Golden Knights send Blackhawks to brink, take 3-0 series lead

By Justin Emerson

Published Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020 | 7:41 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020 | 9:59 p.m.

Patrick Brown was plugged into the Golden Knights lineup in February for a game in Anaheim. He took advantage of the ice time with a goal.

Brown was back in the lineup Saturday. And back on the scoresheet.

Brown scored his second goal in his second game with Vegas this season as the Golden Knights claimed a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven game playoff series.

Brown found out after his pregame nap that he was going to be in lineup and “did what I usually do and got ready for the game.”

In the second period, Brown drove to the net and picked up an Alex Tuch rebound, depositing into the empty goal. That gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead, and it held up as the game-winner.

Like they have all year, the Golden Knights showed off their depth in pushing the Blackhawks to the edge of elimination. They’ll have a chance for a sweep at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

“They’re in desperation mode. No one wants to go down 3-0,” coach Peter DeBoer. “You know you’re going to get their best game, especially from their core guys. There’s a reason they’ve won three Stanely Cups. They’re not going to go down quietly.”

Everyone who has played more than two games in the series has recorded a goal or an assist for Vegas, which continues to pound Chicago up and down the lineup. Saturday was no exception, as the team’s stars connected on the first goal when William Karlsson scored on an assist from Mark Stone.

Brown was inserted to the lineup after Paul Stastny and Tomas Nosek were ruled “unfit to play,” the standard line the NHL asked its teams to use. Max Pacioretty returned for his second game this postseason to fill one spot, and Brown grabbed the other, starting the game on the fourth line and taking the opening draw against future Hall of Famer Jonathan Toews.

“In the playoffs there’s always injuries, always stuff happening, right? To have such a great bunch of guys that can move up the lineup, get into the lineup and make a difference night in and night out, I think that’s huge for us,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said.

Even Fleury, a 16-year veteran whose victory moved him into tie for sixth on the all-time postseason wins list, was an example of that depth. Not many teams have the luxury of turning to a player with his resume in a back-to-back situation, but DeBoer said he was planning on playing both their goalies.

Robin Lehner started the first two games of the series, then Fleury came in and locked down the third. He made 26 saves in his 80th playoff victory.

“He’s the reason why we won this game tonight,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “That’s world-class goaltending right there. It was fun to see him back.”

Fleury was terrific Saturday, allowing just a third-period Olli Maatta shot to sneak through. Even though that goal came at 5-on-5, through three games that’s an area where Chicago has yet to match the Golden Knights. The Blackhawks had 27 total shots on goal Saturday, the most they’ve had in three games this series, but were still outshot 20-18 at even strength.

Through three games at 5-on-5, the Golden Knights lead Chicago in shot attempts (164-125), scoring chances (79-55), expected goals (62.8%) and actual goals (9-3), according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Blackhawks’ best chance for an upset this series was to take advantage of Vegas penalty-killing unit, which struggled under DeBoer this season, and get strong goaltending of its own. Chicago’s power play was good, but Fleury was even better.

His play mitigated the Blackhawks’ unit and forced them to play at 5-on-5. Other than a stretch to start the third where Chicago had the first 10 shot attempts, the Golden Knights had an enormous advantage when all things were equal. Even with the head start, Vegas ended with a slight edge in third-period shot attempts, and a 48-37 edge at 5-on-5.

“Flower was out best player, thankfully and kept the score what it was,” DeBoer said. “Players with his pedigree take a lot of pride in their game. It’s not easy to sit and he handled it exactly like you’d expect a guy like him with his professionalism to handle it.

“He did exactly what we needed him to do, which was come in and play his ass off tonight.”

Vegas has a chance to wrap up the series on Sunday, the first time in team history will play on back-to-back days in the playoffs.

DeBoer wouldn’t comment on Sunday’s lineup, in reference to the starting goalie or the availability of “unfit” players like Stastny. The Golden Knights are still in a good spot, getting to choose between a rested goalie in Lehner who will have had two days off or Fleury, who was sharp Saturday playing his first game in 10 days.

Vegas is 3-3 all-time in potential clinch games, and 3-0 if you exclude last year’s series against DeBoer’s Sharks. With no other Western Conference series in position to end Sunday, a victory would allow the Golden Knights to rest, and allow time for players like Stastny and Nosek to recover, if they need it.

The Golden Knights have plenty of leeway if they don’t polish off this series Sunday. But they sure would like to get it over with.

“As you’ve seen in other games across the league, these back-to-backs are just as intense as the other ones,” Schmidt said. “Especially now, when you got some bumps and bruises in a series, the more time you can give yourself in between is paramount to your health and success as a group.”

Justin Emerson can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Justin on Twitter at twitter.com/@j15emerson.