Vegas Golden Knights: Marc-Andre Fleury Shuts Out Capitals

The Vegas Golden Knights ferocious assault in the first period leads to victory over the Washington Capitals.

With only one game left before the Christmas break, the Vegas Golden Knights have done the job on their five-game homestand. The team has gone 3-0-1 thus far and have beaten the likes of the young Florida Panthers, the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. The Knights only loss came against the Carolina Hurricanes in the shootout.

Tonight, the Golden Knights played a Washington Capitals team with a lot of skill and are excellent in the transition game. Washington has won 11 out of their last 14 games. However, the Capitals came off a tough overtime loss to Arizona last night. They enter Las Vegas looking for a bounce-back game against a great Golden Knights squad.

Marc-Andre Fleury has a great history against the Capitals. Multiple playoff victories against them and played against them a ton in the past. Opposite to him, Braden Holtby is having a stellar campaign for Washington. Entering Saturdays action, Holtby compiled a record of 20-7-0, a GAA of 2.64 and a .919 SV%.

The Golden Knights got off to a quick start in the first ten minutes of the opening frame. Sustained pressure by each line and every unit earned at least one scoring chance each. Brendan Leipsic had the first big chance of the game on the breakaway, but Holtby made a huge save. However, no less than 10 seconds later, the Golden Knights got on the board.

Washington turns the puck over on the faceoff win to Cody Eakin who setup Leipsic for the shot that was once again stopped by Holtby but Alex Tuch was there on the rebound to tuck it in the back of the net. Tuch’s eighth of the year gave Vegas a 1-0 lead just 2:53 into the game. The Knights weren’t even close to done in the opening period.

While skating in transition, Tomas Nosek led the charge into the offensive zone, fed Oscar Lindberg for a beauty of a goal. Holtby looked like he had the whole net covered, but Lindberg found the top corner for his seventh of the year. And the Knights just kept pouring it on from there.

William Karlsson made it 3-0 thanks to a terrific pass from Reilly Smith. Karlsson’s 16th of the year puts him just one shy of James Neal for the team lead. Nevertheless, while I was watching this game, my jaw just dropped.

The Golden Knights really could’ve been up 6-0 in the first if it wasn’t for Holtby. This was by far the best period of offensive hockey I’ve seen from this hockey club. And credit Head Coach Gerard Gallant for having his players ready for the opening puck drop. Shots in the first period were 16-7 favoring the Golden Knights.

Following the first, it was just shut down hockey from there. The team didn’t score another goal for the rest of the game, but they played quality defensive hockey. The Knights didn’t allow the Capitals to earn any grade-A scoring chances and when they did, Fleury was there to bail them out.

Fleury made 26 saves out of 26 shots and shutout the Capitals for the fifth time in his career (fourth time in regular season, one in playoffs). He didn’t need to have Supermans cape in this game, but he simply did his job, and he did it with perfection. Fleury’s first shutout in a Golden Knights uniform ties the franchise record held by Oscar Dansk.

My third star of the night was the catalyst that got the Golden Knights going early, Alex Tuch. The 21-year old not only scored the early goal, but his line was the best line of the night. He deserves this honor.

My second star of the night has to be former Washington Capital Nate Schmidt. Wherever Alex Ovechkin was, Schmidt followed. He was a thorn in Ovechkin’s side all night long. Guess all those practice sessions against #8 paid off big time for the St. Cloud Minnesota native.

And of course, the number one star is Marc-Andre Fleury. The Flower didn’t need much support after the three quick goals from his team, though he was super solid in net. The Sorel, Quebec native earned his first of hopefully many shutouts in a Golden Knights uniform.

All in all, this game couldn’t have gone better for the Vegas Golden Knights. An Eastern Conference powerhouse such as the Capitals come into town, and you shut them out? I may be starting to sound like a broken record, but the Golden Knights are playing their best hockey of the season. And with tonights win, the Golden Knights are back in first place in the Pacific division AND first place in the Western Conference.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights 2017-18 Christmas Wish List

With three days off during Christmas break, the Knights will take this time to heal up some bumps and bruises. The next test for the Golden Knights is going back to the Honda Center with a rematch against a healthier Anaheim Ducks team on Wednesday night. Catch all the action AT&T Sportsnet with Dave Goucher and Shane Hnidy at 10 PM PT.