Golden Knights defeat Canucks in John Tortorella's debut

Danny Webster, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Mar 31, 2026

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The Vegas Golden Knights had to start somewhere, and it just happened to be against the team with the fewest points in the league.

But the record will show that new coach John Tortorella won in his Knights debut following a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

Defensemen Rasmus Andersson and Shea Theodore scored, and winger Reilly Smith added one to cap a three-goal second period to push the Knights (33-26-16) to just their second win in the last eight games.

Goaltender Adin Hill finished with 22 saves.

One day removed after replacing Bruce Cassidy behind the bench, Tortorella arrived in a black suit and black tie and tried to call lines and names as best he could.

It had to help with the opposition with Vancouver (21-44-8) thinking more of the NHL Draft Lottery this time of year than results on the ice.

Tortorella said he wasn’t going to come in and overhaul the system. Much of what was seen Monday was the case for almost four years and will continue to be otherwise.

The spirit, which the Knights said was lacking leading up to Cassidy’s firing was hard to find in the first period, because it was more of the same – with the Knights dominating but still trailing on the scoreboard.

Canucks winger Evander Kane, in his 1,000th game, scored on a 2-on-1 at 12:19 for the 1-0 lead.

Tortorella shook up the top six in the second period with both wingers moving to different lines, and it generated some good looks, particularly with Mitch Marner’s line of captain Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev.

But the blue line is what got the Knights the lead by the tune of a three-goal second period.

Andersson scored at 7:48 to tie it 1-1, and Theodore tied it 2-2 at with 2:43 left on a breakaway off a feed from Barbashev.

It was Andersson’s third goal in four games, and only Theodore’s second goal since Jan. 17.

Brayden McNabb put behind his defensive struggles the past week to set up Smith for the go-ahead goal with 1:26 left in the frame for the Knights’ first lead in the Torts Era.

Winger Cole Smith scored into an empty net with 1:10 left for the final score.

The Knights have won each game when a new coach makes their debut. Gerard Gallant won the team’s inaugural game on Oct. 6, 2017; Pete DeBoer on Jan. 16, 2020; and Cassidy on Oct. 11, 2022.

They wrap up their four-game homestand Thursday against the Calgary Flames.

________