Quick passes Vanbiesboruck on wins list against Canucks

The Golden Knights started off a three game Canadian Western road trip with a win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday evening and it resulted in Jonathan Quick passing John Vanbiesbrouck for second on the all-time wins list among American born goaltenders with 375 career wins. As for the result, the Golden Knights held on for a 4-3 win as Pavel Dorofeyev scored the eventual game winner in the second period. After a 7-2 win over Columbus, the win is the second straight for the Golden Knights, who lead the Pacific Division.

Smith, Kessel get double up on Vancouver

After a pair of icing calls started the activity on the ice, Vancouver got the first two shots of the game on Jonathan Quick as Sheldon Dries got stopped twice within the first two minutes of the game. Seconds later, Ethan Bear gave the puck away as Phil Kessel launched it in net on the first shot of the game for the Golden Knights. The goal at 3:01 in the first, is Kessel’s 13th of the season.

The next big opportunity for either team came with a Shea Theodore shot with 13:58 left to go in the period. Alex Pietrangelo and Ivan Barbashev followed with a pair of shots a minute later.  Andrei Kuzmenko would get a chance to even the score with 8:52 left, but Quick was there to slam the door shut on him. just over a minute later, Reilly Smith got a shot past Thatcher Demko with 7:49 left to make it a 2-0 Vegas lead. It is Smith’s 24th goal of the season and William Karlsson’s 33rd assist this season.

One minute after the Smith goal, the Golden Knights would get their first power play of the game after Tyler Myers was called for slashing on Paul Cotter. During the power play, the Golden Knights only got one shot off unofficially as Marchessault went wide of the net. Just as the power expired, the Canucks were called for another penalty as Bear was called for hooking on Barbashev. The Golden Knights failed to score on either power play but generated plenty of chances and good looks to potentially make it a three-goal game. Jack Eichel would get a couple of good opportunities in the closing seconds but the score remained 2-0 with the teams going into the locker room.

Golden Knights 2, Canucks 0 – 1st Intermission

The Breakdown…

Overall, a very solid period for the Golden Knights in all aspects of the game. Even on the power play, the Golden Knights had some good looks and chances despite not converting. The effort is great and seeing this as a continuation of Sunday’s game is very encouraging. Hopefully, they continue to attack and not get too comfortable early.

Blueger and Dorofeyev add a pair on the board

Within the first 15 seconds, Teddy Blueger deflected a shot that Demko was left scrambling. Brock Boeser, a minute later got an opportunity to move the score to within one but Quick was there to make the key stop. Seconds later, Myers launched a rocket that Quick once again stopped short of the net. Vancouver was creating more chances early and they showed a sense of urgency early on into the period.

The Canucks would get called for penalty with  Boeser getting a boarding penalty with 12:44 left to go in the period. At the 7:57 mark during the Golden Knight power play, J.T. Miller was headed toward Quick on a breakaway that resulted in a penalty shot after Sea Theodore was called for slashing on Miller. Miller would convert on the penalty shot to get the Canucks to within one goal. It is Miller’s 27th goal of the season.

Over the next couple minutes the Golden Knight offense came back to life and then with 9:36 left in the period off a Michael Amadio takeaway, Blueger converted a shot into the net for his fourth goal of the season. The assist on the Blueger goal was credited to Brett Howden and Nic Hague.

With 8:07 left, Dorofeyev was called for hooking on Quinn Hughes, which gave the Canucks their first power play of the game. just five seconds later, Anthony Beauvillier made it a four on four affair as he was called for hooking on Alec Martinez. As Hughes got a shot on goal with 7:48 left, Chandler Stephenson was called for hooking on Bear creating a four on three power play for the Canucks.  Vancouver, just 30 seconds later, would get the score back to a one goal deficit as Miller connected for his second goal of the night.

After the dust settled, Marchessault and Barbashev got shots on goal with less than five to play in the period. Off a faceoff a couple minutes later, Dorofeyev tipped one in for his fourth goal of the season putting the Golden Knights back up by two.

Golden Knights 4, Canucks 2 – 2nd Intermission

The Breakdown…

The Canucks played with some urgency in the second period and pair of J.T. Miller goals were the result. Both goals by Miller were also a direct result of the Golden Knights shooting themselves in the foot in key moments of the period. It doesn’t matter who they play, any opponent in the league will make you pay for your mistakes. The good news is, goals by Blueger and Dorofeyev were essential to keeping the Canucks at bay on the scoreboard.

Quick holds on for the win

Within the first two minutes of the third, the Canucks offense was on point and looking for the desperate goal. In the first two minutes of the period, the Canucks got three official shots on Quick. Connor Garland followed it up with three shots of his own a minute later and that was followed up by a couple more shots. The Golden Knights did not get a shot off in the third until there was 14:34 left to play when Pietrangelo was stopped short by Demko.

Marchessault and Whitecloud would follow it up with a couple of shots around the 10 minute mark. After Miller got a faceoff win over Blueger with 8:30 left in regulation, he would managed to get a shot on goal and Phillip Di Guiseppe got the rebound. Di Guiseppe would then take the puck and get it past Quick to make the score 4-3 in favor of Vegas with 8:17 left.

Neither team got another shot on goal until there 3:19 remaining. Boeser tried to get one past Quick but the veteran netminder was there to make the stop. Vancouver over the remaining time got off a couple shots but Vegas was on point.

Golden Knights 4, Canucks 3 – Final

Game Notes

• The win over Vancouver puts the Golden Knights record to 44-21-6 with 94 points and two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the Pacific Division lead.
• Jonathan Quick passes John Vanbiesbrouck for second on the all-time list for wins by an American goaltender. In the game he saved 31 of 34 shots.
• The next game for the Golden Knights is the second of a three game Canadian Western road trip and it is in the Saddledome in Calgary on Thursday evening.
• If the season ended with the day’s action, the Golden Knights would get the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Central Division leading Minnesota Wild would get the Seattle Kraken in round one.

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