Blog: Golden Knights set shots allowed record in win over Ducks

By Justin Emerson

Published Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 | 3:47 p.m.

Updated Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019 | 7:34 p.m.

Two days after playing their worst game of the season, the Golden Knights played perhaps their best.

The Golden Knights outshot the Ducks 49-15, the fewest shots allowed in team history, they blew out the Anaheim Ducks to the tune of a 5-2 win at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

The Ducks actually scored first, netting a goal at 4:12 of the first, a slapper from Ryan Getzlaf.

Their lead lasted 34 seconds, and the Knights took it from there. Mark Stone was credited with the first goal, though it was Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler who shot it inadvertently into his own net after Stone hit the post.

Ryan Reaves was next up, coming up on the receiving end of a nifty play by William Carrier, who drew a penalty and fed him the puck while falling to the ice. Carrier pulled Anaheim goalie John Gibson to the right side of the crease, and Reaves put it home on a shot from the left side.

Then after Nicolas Roy got free on a partial breakaway and scored the first of his career, Vegas led 3-1 after a period.

The second period was no kinder to the Ducks, as William Karlsson added another while on the power play to make it 4-1 as Vegas peppered Gibson with shots all frame.

Paul Stastny scored a power-play goal in the third, and Adam Henrique got one back for Anaheim to bring the game to its final margin.

The Golden Knights return to the ice Thursday at T-Mobile Arena against the Montreal Canadiens.

Golden Knights dominating Ducks through 2 periods

As bad as the Golden Knights were on Friday night, they have been that good Sunday evening, leading the Ducks 4-1 after two periods.

Since the Ducks took a 1-0 lead in the second period, the Golden Knights have controlled everything. They led 32-10 in shots on goal, a good example of the beatdown Vegas has put on Anaheim.

Near the midpoint of the period, Shea Theodore drew a penalty to sent the Golden Knights to the power play. Less than a minute into it, Vegas extended its lead.

First it looked like Jonathan Marchessault scored his third of the year. He rattled off a shot that referees waved in, but after review it managed to hit just about every post but never cross the red line. He settled for a secondary assist when William Karlsson finished a rebound following a gorgeous Reilly Smith zone entry and give-and-go at 9:27 to make it 4-1.

Golden Knights start hot, grab lead over Ducks

The Golden Knights needed a hot start on Sunday, and that's just what they got. Vegas scored three times in the opening period and led the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 after the initial 20 minutes.

The Ducks started the scoring on a play from their own zone. nick Ritchie fired the puck from near the boards to the opposite side of the ice on the diagnoal, and Max Comtois picked it up off the carom. The pass pulled Marc-Andre Fleury out of the net, and he couldnt get back in time before Comtois fed Getzlaf in front of the net. Getzlaf fired it home at 4:12.

The Golden Knights answered 34 seconds later. More specifically the Ducks scored again, just into their own net this time. Mark Stone clanked one off the post and when it dropped in front of the crease, Cam Fowler tried to clear it. What actually happened was the Anaheim defenseman shot it into his own net. Stone was credited with the unassisted goal.

The next goal was far prettier than the first. It was William Carrier who took the puck across the slot and drew a penalty. While he was falling to the ice, he slid the pick behind him to Ryan Reaves for a finish on an open net. It was Reaves' second goal and it came at 7:40.

But the Golden Knights weren't done, and the fourth line struck again. This time it was Nicolas Roy making his Vegas debut. He collected the puck in the offensive zone and tore through two Anaheim defenders and beat John Gibson five-hole for the first goal of his career at 15:29.

Vegas led in shots on goal 17-5.

Fleury, Gibson set for goalie duel as Knights host Ducks

If you're a fan who likes goalie duels where whichever netminder makes the fewest mistakes wins, Sunday's matchup is for you.

In the home net is Marc-Andre Fleury, who multiple advanced stats peg as this season's best goalie so far. In the other is John Gibson, who the analytics loved just as much last season. Both carry strong traditional stats as well, as will clash at 5 p.m. when the Anaheim Ducks visit T-Mobile Arena.

"I think it's going to be a great goaltending matchup tonight, so hopefully we'll play real well and win a hockey game," coach Gerard Gallant said. "I don't expect to see a whole lot of bad goals tonight."

Gibson was the reason the Ducks stayed in the playoff hunt as long as they did last year, stealing game after game until he just couldn't do it anymore. He's back at it this season, helping the Ducks hold opponents to 2.17 goals against per game, second best in the league.

What's different this year is that Anaheim can score. Jakob Silfverberg is tired for the team lead with six goals and nine points, and Hampus Lindholm has been a distributor from the blue line with nine assists, a total that would lead the Golden Knights. It's a younger and faster group than past Ducks team, which Vegas is prepared for.

Vegas is also making a lineup changing, dressing center Nicolas Roy for the first time as a Golden Knight. Roy was acquired this summer from Carolina in exchange for Erik Haula, and he will center the fourth line tonight. Tomas Nosek moves to third-line left wing, and Brandon Pirri will be scratched.

"He's plays a a good defensive, strong game, he's got some talent, some skill, so he's getting an opportunity," Gallant said. "He's an NHL player so he should do fine."

The Golden Knights suffered their worst lost of the season last game, a 6-1 home drubbing by Colorado. Despite a 7-5 record, Vegas has only a plus-1 goal differential when excluding the extra goal awarded for shootouts.

Sunday is an opportunity to get back on track before three days off.

"We need to get back to playing fast, which is the most important part of our game," defenseman Shea Theodore said. "We haven't been playing up to par, and it's our job to fix it."

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

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-240, Ducks plus-190; over/under: 5.5 (minus-115, minus-105)

Golden Knights (7-5-0, 14 points) (3-3-0 home), third place, Pacific Division

Coach: Gerard Gallant (third season)

Points leader: Mark Stone (14)

Goals leaders: Reilly Smith (7)

Assists leaders: William Karlsson, Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone (8)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (2.32 GAA, 9.30 save percentage)

Avalanche (7-5-0, 14 points) (4-2-0 road), second place, Pacific Division

Coach: Dallas Eakins (first season)

Points leaders: Hampus Lindholm, Jakob Silfverberg (9)

Goals leaders: Adam Henrique, Jakob Silfverberg (6)

Assists leaders: Hampus Lindholm (9)

Expected goalie: John Gibson (2.22 GAA, .927 save percentage)

Golden Knights expected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty—Paul Stastny—Mark Stone

Tomas Nosek—Cody Eakin—Cody Glass

William Carrier—Nicolas Roy—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb—Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill—Nick Holden

Nicolas Hague—Deryk Engelland

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Garret Sparks