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March 29, 2024

Blog: Pietrangelo scores twice, but Golden Knights fall to Canadiens in Game 2

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Steve Marcus

The Montreal Canadiens face the Vegas Golden Knights after beating the Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

Updated Wednesday, June 16, 2021 | 8:44 p.m.

Golden Knights Fall to Canadiens in Game 2

An official keeps Vegas Golden Knights left wing Max Pacioretty (67) away from celebrating Montreal Canadiens after the Golden Knights 3-2 loss in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Launch slideshow »

The Golden Knights trailed by three goals late in the second period, and Alex Pietrangelo very nearly got them back in the game.

The Vegas defenseman scored two goals, the first multigoal playoff game of his career, but the lead the Montreal Canadiens built was too big for the Golden Knights to overcome, and they dropped Game 2 of their third-round series 3-2 on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.

It evened the series at a game apiece, and Game 3 will be in Montreal at 5 p.m. Friday.

For the second game in a row the Canadiens were the better team early in the first, and this time they capitalized. Joel Armia picked up a blocked shot that kicked out to him and sent it into the net, putting Montreal on top 6:12. The Canadiens grabbed another later in the frame, a slot chance from Tyler Toffoli that dribbled its way into the net at 16:30.

The second period went by without much action for large stretches, but the teams traded goals in the final two minutes. Paul Byron put the Canadiens up 3-0 when he connected on a breakaway at 17:45, but Pietrangelo put the game back within two goals on a long-range wrister 61 seconds later.

Pietrangelo brought the crowd to its feet with 5:14 remaining in the game with his second of the game, and it started a furious push from Vegas to find the equalizer. The Golden Knights had seven shots on goal in the final five minutes and had an extra attacker for the final 1:32, but couldn't find the third goal they needed and Montreal ran out the clock.

Vegas led in final shots on goal 31-23. It was the first loss at T-Mobile Arena since Game 5 of the first round, snapping a five-game win streak.

Check back to lasvegassun.com later for more coverage and read below for live updates from the game.

Golden Knights chasing two goals heading to third against Canadiens

The second period saw a lot of action early on, a lull for most of the period then a pair of goals in the final minutest. When it ended, the Golden Knights trailed the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

The Golden Knights came out with better jump in the second period, and had two grade-A chances early on. Keegan Kolesar sprang Max Pacioretty for a breakaway, but he hit the post at the 3:22 mark, and then after an extended shift in the offensize zone it took a spectacular save from Carey Price to deny Alec Martinez on the back door at 5:17. They even had a power-play chance, but could not make the best of it.

The rest of the period was a lot of the puck going from end to end without many dangerous chances. Both teams had asome rushes, had some extended zone time, but nothing that turned into an opportunity to score.

That is until a traffic jam at the Vegas blue line allowed the puck to squirt through and give Paul Byron a breakaway. He went in alone on Marc-Andre Fleury, hesitated just long enough to get Fleury to commit and roofed it by him on the backhand at 17:45 to put the Canadiens up 3-0.

Three goals going to the third would have been a tough ask, so Alex Pietrangelo made sure it was only two. One minute and one second after Byron's goal, Pietrangelo sent an offering through traffic that wiggled its way through everyone and into the net at 18:46 to make the score 3-1.

Vegas looked better overall in the second though, and led 10-4 in shots as a result.

Golden Knights give up a pair in first period to Canadiens

For the second game in a row, the Canadiens came out of the gate hot with pressure in the Vegas zone. It didn't hurt the Golden Knights in Game 1, but it put them in an early hole in Game 2.

Montreal scored two in the first period, putting the Golden Knights in a 2-0 hole after 20 minutes of Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday.

The Montreal fourth line did the kind of work asked for by a fourth line, forechecking well and creating chances from in close. On the fourth attempt Joel Armia capitalized, putting home a rebound and putting Montreal up 1-0 at the 6:12 mark of the game.

The Golden Knights struggled to get much going at either end of the ice, but particularly in their defensive zone. Too often Montreal would keep the zone after a shot, picking up its own rebound and started the cycle again. When Vegas gained the zone, the forecheck wasn't there to get the puck back, leading to easier breakouts for the Canadiens.

And at 16:30, the Candiens got another one. Cole Caufield collected the puck at the right circle and instead of shooting, dished to Tyler Toffoli in the slot. Toffoli one-timed it, but it didn't get all of it, sending a changeup at the Vegas net, fooling Marc-Andre Fleury and sliding into the net for a 2-0 Montreal lead.

Vegas finished with a 12-4 disadvantage in shots on goal.

Golden Knights looking for hot start in Game 2 against Canadiens

The Golden Knights took control of Game 1 and cruised to a victory over the Montreal Canadiens, but it took them some time to get there. Tonight, they'll look to control action right from the jump.

The only nit to pick in Vegas' game Monday was the first few minutes where Montreal came out flying and got a few dangerous looks at the net. The Golden Knights played a nearly flawless game otherwise, and tightening up the start could put Vegas on the path to a 2-0 series lead. Game 2 is set for 6 p.m. today at T-Mobile Arena.

"Come out stronger than we did last game," Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar said when asked for a key to Game 2. "I think we were all just wondering what this game was going to be like instead of just taking it to them, so I think we need to come out a little bit harder on the gas here to start."

Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer compared the sluggish Game 1 start to the first game of the last round. Colorado, coming off a sweep, was waiting for Vegas to finish its series and pounced with its fresh legs. Vegas didn't respond well in that one but did against the Canadiens, taking it to them for the next 40 minutes in a 4-1 win.

That's part of the talent disparity between the two clubs. The Golden Knights finished second in the league standings, while Montreal was 18th. Vegas is a heavy favorite in the series — even more so after the victory in Game 1 — and the Canadiens need a lot of things to go right to pull off the upset.

"They came out and got to their game right away and I thought we did a good job of weathering that right off the start, and once we kind of got going with our job, we started to pick up the pace a little bit more," Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "At the end of the day, it's whatever team can establish their game and stick to that and stick to what they do best for the longest period of time is going to have success."

The Golden Knights have been "playing their game," controlling puck possession, exiting the zone smoothly, forechecking strongly, going on six games in a row. Since that Game 1 against Colorado, Vegas has been the aggressor and has won five games in a row. The Golden Knights can match a franchise record with their sixth consecutive playoff win tonight.

Vegas will turn to the same lineup in Game 2, including a seventh consecutive start for goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The Golden Knights are almost fully healthy, missing just Tomas Nosek from their usual rotation of skaters. He has skated with the team but is not expected to play tonight.

The Canadiens have a few game-time decisions, including a potential boon to their back end. Defenseman Jeff Petry, who finished tied for seventh among league defenseman with 42 points, is a possibility tonight, as is forward Jake Evans and former Golden Knights defenseman Jon Merrill, though Evans practiced in a noncontact jersey. Petry has missed two games with a hand injury and would provide Montreal with an offensive threat from the blue line.

Vegas has only ever taken a 2-0 lead in a series twice — in 2018 against the Kings and last season against the Blackhawks. In both instances, the series did not advance beyond five games. The Golden Knights are 4-1 in series in which they win Game 1, with the only loss coming in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against Washington.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 3

Series: Golden Knights lead 1-0

TV: NBC Sports Network (DirecTV 220, Cox 38, CenturyLink 640)

Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM

Betting line: Golden Knights minus-270, Canadiens plus-235; over/under: 5.5 (minus-140, plus-120)

Golden Knights (9-5, West Division No. 2 seed)

Coach: Pete DeBoer (second season)

Points leader: William Karlsson (12)

Goals leader: Jonathan Marchessault (6)

Assists leader: William Karlsson (8)

Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.84 GAA, .927 save percentage)

Canadiens (8-4, North Division No. 4 seed)

Coach: Dominique Ducharme (first season)

Points leader: Tyler Toffoli (11)

Goals leaders: Four players (4)

Assists leaders: Tyler Toffoli (7)

Expected goalie: Carey Price (2.15 GAA, .929 save percentage)

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark—Nicolas Roy—Alex Tuch

William Carrier—Keegan Kolesar—Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb—Shea Theodore

Nick Holden—Zach Whitecloud

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner

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