Lehner, Golden Knights shut down Blackhawks in Video game 1

EDMONTON — Robin Lehner experienced more problems with 1 of his skates than he did with his previous team.

Reilly Smith, Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights took superior treatment of their goaltender Tuesday night.

Theodore and William Provider scored 2:17 aside midway through the 2nd interval, Lehner designed 19 will save against his previous team, and the Golden Knights conquer the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in Recreation 1 of their Stanley Cup playoffs very first-spherical matchup.

Smith scored twice in the 3rd period of time as the leading-seed in the Western Conference kept their scoring outburst from the round-robin seeding games heading in the playoff opener. The Golden Knights scored 15 goals in the 3 seeding video games and did not gradual down against the Blackhawks.

Match 2 is Thursday.

“Goals are substantial in the playoffs and at times it’s just throwing pucks on internet and then hoping for bounces,” Smith stated. “So we have bought to keep on to do that. The ice is not wonderful, so about passing does not definitely assistance, so we get pucks on web and try to crash it. Playoffs, this is wherever you score dirty targets, so we have received to go on to do that.”

Lehner, who was traded from Chicago to Vegas in February, was the backbone of a Golden Knights defence that shut down the Blackhawks. Lehner’s greatest challenge was a faulty skate blade that led to delays in the next interval.

Chicago’s veteran stars Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were primarily held tranquil. Toews and Kane the two hit posts, but blended the trio experienced just five shots on purpose.

“What’s so very good on our workforce is absolutely everyone works again, everyone’s blocking photographs,” Lehner explained. “The (defence) was really superior right now about cleaning up the rebounds. They are a unsafe workforce so we just got to tighten up a minor little bit. I consider we can be even superior.”

Lehner explained he uncovered Monday morning he would begin Sport 1 somewhat than Marc Andre-Fleury. Lehner played two of the a few video games all through the spherical-robin.

“There’s no far better duo in the NHL for goalies,” Vegas centre Jonathan Marchessault mentioned. “(Fluery) is an astounding crew participant as nicely. He was the initially to cheer the boys on in the locker area, and he’s these types of a leader on and off the ice. I think whoever’s in that, we we come to feel 100% assured as a team.”

David Kampf scored small-handed for the Blackhawks in the 2nd period of time thanks mainly to the get the job done of Brandon Saad forcing a turnover, but that was the extent of Chicago’s scoring.

“I consider we’ll absolutely have adjustments, but for the most section I consider we did a rather great task,” Saad claimed. “We’ve acquired to know that’s how the collection is likely to be. We cannot just when items aren’t likely our way get frustrated or if they score a goal, kind of get let down.”

Theodore scored his 3rd intention of the publish-period, flicking a wrist shot previous Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford from the suitable circle. Minutes later, Carrier jabbed dwelling a loose puck in front of Crawford’s internet after Ryan Reeves had thrown the puck on internet to give the Golden Knights a 2- guide.

Smith assisted on Theodore’s opener ahead of discovering the internet himself twice in the closing 20 minutes. The two plans were being assisted by Marchessault, the next enabling Smith to skate in absolutely free and lift a backhanded shot more than Crawford’s glove.

Vegas earned the major-seed in the Western Conference right after winning the Pacific Division and heading 3- in the round-robin qualifying round to figure out playoff seeding.

But Chicago was an unpredicted first-spherical opponent for the Golden Knights. The Blackhawks, as the No. 12 seed, were impressive in dispatching heavily-favoured Edmonton in 4 game titles in the qualifying round.

NOTES: Vegas F Max Pacioretty made his put up-season debut following getting slowed by a small harm. Pacioretty led Vegas with 32 aims and 66 details this time. … The game was stopped for quite a few minutes early in the 2nd period of time right after Lehner missing the blade on his still left skate soon after banging it into the intention write-up. Lehner required added operate on the skate later on in the period all through a timeout and had the blade appear off the skate once more late in the period of time throughout a Chicago power perform. “I was quite disappointed. Which is the very first time that has happened to me,” Lehner explained.