Barbashev scores two goals in 4-3 win over Montreal

The expectations were high with the debut of Jonathan Quick in a Golden Knights uniform and for two periods, the visiting Canadiens were shut down. The debut of Quick was not the only eyeing factor that played into the game as the other newly acquired players in Ivan Barbashev and Teddy Blueger each made their own contributions. The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in what was their last home game before going east on a five game road trip that starts Tuesday.

The three game home stand saw a clean sweep of wins with none of them coming relatively easy as they edged both Carolina and New Jersey earlier in the week. The win keeps the Golden Knights atop the Western Conference standings, one point ahead of Central Division leading Dallas.

Barbashev, Blueger make an impact early

The Golden Knights started the game with some good momentum and would quickly get on a power play with 17:22 left in the opening period. A Michael Pezeetta hooking call on William Karlsson would be the resulting penalty as Vegas got just one shot off. With 14:26 left, the Canadiens would get their first shot off and it would result in Jonathan Quick making his first save as a Vegas Golden Knight.

With 7:22 left, Shea Theodore would get the Golden Knights on the board with an assist from Teddy Blueger and Brayden McNabb. The goal was Theodore’s seventh of the year and Blueger’s first point with Vegas. Joel Edmundson got in Paul Cotter’s path with 4:44 left and it resulted in Cotter lighting up Edmundson in front of the Montreal bench.  Off a faceoff, from Jonathan Marchessault to Jack Eichel, Ivan Barbashev would get his first goal as a Vegas Golden Knight with just 19 seconds remaining in the period. The Golden Knights would go into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead and a 13-5 advantage in shots.

Golden Knights 2, Canadiens 0 – 1st Intermission

The Breakdown…

Overall, a very solid start for the Golden Knights. Taking care of business and creating chances is what wins hockey games. The new acquisitions are making an impact early in the game. Barbashev, Blueger and Quick all making the most of their opportunities in the first period. So far so good for the Golden Knights.

Smith adds a goal to move further ahead

After a few mutes of back and forth passes, Josh Anderson got a solid shot on goal against the Golden Knights but Quick was there to make the big save with 16:49 left in the period. Off a pass from William Karlsson, Reilly Smith got his 21st goal of the season to make the score 3-0 in favor of the Vegas Golden Knights with 12:40 left in the period.

A minute later, Marchessault was called for hooking on Pitlick to give Montreal their first power play opportunity of the game. The Canadiens would get off four shots in the power play but Quick and the Golden Knights would kill off the penalty. Anderson would get loose for a breakaway with 8:45 left and Quick was there to make the big save keeping the shutout in tact.

Golden Knights 3, Canadiens 0 – 2nd Intermission

The Breakdown…

Quick is looking solid in net, but it is the Montreal Canadiens on the ice. The key for the Golden Knights is just to simply take care of business on the ice and the rest will take care of itself. The Reilly Smith goal was a massive one keeping the momentum from shifting hands. While the Canadiens outshot Vegas 11-5 in the period, the period felt like it was all in favor of the Golden Knights.

Canadiens make it a fight to the end

Starting off the third period off a faceoff, the Canadiens got on the board with a goal by Mike Matheson at 2:05 into the period to cut the Golden Knight lead back down to two. Zach Whitecloud was called for interference on Rafael Harvey-Pinard with 15:34 left to go giving the Canadiens their second power play of the game. Just as the penalty expired, Stephenson and Marchessault created a pair of chances that got Josh Allen’s heart rate go up.

A minute later Ivan Barbashev put the score back to a three goal deficit, giving him his second goal of the game. But the three goal comfort level would be short lived as Alex Belzile and Harvey-Pinard would get back to back goals just 36 seconds apart. Jonathan Kovaceivic lit up Paul Cotter like a Christmas tree with 9:18 left and Alec Martinez stepped up to duke it out with Kovacevic. The fight resulted in two five minute penalties for Martinez and Kovacevic. Tempers continued to flare amongst the two teams a minute later but cooler heads prevailed.

With the clock winding down, Quick and the Golden Knights would hold off the extra attack from the Canadiens to win the game.

Golden Knights 4, Canadiens 3 – Final

Game Notes

• The Golden Knights win moves their record to 38-19-6 with 82 points. Their 82 point total gives them a one point lead on the Dallas Stars for the overall race for first in the conference.
• In his Golden Knights debut, Jonathan Quick made 25 saves on 28 shots with all three coming in the third period. Two of the three goals were surrendered within seconds of each other.
• The next Golden Knights game is against the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on Tuesday night at 7:00p ET/4:00p PT. The Golden Knights won their only other meeting in Las Vegas by a 4-2 score on January 12.
• The Golden Knights have a two point lead on the Kings for the division lead with a game in hand. If the playoffs started after Sunday’s action, the Golden Knights would draw the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. The Dallas Stars would get the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.

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