Golden Knights blank Kings 2-0 to open new year

Marc-Andre Fleury rested his right arm on the knob of his goalie stick and casually leaned against his net late in the second period.

The Golden Knights made sure their goaltender was able to kick back and relax Tuesday.

Fleury was called upon to make a mere 17 saves, as the Golden Knights opened 2019 by blanking Los Angeles 2-0 at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s not easy to play those games,” Fleury said. “I feel like sometimes when you get more shots, you don’t think you just play. It just feels easier, more comfortable.

“I guess I just tried to stay sharp, moving around so when they get that first shot you make the saves.”

Brandon Pirri continued his remarkable hot streak with a power-play goal at 3:43 of the third period, and Alex Tuch added an empty-net goal from center ice with 33 seconds remaining.

The Knights won their fourth straight and extended their points streak to seven games (5-0-2) while moving into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with idle Calgary at 52 points.

“Since the Christmas break, we’ve played great hockey,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “We look like we have a lot more energy in our step and the guys are playing well and working hard. I love the way we’ve played the last four games for sure.”

This was the third meeting in 10 days between the budding rivals and fourth since Dec. 8, with each team winning twice. The clubs don’t play again until the regular-season finale April 6 at Los Angeles.

The Kings, who were playing the last half of a back-to-back, went more than 20 minutes of game time without a shot on goal until Anze Kopitar’s drive with 2:09 remaining in the second period.

The Knights outshot Los Angeles 18-4 in the second period, though the Kings nearly took the lead with a little more than a minute left in the second when Ilya Kovalchuk hit the post.

Fleury denied Tyler Toffoli on a breakaway 6:22 into the third period, stretching out his left pad.

“I was just trying to stay patient,” Fleury said. “He got the OT winner, I think, last time we played them (at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 23). I owed them one, and I was very happy to stop him.”

Fleury recorded his league-leading 23rd victory and sixth shutout. It was the 54th shutout of his career, moving him into a tie for 21st all time with Ed Giacomin and Bernie Parent.

He joked that the announced crowd of 18,319 can put off their New Year’s resolution for a day and enjoy the doughnuts distributed to ticket holders after shutouts.

“I think it’s going to test everybody’s will,” he said. “Maybe they can start (their diets) on the third.”

Pirri pounced on a loose puck near the right faceoff circle and fired it past down-and-out Kings goaltender Jack Campbell for his sixth goal in seven games since he was first recalled from the American Hockey League on Dec. 19.

Pirri also had an assist on Tuch’s empty-netter for his second consecutive two-point game.

Campbell, making his first start since Nov. 10 after surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee, was outstanding for the Kings with 46 saves.

The 17 shots allowed by the Knights matched their season low set Oct. 8 at Buffalo.

“I think we were playing a game we liked, but didn’t love,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “But then in the second period, our guys really buckled down. You could just see their guys were getting a little tired and maybe there was a little bit of blood in the water. They had to travel and with the time change with that, it’s tough. I think we took advantage of that.”

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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.