Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Quick records shutout, wins third straight start with Golden Knights

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Karl B DeBlaker / Associated Press

Carolina Hurricanes’ Jesse Puljujarvi (13) has his shot blocked by Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, March 11, 2023.

Updated Saturday, March 11, 2023 | 9:06 p.m.

With 1:34 elapsed in the third period, Jonathan Quick showed a glimpse of what he is, was, and can be.

Brett Pesce had the puck on his stick, an open net in front of him. If he buries this, the Carolina Hurricanes get an early goal in the third period and they cut the Vegas Golden Knights' lead in half.

But Quick, in his vintage ways, went post to post to rob Pesce with the glove and keep it a two-goal game.

"That was a huge save to begin the third period," coach Bruce Cassidy said.

It was a moment that might have reminded those who doubted Quick, knowing at 37 years old he might be good for one more playoff run. Time will tell on that front, but Quick continued his stellar run with Vegas with a 34-save shutout to give the Golden Knights a 4-0 win over the Hurricanes at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.

The two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie, who played his first 16 seasons with Vegas' Interstate-15 rivals with Los Angeles, improved to 3-0-0 in three starts with the Golden Knights since being acquired in a trade with Columbus on March 2.

Quick's last two starts have come at the expense of Adin Hill nursing a lower-body injury, forcing Vegas to call up top netminder prospect Jiri Patera from AHL Henderson.

But those last two starts have come against Eastern Conference powers Tampa Bay and Carolina and Quick allowed three total goals in those starts.

"Love what he's brought so far," Cassidy said. "He's out there playing pucks, making it a little easier on the [defense], he controls rebounds well for the most part."

It was the 373rd win of Quick's career, passing Andy Moog for 18th place on the league's all-time list. His 58th career shutout also pushes him to 22nd all-time.

Four different Golden Knights scored, including Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith, as Vegas became the first Western Conference team to reach 40 wins this season (40-20-6).

Paul Cotter ended a nine-game goalless drought in the third period, and Brett Howden scored an empty-net goal for the final score.

In his last two starts, Quick has needed to be at his best to give the Golden Knights a chance.

On Thursday in Tampa, Quick stopped 26 of 27 shots at 5-on-5. Two of his three goals allowed came in the final two minutes when the Lightning were on the power play. Quick nearly won the game in regulation despite lackluster offense.

Saturday was more of the same with Quick stopping all 15 shots he faced in the first period, part of a dominant opening 20 minutes for Carolina where it out-attempted Vegas 32-13.

Much like Thursday, Quick got some offensive assistance early in the game. Marchessault scored his 20th goal of the season at 4:03 of the first period for a 1-0 lead.

"Definitely a lot of positive today," Marchessault said. "That's a pretty tough road trip. Out of those three teams to get two wins, that's big for our group."

Carolina's speed caused problems, but the Golden Knights settled down in the second period and held the Hurricanes to just seven shots in the middle frame.

Smith gave Vegas a 2-0 lead at 17:20 of the period when he got behind Carolina defenseman Brent Burns — who tried to play the puck with one hand — and beat goalie Frederik Andersen with the top left corner.

Given the way Quick played, that's all the Golden Knights needed. While it took a period longer than the last time they faced Carolina on March 1, a 3-2 win, the Golden Knights' defense eventually outmatched Carolina and pushed all their offense to the outside.

The Golden Knights gave up 72 shot attempts, but they held Carolina to 40 through the final 40 minutes.

"I think we did a lot of things well," defenseman Nic Hague said. "We managed the puck well, and when they did get some zone time, I think we handled it well and just found a way to get it done."

Quick becomes the fifth Golden Knights goalie to win his first three starts with the franchise, joining Marc-Andre Fleury, Robin Lehner, Oscar Dansk, and Hill. He joins Lehner and Dansk as the only goalies to record a shutout in one of those starts.

The Golden Knights acquired Quick as potential insurance in case of injuries. With Hill's latest ailment joining him with Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit on the injured list, Quick's impact has been needed much, well, quicker.

He'll get a chance to rest Sunday when the Golden Knights face the St. Louis Blues on the second night of a back-to-back. That will mark the first NHL start for Patera, a sixth-round selection from the Golden Knights in the inaugural 2017 entry draft.

Vegas is 2-1-0 on a five-game road trip with both wins coming against teams where the results didn't seem possible.

Quick has been the reason for this. It's a sign, for now, that he's not ready to go away quietly.

"Quickie, back there, was pretty outstanding," Hague said. "When there was a breakdown, he was there for us."

Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.