Quick makes 25 saves in debut, Golden Knights defeat Canadiens

LAS VEGAS --Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in his debut for the Vegas Golden Knights, a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.

Quick was acquired by Vegas in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, one day after he was traded to the Blue Jackets by the Los Angeles Kings for goalie Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
"I felt pretty comfortable right from the get-go," Quick said. "Obviously, just a different setting. Different color jersey. Once you get out there, you're just trying to play hockey."
Ivan Barbashev scored twice for the Golden Knights (38-19-6), who have won three straight and are 9-1-2 since the All-Star break.
Vegas moved two points ahead of Los Angeles for first place in the Pacific Division.
"It's a result-oriented business. We won the hockey game. We've won some very close games," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Momentum swings both ways. As a coach, you're hoping they go more your way than the other team's way more consistently. … It's not easy to win in this league. I'm a glass half full type of guy, so I appreciate the points, but I'm also a coach, so I'm also looking at correcting."

Mike Matheson, Alex Belzile and Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored, and Jake Allen made 24 saves for the Canadiens (26-33-4), who have lost three in a row.
"The biggest thing is how we want to play. I feel like we're able to generate plenty without the cost of something else," Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. "You're seeing that. I never feel like we're out of it."
Shea Theodore gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 12:37 of the first period with a wrist shot from the high slot through a screen.
Barbashev made it 2-0 at 19:41 when he jammed in a backdoor pass from Jack Eichel at the right post.
"It was amazing [pass]. We had a couple of seams a play before that," Barbashev said. "It was a pretty good play by both (Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault)."

Reilly Smith extended the lead to 3-0 at 7:20 of the second period. Following a turnover in the neutral zone, he took a return pass from William Karlsson and guided the puck into an open net.
Matheson made it 3-1 at 2:04 of the third period off a face-off win by Jonathan Drouin.
Barbashev pushed it to 4-1 at 7:44 when Michael Amadio's deflection of Nicolas Hague's one-timer redirected in off him at the right of the net.
"You'll see a lot more of [him going to the net] in his goals. That's where he goes. That's where he hangs out," Cassidy said. "He's comfortable there right in front of that net. He was ready to use his feet, his stick, whatever was necessary. You'll see some guys get pucks in those situations that don't finish because they're not comfortable in there. He's very comfortable there."

Belzile made it 4-2 at 8:07, scoring short side from the right circle after faking a slap shot. Harvey-Pinard then scored 35 seconds later on a one-timer from in tight to cut it to 4-3.
After Mike Hoffman hit the crossbar with 1:23 remaining, Quick preserved the win by getting across to stop a one-timer from Drouin during a 6-on-5 with 19 seconds left.
"I liked his game. He got the 'W.' He made a big save on a one-timer to get across there," Cassidy said. "That's a save we needed, and he got it."
NOTES: Barbashev has five points (two goals, three assists) in three games with the Golden Knights. … Forward Teddy Blueger had the assist on Theodore's goal. It was his first point in two games with Vegas since being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.