decision. "It means a lot. It's been a long time coming," Lavoie said. "It feels really good."
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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