Tanner Laczynski was a late addition to the Golden Knights’ lineup Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, but he made the most of his opportunity.
Tanner Laczynski was basically on call.
He was told Saturday afternoon he would likely replace left wing Victor Olofsson in the Golden Knights’ lineup against the Buffalo Sabres because of an illness.
Laczynski, 27, was ready to go. He scored his first goal with the Knights to help his team defeat the Sabres 3-1.
It was the kind of moment coach Bruce Cassidy always hopes call ups get to experience. Laczynski crashed the net, secured a rebound and put the puck into the net 4:53 into the first period.
It was just his third NHL goal in 44 games and his first since Dec. 5, 2022, when he was with the Philadelphia Flyers. Laczynski’s eyes widened when he was reminded of that fact.
“Honestly, any time you score a goal, it’s special,” Laczynski said. “Doing it here in this building makes it that much better.”
Staying ready
Laczynski signed an American Hockey League deal with the Silver Knights on July 1.
The organization thought he could help out its minor-league club given he scored 44 points in 49 games with Lehigh Valley — Philadelphia’s AHL affiliate — last season.
He’s been great in Henderson so far with 20 points in 18 games.
But the Golden Knights aren’t surprised the Minooka, Illinois, native is making an impact with them as well. Laczynski was one of the team’s final roster cuts before the regular season after impressing in training camp.
He’s been solid when opportunities with the big club have presented themselves.
Laczynski was put at third-line center between left wing Brett Howden and right wing Keegan Kolesar on Saturday. The Knights had an 8-2 edge in shots on goal and a 4-2 advantage in high-danger scoring chances with the trio on the ice, according to the website Natural Stat Trick.
“Playing with (Howden) and (Kolesar), I think they’re both hard on the puck, they’re both skilled players,” Laczynski said. “I just tried to complement them in the offensive zone, just tried to be hard on the puck, give it to them in the d-zone and just be there to support.”
Being rewarded
Laczynski’s offensive ability has made him the Knights’ first call up whenever an injury arises. He’s shown he can be relied upon in a pinch.
The Knights sent him back to Henderson on Sunday, meaning he’ll need to wait for his next opportunity to contribute.
But his goal was a reminder of how the team’s depth has fueled its rise to the top of the NHL standings. Laczynski is the 20th different skater to score a goal for the Knights (27-9-3) this season.
That’s a key reason why the club has won eight of its last nine games and is 16-3-1 since Nov. 25.
“Big goal for him. Happy for him,” Cassidy said. “Different guys are contributing for us, especially in this run. He got it going to the net. He wasn’t lucky. Happy for him.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
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