Golden Knights Hold On For 4-3 Win Over Montreal Sunday; Matinee Attendance Announced At 18,049
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher/Writer
Before the Vegas Golden Knights took off on a big road trip, they introduced veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick to the VGK faithful at a Sunday matinee game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Like performers who come and go on the trip, Quick is just the latest Golden Knights netminder to strap on the pads and don the gold jersey for an NHL team that has seen goalies Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit sidelined with injuries.
The Knights are hoping the veteran 37-year-old Quick, who led the Los Angeles Kings to two Stanley Cup titles in the last decade, has some quality puck-blocking skills in the tank. Quick drew cheer as he played for his first NHL team other than the Kings
The 3PM game started quietly with VGK defenseman Shea Theodore securing the puck in the high slot and firing a goal past Montreal netminder Jake “From State Farm” Allen, the former Blues goalie.
The Knights’ top line showed some terrific puck movement late in period one when Jonathan Marchessault zipped the puck to Jack Eichel who fed Ivan Barbashev at the doorstep for an easy tap-in goal past Allen. It was Barbashev’s first goal as a Golden Knights player after his career with St. Louis.
His goal came with only 17.4 seconds left in the first period and the Knights went into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Here’s Theodore after the game discussing the team having its core six defensemen in the lineup and smoothing out communication with the new goalie, Quick.
By period two, a Reilly Smith goal off a nice pass from fellow Misfit William Karlsson have the VGK a 3-0 lead as Quick was pitching a shut out. It was Smith’s 21st.
After two periods: Vegas 3 Montreal 0
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Paul “Welcome back” Cotter was back in the lineup for the injured Will Carrier. Newcomer Teddy Blueger is centering the fourth line between Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar.
Hill, who performed beautifully in a 4-3 shootout win over the Devils Friday, served a the back-up to Quick tonight.
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A little more than two minutes into the final period, Quick lost his shutout.
Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson snapped a wrist shot past Quick and the VGK lead was down to 3-1.
The two teams then traded goals. Barbashev scored his second of the game (his 12th of the season) for a 4-1 Vegas lead before 31-year-old Alex Belzile scored his second goal of his career.
Montreal trailed, 4-2.
And then the Vegas lead was down to a single goal thanks to a Montreal tally by Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
Vegas had the game on cruise control and perhaps that was the problem. They tried to glide to the finish line with a win, but Montreal scored three goals in the third period to make it a one-goal game: Vegas 4 Montreal 3 with lots of time left in the final stanza.
The Knights called a timeout after Montreal’s third goal to regroup.
After the game, VGK coach Bruce Cassidy said he warned the team that this could be a trap game before the Knights jet out on a five-game road trip.
He was pleased with the 2-0 start after the first period before the Canadiens made their pushback.
In the end, Vegas held on before the announced crowd of 18,049.
Final: Vegas 4 Montreal 3
