Defense delivers in Golden Knights’ narrow win over Dallas

By Justin Emerson

Friday, March 15, 2019 | 9 p.m.

DALLAS — You’ll forgive the Golden Knights’ top penalty-killing pair for huffing air a little harder after Friday’s game.

Defensemen Brayden McNabb and Deryk Engelland played virtually all of the last six minutes of the game, killing off two late penalties and helping the Golden Knights escape American Airlines Center with a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars.

“We did a pretty good job of getting clears and making sure the shots were outside the dots,” McNabb said. “We did a good job. We had four days off, so our energy was there, and it’s a fun way to win.”

Engelland finished with a team-high 24:21 of ice time, and McNabb was second at 23:48. In the final six minutes of the game, Engelland played 4:56 and McNabb played 4:37. The defense, which was terrific all game, turned on the jets in the final few minutes. Vegas took two penalties in the final 5:22 of the game and asked a little extra of their two defensemen.

“You need a good mix on your blue line, and I think we've got a good mix,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “They’re definitely defensive guys, but we got some offensive guys back there, but they play strong and hard every night for us.”

Max Pacioretty scored his 22nd goal of the season just 18 seconds into the game, and Ryan Reaves broke a 1-1 tie with his ninth goal early in the third period to pace the Golden Knights, who have won seven of eight to remain in third place in the Pacific Division.

McNabb was quick to credit the forwards, who were in typical hockey fashion quick to credit the defensemen. On the Stars’ first power play, Vegas threw Paul Stastny and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare over the boards — two centers in case Stastny was tossed from the circle. He lost the draw, but Vegas quickly recovered to clear the zone and switched forwards. William Karlsson and Reilly Smith came on and, just as fast, left for Ryan Carpenter and Cody Eakin.

In the first 79 seconds, the Golden Knights managed four shifts and used six forwards.

The second penalty wasn’t as clean. Karlsson was in the box for high-sticking, removing one of the Golden Knights’ best killers from the equation. This time it was 59 seconds before Stastny and Bellemare could change, ceding the remaining 61 seconds to Carpenter and Eakin.

The Golden Knights held the Stars to five shots on goal over the two power plays. The Stars were 0-for-5 on the night with the extra man.

“When there are that many guys out there, you don’t really want to press too much, keep it to the outside,” Stastny said. “Our ‘D’ does a good job of clearing that second or third chance and our goaltenders are charged with making that first stop, and they’ve done that all year.”

The Stars’ only goal came on a rare Vegas miscue, when Engelland couldn’t corral the puck and Roope Hintz picked his pocket and scored 4:04 into the first period to tie the game at 1-1.

After that, Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t need to be great. The Stars had 15 high-danger scoring chances in the game, and only four in the third period. He finished with 40 saves.

“I’ve played with my D-men for a while now and I know what to expect from them, and they know what to expect from me a bit,” Fleury said. “They did great, blocked some shots, cleared the rebounds away, got the guys in front. That’s always a big help for me.”

As the Golden Knights roll toward the playoffs, now six points clear of fourth-place Arizona, they know a game like Friday’s is one they’ll see a lot of when everyone is playing tight, defensive hockey. Gallant said this was the Golden Knights team he wants to see the rest of the way.

“When we play our best hockey, it starts in the defensive end,” Gallant said. “I don’t want us to be a high-flying team. I want us to be a good, solid team and find ways to grind out wins like we did tonight.”