Knights goalie Malcolm Subban takes seat in tunnel for Game 3
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Malcolm Subban usually has a nice spot from the Golden Knights’ bench to view the game.
But at the SAP Center, the visitors’ bench can’t accommodate him because space is limited. So Subban watched Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals Monday against the San Jose Sharks on television near the visitors’ entrance to the ice.
“Obviously you’d like to watch the game with the guys,” the backup goaltender said. “You just have to stay ready.”
Subban experienced that on Feb. 8 when he suited up after being injured in the pregame skate that morning and watched the Knights’ 5-3 win on a 15-inch screen just a few feet from the ice. Would he prefer a bigger screen?
“Nah, it’s just a TV,” he said.
Maybe a nice recliner and some popcorn wouldn’t be a bad addition though.
‘Nighty Knight’
The Sharks decided to have some fun at the Knights’ expense, trolling the visitors with white rally towels handed out to all fans for Game 3 with the inscription “Nighty Knight.”
The players saw the towels before they stepped onto the ice at SAP Center for their morning skate and got a good chuckle over it.
The Sharks also had the words “Nighty” and “Knight” spelled out in teal at each end of the upper level.
#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/39CZ0wjGwr
— David Schoen ??? (@DavidSchoenLVRJ) April 30, 2018
Fleury tops stats
Going into Monday’s play, Marc-Andre Fleury led all playoff goaltenders with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage. Fleury was tied with six other goalies with five wins.
Sharks changes
The Sharks made some lineup changes as they welcomed back forward Evander Kane following his one-game suspension for a cross-check to the face of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare in Game 1. With Kane back on the ice, that forced Joonas Donskoi to the press box and Timo Meier dropped down from the first line to the third line with Barclay Goodrow and Kevin Labanc.
Chris Tierney moved up to the top line with Kane and Joe Pavelski.
Couture is clutch
Logan Couture, who scored the game-winner in the second overtime of Game 2, had a team-high four playoff goals going into Game 3. Three of his four goals have either given San Jose the lead or accounted for the game-winning goal.
Couture also had a game-winner against the Knights in the regular season when he scored 39 seconds into overtime in a 2-1 San Jose win on March 22.
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Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
