LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights moved into a first place tie with the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the visiting Detroit Red Wings.
Vegas opened the night in fourth place with 15 points, but along with Anaheim, leapfrogged Edmonton and Seattle to regain the top spot in the Pacific. The Ducks visit Vegas on Saturday.
Ivan Barbashev scored for the Knights while Akira Schmid made 24 saves to earn his second career shutout, his first as a Golden Knight and first since 2023.
Schmid is now 8-1-1 all-time wearing a Vegas sweater.
Though Detroit’s John Gibson stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced, Vegas improved to 24-6 against him since it entered the league.
“It wasn’t as pretty offensively,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Both goaltenders I thought played well. Coaches are generally happy when you pitch a shutout. You have to find a way to win when you don’t get very many goals.”
KEY MOMENT: With the game dragging through the first period and a half, Barbashev ignited the near-sellout crowd when he knocked down Brandon Saad’s spinning backhand at the doorstep and slammed the puck past John Gibson to give Vegas 1-0 and all the momentum it would need.
KEY STAT: The Knights’ struggles with a man advantage continued, as they finished 0 for 1 on the power play. They’re now 2 of 20 on the power play since Oct. 20, and since Mark Stone has been out with a wrist injury.
WHAT A KNIGHT: While Barbashev was credited with the game-winner, Schmid was easily the star of the night, particularly with a highlight-reel save in the third period. Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat raced down the left side and sent a stinger far side that hit Schmid’s glove. Before the puck hit the ice, DeBrincat followed up by tapping the puck right back toward the net, but Schmid’s windmill save stymied the effort.
“I just kind of threw my hand in the air, hoping to hit it,” Schmid said. “Thank God I did.”
UP NEXT: Vegas hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, in the second and final meeting of the season. The Lightning beat the Knights in overtime, 2-1, in Tampa on Oct. 26.
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