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Blog: Alex Tuch, Colin Miller lead Golden Knights over Flames

Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames

Christopher DeVargas

The Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after right wing Alex Tuch (89) scores against the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena, Fri. Nov. 23, 2018.

Updated Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 | 4:46 p.m.

Last time the Golden Knights played the Calgary Flames, it was an ugly loss. Friday afternoon, Vegas picked up a pretty win.

Vegas was strong on defense, special teams, and Alex Tuch and Colin Miller each scored as the Golden Knights captured a 2-0 win over the Pacific Division-leading Flames at T-Mobile Arena.

It was Marc-Andre Fleury's league-best fourth shutout of the season. He made 29 saves.

The win was Vegas' third in four games, and moved it within two points of a postseason spot.

The Golden Knights broke through on Tuch's goal in the waning minutes of the second period, then came out flying in the third. Miller scored his first of the season at 2:34 of the third period, and Nick Holden rang one off the post minutes after that. Vegas had eight of the period's first 10 shots, and but the game ended with shots in Calgary's favor, 29-28.

Vegas countered Calgary's speed, which was deadly in the teams' last meeting, with physicality. William Carrier staple-gunned Calgary defenseman Juuso Valimaki, the highlight for a game Vegas outhit the Flames, 36-20.

Come back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage.

Tuch breaks the tie

Alex Tuch has been everything the Golden Knights needed him to be and more since he returned from injury.

Stationed in front of the net, Tuch redirected a Cody Eakin point shot with 3:51 to go in the second period to give Vegas a 1-0 lead.

It was Tuch's sixth goal and 14th point in 16 games this season.

Vegas had its chanced beyond Tuch's goal. At different times in the second, Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson flashed a little flare, dancing around a defender. Marchessault ran out of room and Calgary goalie David Rittich swatted it away, and Karlsson's show went over the net.

The third line showed off some chops too, particularly when Ryan Carpenter saw Tomas Nosek snuck behind the defense. Carpenter slid him the puck, but Nosek could not elevate and it was enveloped in Rittich's left pad.

Vegas took the shots-on-goal lead, 18-16 after two periods.

Scoreless after one

Twenty minutes came and went and neither team managed a goal.

Vegas had the best look of the period with just over a minute left. William Karlsson raced past the defenders and found a wide-open Reilly Smith coming up the left wing and dished between the legs of Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic. Smith fired at an empty cage with Calgary goalie David Rittich on the other side of the crease, but Smith's shot caromed off the post, off Rittich's stick and out of harm's way.

Vegas nearly surrendered an early goal on a three-on-two break with Calgary's top line charging, but Johnny Gaudreau's shot missed wide.

Shots on goal were tied after the first period, 8-8.

Pre-game

The Golden Knights are looking for a better outcome today than in their last game against the Calgary Flames.

It would be hard to have a worse one. Vegas gave up a season-high in goals-allowed in a 7-2 loss to the Flames in Calgary on Monday. They return home for today's rematch at 3 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.

"I don't think anybody likes getting embarrassed like we did the other night there," defenseman Colin Miller said. "That being said, it's a new game, it's a new night. We're back at home where we like to play."

In their last meeting, the Flames scored five goals against the Golden Knights in the first period and never looked back. Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk each had four points for Calgary, and Sean Monahan had three points. Calgary scored seven goals before Vegas got on the board.

To avoid the same result, the Golden Knights will be tasked with slowing down the Calgary top line.

"That top line with Gaudreau and Monahan are obviously very good like we saw a couple days ago," Miller said. "When we can have more guys on the (defensive) side that they can, generally that bodes well for us."

Before the game, Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said new call-up Daniel Carr will make his Vegas debut. Prior to joining the Golden Knights on Thursday, Carr was tied for the American Hockey League lead with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists).

Carr signed with Vegas as a free agent in July after playing 18 games over three years with the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old will skate on the third line with Ryan Carpenter and Tomas Nosek.

"Little bit of jump, little bit of grit," Gallant said of what he expects out of Carr. "We're looking to give him an opportunity because he deserves it. He's played really well down there."

Emerson’s Prediction: Flames 4, Golden Knights 2

Season record for predictions: Keefer 5-4, Emerson 0-1

Pick to score the Golden Knights’ first goal: Max Pacioretty

Season record for first goal scored: Keefer 1-for-9, Emerson 0-for-1

TV: AT&T SportsNet (DirecTV 684, Cox 1313, CenturyLink 1760)

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-30, Ducks plus-120; over/under: 6 (plus-109, minus-110)

Golden Knights (10-12-1) (5-3-1 home)

Coach: Gerard Gallant (second season)

Goals leader: Jonathan Marchessault (10)

Assists leader: William Karlsson (12)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (2.58 gaa, .901 save percentage)

Calgary Flames (13-8-1) (6-5-0 road)

Coach: Bill Peters (first season)

Goals leader: Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk (8)

Assists leader: Mark Giordano, Johnny Gaudreau (18)

Expected goalie: David Rittich (2.04 gaa, .930 save percentage)

Golden Knights expected game day roster

Forwards (12): Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, William Carrier, Ryan Carpenter, Daniel Carr, Cody Eakin, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Tomas Nosek, Max Pacioretty, Ryan Reaves, Reilly Smith, Alex Tuch

Defensemen (6): Deryk Engelland, Nick Holden, Brayden McNabb, Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore

Goalies (2): Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban

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