Two nights ago in Tucson, the Henderson Silver Knights looked finished. The scoreboard said it. The run of play suggested it, too. At points in the game against the Tucson Roadrunners, Henderson trailed 4–1 and 5–2. Then the game flipped.
Henderson stormed back to win 7–6 in overtime. What looked like a lost night suddenly became another example of the kind of stretch the Silver Knights have been playing since the American Hockey League All-Star Classic break, chaotic at times, but resilient.
Related: Breaking Down the Henderson Silver Knights Month of March
It has been a stretch defined by offense finding timely bursts and a young goaltender settling into form. Two players, in particular, have driven much of that conversation: forward Raphaël Lavoie and goaltender Carl Lindbom.
In this piece, we’ll take a closer look at both, first starting in net.
Lindbom Continuing Surge in Net
It’s been an unusual season for Lindbom with the Silver Knights. The goaltender missed time with an injury prior to the AHL All-Star break, limiting his appearances in January.
Since returning to the lineup after the break, Lindbom has put together one of the more consistent stretches of his season. In that span, he has posted a 7-0-1 record, helping stabilize the crease during a period where Henderson has been trying to climb the Pacific Division standings.
His run has come at an important time for the Silver Knights. As the team pushes through the final weeks of the regular season and continues a lengthy road trip, Lindbom’s results have given Henderson another reliable option in net while they remain in the playoff race.
Lindbom carries a .925 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average this season. If Henderson is going to remain in the playoff race and potentially make a deep postseason run, strong goaltending will be essential. That likely means continued production from Lindbom as the Silver Knights move toward the final stretch of the regular season.
Lavoie Leading Silver Knights Offense
Lavoie, much like Lindbom has split time between the NHL and AHL. Recently, he’s been a key part of the Silver Knights offense.
“We’re playing well,” Lavoie said. “We’ve had, a lot of good teams recently, top in division, and we’re competing really well. We’re trying to make a playoff push. We’re hungry we think we deserve it. I think we’re playing off team”
Lavoie has been a major contributor during that stretch, providing scoring and offensive pressure as the Silver Knights try to climb the standings. His ability to generate chances and finish around the net has helped drive Henderson’s recent run, particularly during its current road trip.
For Henderson, the combination of offensive production from players like Lavoie and steady goaltending from Lindbom has helped keep the team within reach of a playoff spot as the regular season moves toward its final weeks.
Loose Pucks:
- Lukas Cormier has already set the single-season points record by a defenseman for the Henderson Silver Knights with 42 points. Cormier has missed 12 games this season but still produced enough offense from the blue line to move into the top spot in franchise history. There are still 17 games left in the season to tack onto this number.
- Before the AHL All-Star break, the Silver Knights sat six points outside a playoff position. After their midweek series in Tucson against the Roadrunners, Henderson has moved into sixth place in the AHL Pacific Division standings.
- The Silver Knights will continue their six-game road trip this weekend. Henderson travels next to face the Abbotsford Canucks before heading to Calgary to take on the Calgary Wranglers.
