Blog: Golden Knights win goalie duel vs. Arizona in shootout

By Justin Emerson

Published Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 | 1:20 p.m.

Updated Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 | 5:48 p.m.

It was a goalie lover's dream game between the Golden Knights and Ariozna Coyotes. Malcolm Subban and Darcy Kuemper dueled to the end, but Subban was just a bit better in the shootout, helping the Golden Knights to a 2-1 win.

Jonathan Marchessault and Alex Tuch scored in the shootout for the Golden Knights. Shea Theodore was denied.

Subban denied Arizona's Nick Schmaltz and Conor Garland in the shootout. Christian Dvorak scored.

Subban was terrific even before the shootout, making 35 saves, including three in overtime in what was his third start in a row. Prior to the last three games, he had not started even two in a row all season.

But Kuemper was just as good. He is going to get some Vezina consideration, and a power-play goal was his only blemish. He made 37 saves. 

Overtime on tap between Golden Knights, Coyotes

The third period was full of penalties, but no goals as both goalies stood tall and sent the game between the Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes to overtime tied 1-1.

The final few minutes saw a lot of action from the penalty box. First Brad Richardson slammed Cody Eakin into the boards, getting a two-minute minor for head contact while the crowd called for a major. Then 66 seconds later, William Karlsson was called for hooking, and 19 seconds after that Phil Kessel went for hooking, setting up 35 seconds of 4-on-3 hockey.

Both teams went without a goal in the first, then both got on the board in the second.

The Golden Knights started it off at 7:01 of the second when Alex Tuch slid in front of the Arizona crease and tipped in a Nicolas Hague point shot on the power play. Cody Glass almost scored in a similar way in the third, but that one didn't go.

The Coyotes' goal had more finesse. Jakob Chychrun raced down the left-wing side and sniped the puck into the top corner to tie the game at 1 with 5:07 to go in the frame.

Vegas led in shots on goal in regulation, 34-33.

Both teams score as Golden Knights, Coyotes head to third tied

The Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes traded goals in the second period, ending the frame in a 1-1 tie.

The Golden Knights jumped on the board at 7:01 of the second while on the power play. Nicolas Hague collected the puck at the blue line and launched a wrister from the point into traffic. Alex Tuch skated out of the corner to redirect it from just outside the crease and into the net for his second of the season.

It wasn't just the goal: The Golden Knights dominated the start of second period. They didn't allow a shot on goal until there was 8:22 remaining in the period and the second one didn't come until 90 seconds later.

The second period also included a Deryk Engelland breakaway chance, perhaps the least likely Golden Knight to get behind the opposing defense. He came close to earning a penalty shot when Oliver Ekman-Larsson held him, but Vegas had to settle for a power play instead.

But it didn't stay rosy for long. Coming off the faceoff in front of Malcolm Subban, Jakob Chychrun waslked in and sniped it over Subban's right shoulder to tie the game at 14:53.

Despite the strong start, the Golden Knights only led 12-10 in second period shots, giving them a 24-23 advantage for the game.

Golden Knights, Coyotes scoreless after 1

Few games with the defensively sound Arizona Coyotes turn into shootouts. The first period of Friday's game was emblematic of that, as the Golden Knights went into the first intermission in a 0-0 tie.

The first good look for either team didn't come until the midway point, when Malcolm Subban slid from the left of the crease to the right to deny an Oliver Ekman-Larsson one-timer attempt. It was his ninth save of the game, but first high-danger look from Arizona.

The next big look from Arizona didn't require a Subban save. Brayden McNabb fell down allowing Phil Kessel an open lane to the net, and his show above Subban's blocker went wide of the net.

The Golden Knights had a couple of chances in the first period, including a Max Pacioretty wrister that went wide of the net and a Reilly Smith wrist shot that Darcy Kuemper saved.

The Coyotes led in shots on goal 13-12, though the Golden Knights led in total attempts 19-17, which included an Arizona power play.

Golden Knights hope to ride momentum into duel with Coyotes

Many, including yours truly, pegged Wednesday's win over the Predators as a season-defining victory, one that could catapult the Golden Knights out of their season-long slump and into true Stanley Cup contention.

For that to happen, though, the Golden Knights must start winning. And that task begins this afternoon against the Arizona Coyotes, a goaltending powerhouse that sits second in the Pacific Division. Puck drop at T-Mobile Arena is scheduled for a 3 p.m.

"To be able to come from behind and show a little resilience, that goes a long way going forward," Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch said.

What the Coyotes will try to do won't come as a surprise. They're going to run out a potential Vezina front-runner in Darcy Kuemper into their net, play a strong defensive game and look to win a low-scoring game.

A low-scoring game turns the emphasis to Vegas' defense, a unit that has allowed at least three goals in four of the last five games. The Golden Knights have forwards who are good at getting back to help the back end — Mark Stone finished second in the Selke voting last year — but it will be on the defense to make sure the Coyotes don't have many quality chances on goal.

"I think that's definitely been a point of emphasis the last couple of weeks is us tightening things up defensively," Vegas defenseman Jon Merrill said. "Regardless of who is on the other side of the ice tonight, that's definitely something we're really focused on is not giving up too much."

The Golden Knights will oppose Kuemper with goalie Malcolm Subban making his third straight start. It's been a rough season for Subban, who has shown flashes this year but has struggled to find consistency. Even in his best games, like the 35-save output in October in Toronto, he has yet to pick up a victory.

He was in net for the Nashville comeback Wednesday, allowing him to be on the ice for the most dramatic win of the season.

"It was huge for him the way we got those points the other night," coach Gerard Gallant said. "He played a good, solid game in there. Nothing he could have done on any of the goals in my opinion and I liked the way he played. It was big for our team to get that win, but it was just as big for him."

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Betting line: Golden Knights minus-150, Coyotes plus-130; over/under: 3.5 (minus-125, plus-105)

Golden Knights (12-11-4, 28 points) (6-5-3 home), fourth place, Pacific Division; second place, Wild Card

Coach: Gerard Gallant (third season)

Points leader: Max Pacioretty (25)

Goals leaders: Reilly Smith, Mark Stone (11)

Assists leaders: Max Pacioretty (16)

Expected goalie: Malcolm Subban (3.46 GAA, .888 save percentage)

Coyotes (15-8-3, 33 points) (8-3-2 road), second place, Pacific Division

Coach: Rick Tocchet (third season)

Points leaders: Nick Schmaltz (19)

Goals leaders: Conor Garland (10)

Assists leaders: Nick Schmaltz (10)

Expected goalie: Darcy Kuemper (2.03 GAA, .932 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty—Paul Stastny—Mark Stone

Alex Tuch—Cody Eakin—Cody Glass

William Carrier—Tomas Nosek—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb—Nate Schmidt

Nicolas Hague—Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill—Deryk Engelland

Goalies

Malcolm Subban, Garret Sparks