Two debuts work out well for Golden Knights
Alex Tuch and Vadim Shipachyov made the most of their debuts with the Vegas Golden Knights, as they each scored a goal in a 3-1 win over the visiting Boston Bruins on Sunday.
It was just the seventh career game for Tuch, who played in six games with Minnesota last season, while Shipachyov was making his NHL debut. Both players were recalled from Chicago of the AHL to fill roster spots for the suddenly banged-up Golden Knights.
Also making his Vegas debut was goalie Malcolm Subban, who stopped 21 shots for the win against his former team.
Subban, claimed off waivers Oct. 3 from the Bruins, got the nod when No. 1 goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was placed on injured reserve earlier in the day.
Subban had started only two NHL games, both for Boston. He spent most of his time in Providence, where he played in 127 minor league games over four seasons. His best year statistically was during the 2014-15 season, when he finished with a .921 save percentage. In his only two previous NHL starts, Subban had a .727 save percentage for the Bruins.
Tuch, who had four goals and an assist in three AHL games, poked the puck away from Sean Kuraly, skated past Kevan Miller and beat Boston goalie Tuukka Rask with a shot in the upper left corner to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead with 5:21 left in the second period. It was Tuch’s first NHL goal.
Three minutes later, after Rask stopped Tuch’s attempt and fell on his back with traffic around the net, Shipachyov slid the puck past the scrum in front to make it 2-0 with 2:14 left in the period.
Rask made 25 saves for the Bruins. With their goalie pulled for an extra skater, David Pastrnak scored Boston’s goal with 30 seconds left.
SABRES 3, DUCKS 1 >> Chad Johnson made 25 saves, Benoit Pouliot scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and Buffalo beat Anaheim.
Justin Bailey and Johan Larsson also scored for Buffalo, which got its first win in six games this season.
Chris Wagner had a tying goal in the second period for Anaheim, and John Gibson stopped 28 shots for the Ducks.
Bailey scored 1:26 into his first regular-season game. Gibson made the initial save on a shot by Larsson but couldn’t cover the puck. Bailey swooped in as Gibson dove across the crease during a scramble and sent a backhand shot under the goalie’s chest.
The Ducks have yet to score a power-play goal this season. The team’s best opportunity came when a scrum in the crease led to Anaheim forward Derek Grant being bumped inside the goal, along with the puck. Officials whistled the play dead after the puck had crossed the goal line. A video review was initiated, and it was determined there was no goal because the referee was in the process of blowing his whistle when the puck crossed the line.
KINGS 3, ISLANDERS 2 >> Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist to help lead L.A.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty had a shorthanded goal, and Jake Muzzin also scored for Los Angeles (4-0-1). Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots in his first start for the Kings.
Josh Bailey and Casey Cizikas had the goals for the Islanders.
New York (2-3-1) pulled within one when Cizikas poked the puck in with 5:39 to play, but Los Angeles held on down the stretch.
CANADIENS TERMINATE STREIT’S CONTRACT >> A person with direct knowledge of the situation says the Montreal Canadiens have placed defenseman Mark Streit on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.