Golden Knights defender Adin Hill has allowed three or fewer goals in 10 of his 16 appearances, with some of those allowances not his fault or freak occurrences.
Like during Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Pacific Division-rival Edmonton, when Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored on a 4-on-4 with 8:07 remaining after Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson’s stick broke and Vegas couldn’t clear the zone. Twice, in fact, the last time when the puck was cradled by the blade of Andersson’s broken stick, which aided the Oilers.
Advertisement
Draisaitl essentially sealed the Vegas’s fate when he buried the puck through Hill’s five-hole. Give an assist to Andersson’s stick, and another bad-break – pun intended – for Hill.
After Sunday’s game, Hill appeared in just his 16th game as he continued what’s been one of his least productive seasons since entering the league in 2017-18, the same year the Knights themselves.
The 29-year-old, who will turn 30 on May 11, is 6-5-3 with a 3.40 goals-against average – well above his career 2.68 GAA – and an .859 shot percentage, also lower than his career .906 clip.
If the season were over, this would be his lowest-ever save percentage.
Advertisement
Before his injury, Hill had seemingly turned around a rough start that saw him lose his first two starts but then allow just four goals in three consecutive appearances, during which he had a save percentage of .927.
A lower-body injury during a promising start against the Calgary Flames lasted through late January, derailing what could’ve been, while leaving the Golden Knights scrambling.
After winning his return to the pipes in January, though, he lost four of his next five starts. And Hill began taking it personally, knowing what he was capable of and knowing he needed to do his part to help send the Knights in the right direction before the Olympic break.
“You always expect the best out of yourself, right?” Hill said. “So when things aren’t going your way, or things are not panning out the way you feel like they should … you feel good, and a few pucks get by or whatever, it’s tough. I was really kind of disappointed in myself, and trying to work through it.
Advertisement
“So that’s just kind of the thing, come to the rink every day with a positive attitude and on to the next game. We got a lot more here. So just trying to build more of those performances.”
Hill answered the skid with his best performance of the season, stifling the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-1 win in the final game before the break.
Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) makes a save as Los Angeles Kings center Samuel Helenius (79) looks for the rebound in the first period at T-Mobile Arena during an NHL game on Feb. 5, 2026. Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
“Having that last performance for the break was nice – but just keep building off that. And as a group, we want to keep building each game, taking it one game at a time.”
Rather than enjoy the Olympic break vacationing during the three-week break, Hill said he stayed close to home with his wife and son, taking an opportunity to reprieve from hockey and get his mind right for the final stretch.
Advertisement
“But also taking care of myself and making sure we’re ready to go,” said Hill, who is emphatic about his strength and conditioning routine, disciplined to spend several hours dedicated to his body almost daily. “We do everything we can off the ice, it’s not just practices. We’re doing a lot of stuff in the locker room and stuff at home. Just take care of our bodies.
“I’ll be ready to go and just looking for some wins.”
Hill, who helped the Knights hoist the Stanley Cup in 2023, knows the importance of March, which has been one of Vegas’ most successful months in franchise history.
“We want to get on a roll,” Hill told The Hockey News immediately after the Olympic break. “The Cup year, at the end of the season, we were flying. … Just trying to get those details going, get into that mode, so when playoffs come, we obviously want to win games and create some separation or division.
Advertisement
“When the playoffs come, we’re firing on all cylinders and just making sure that we’re playing good hockey.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) defends his net against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.
Read the full article here