Barbashev scores 2, Golden Knights tip Canadiens 4-3
By Kirk Kern, The Associated Press on March 5, 2023.
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Ivan Barbashev scored his first two goals with Vegas and Jonathan Quick got his first victory with the Golden Knights in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. Shea Theodore and Reilly Smith also scored for Vegas, which got its third straight home win. Quick, acquired from Columbus on Thursday – two days after he was traded from Los Angeles to the Blue Jackets – made 25 saves on 28 shots. Mike Matheson, Alex Belzile and Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored for Montreal, which lost its third straight to finish a four-game trip. Jake Allen had 24 saves. The Golden Knights led 3-0 entering the third period, but Montreal’s Mike Matheson scored at 2:04 to get the Canadiens on the board. It was Matheson’s fifth goal of the season. Vegas restored its three-goal lead as Barbashev – acquired from St. Louis last Sunday – scored his second of the game and 12th of the season at 7:44. Belzile pulled the Canadiens back within two just 23 seconds later with his second of the season. Montreal pulled to 4-3 another 35 seconds later as Harvey-Pinard took a pass from Jesse Ylonen from behind the net to beat Quick for his eighth. The Golden Knights jumped out early with two first-period goals. The first came when Theodore’s shot from the top of the circle eluded traffic to beat Allen. It was Theodore’s seventh. Vegas extended the lead to 2-0 with 19 seconds left in the opening period when Barbashev tapped in the puck from the right side of the crease. Smith pushed the lead to 3-0 at 7:20 of the second as he took a pass from William Karlsson in transition on the right wing and slid the puck past Allen for his 21st. UP NEXT Canadiens: Host Carolina on Tuesday to open a three-game homestand. Golden Knights: At Florida on Tuesday to start a five-game trip. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://www.twitter.com/AP_Sports 16-15
