Russian striker Pavel Dorofeev continues to prove that his breakthrough last season was not an accident. The 25-year-old forward not only retained his place in the Vegas Golden Knights, but also became one of the main stars at the start of the NHL championship. Every game he plays now is proof that he is capable of being a key player in a team that has plenty of big names.

On the night of October 29, Dorofeev again reminded himself. In the match against Carolina, he scored a double, bringing his score to 9 goals in 10 matches and helping Vegas win a confident away victory – 6:3.

Pavel can rightfully be called the main sniper in the NHL right now. Ovechkin can only dream of such statistics.

Dorofeev fired again – twice in the first period

The match did not start perfectly for Vegas – Carolina opened the scoring. But it was Dorofeev who quickly restored the balance. Already in the seventh minute he hit the hosts’ goal, and at the end of the period he converted the majority and brought his team ahead – 2:1. The second goal was especially important – it gave Vegas confidence, and allowed Pavel himself to become the leader in the NHL sniper race.

Pavel Dorofeev / Photo: © Jaylynn Nash / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“Carolina” was able to come back and even take the lead again, but in the future only Vegas hockey players scored: Jack Eichel scored twice, Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl scored a goal each, who set the final score with a shot into an empty net.

For Russian fans, the match in Raleigh turned out to be special. Four of our players were on the court at the same time. For Vegas, Dorofeev (double) and Ivan Barbashev, who recorded two assists, shone. For Carolina, Andrei Svechnikov finally opened the scoring for the season, while Alexander Nikishin was left without points. It is interesting that it was the link with the participation of Dorofeev and Barbashev that became the key in the game – its actions brought the Golden Knights the most important goals and set the tone for the meeting.

Historical record for Vegas

Nine goals in ten starting matches is a result that has not been achieved by any Vegas Golden Knights player in the entire history of the club. The club’s press service noted that Dorofeev became the most productive player at the start of the season in the eight years of the franchise’s existence.

And if earlier Pavel was perceived as a young and promising hockey player who is trying to gain a foothold in the 2023 NHL champions, now he is the leader of the attack, influencing the outcome of matches. After the meeting in Raleigh, Dorofeev had 9+1 in 10 games. In addition to Dorofeev, Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield and Nathan MacKinnon scored 9 goals each, but the latter two spent 11 matches on this. For comparison, Alexander Ovechkin scored two goals in the same 10 matches. And Kirill Kaprizov, Dorofeev’s closest Russian pursuer, has 6 goals in 11 meetings.

Celebration of Pavel Dorofeev’s goal by Vegas hockey players / Photo: © Jaylynn Nash / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

The statistics reflect not only Pavel’s performance, but also his stability: Dorofeev has almost no failed shifts. He plays confidently in the majority, increasingly plays in decisive minutes and looks like a truly mature player who knows how to capitalize on his chances.

In Vegas he became his own

Last season became a point of growth for Dorofeev – he finally gained a foothold in the Golden Knights and began to score consistently. The club management then decided to give him a permanent place in the team and they were not mistaken.

Now Pavel is not just a rotation player, but one of the main trump cards of coach Bruce Cassidy. With all the star names on the team – Eichel, Stone, Hertl – it is Dorofeev who adds freshness, pace and non-standard solutions to the attack. After the victory over Carolina, the Golden Knights continued to remain confidently among the leaders of the Western Conference. The team looks balanced, and Dorofeev’s contribution to success is obvious.

Pavel Dorofeev / Photo: © Megan Briggs / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

It seems that Pavel has found the perfect balance between passion and composure – and this is what makes him so dangerous for his opponents. He does not pursue beauty, but simply does his job – clearly, confidently and for the benefit of the team. Perhaps the NHL now has more popular names, but it is Dorofeev who is becoming a symbol of stability and efficiency.