Golden Knights make goaltending change for Game 5 against Montreal

The Golden Knights switched goaltenders for the second straight game Tuesday.

Marc-Andre Fleury will start Game 5 of the Knights’ semifinal series against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena. Robin Lehner played in Game 4 on Sunday and was sensational, making 27 saves in a 2-1 overtime win.

Fleury had made eight straight starts before Sunday. Coach Pete DeBoer said he made the change for Game 4 because he thought Fleury was fatigued. The 36-year-old will tie Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Montreal’s Carey Price for the most starts in the playoffs with 16.

“We wouldn’t be here without (Fleury) and how he’s played for us, but it’s a lot of hockey,” DeBoer said. “For me, knowing (Lehner), knowing how hard he’s worked and knowing the goalie he is, the gamble to play him having not played a lot lately was no bigger than the gamble of playing a fatigued, in my mind, goalie with no rest really on the horizon.”

Now, the Knights are turning back to Fleury after he got extra rest.

The Vezina Trophy finalist is 9-6 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .921 save percentage this postseason. He stopped 44 of the 50 shots he faced in Games 2 and 3 against the Canadiens, both losses. Fleury misplayed a puck in the third period of Game 3 that led to a game-tying goal with 1:55 remaining in regulation.

DeBoer said the play had “nothing to do” with his decision to start Lehner in Game 4. Lehner’s impressive performance also didn’t deter the Knights from going back to Fleury.

The two goaltenders had fun with the questions surrounding who was going to start Game 5 on Tuesday morning. Rookie Logan Thompson, the American Hockey League’s goaltender of the year, was actually the first one off the ice. Normally that would mean he was the expected starter.

Lehner tweeted that he told Thompson to go off first.

I told Logan to go off first:)

— Robin Lehner (@RobinLehner) June 22, 2021

The scene was a window into how loosely Fleury and Lehner approached the situation. The two, especially Lehner, have been praised by teammates for always being willing to support and help the other one no matter who is playing.

The two won the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL in the regular season.

“They created a pretty good bond,” defenseman Nick Holden said. “A partnership where they’re helping each other out when the other guy’s not in. Helping with shooters, tendencies and stuff like that. Throughout the year, they’ve relied on each other to push each other.”

Also, center Chandler Stephenson returned to the lineup after missing three consecutive games with an upper-body injury.

Stephenson has six assists in 14 playoff games. The team’s top line has struggled in his absence. Right wing Mark Stone has no points against the Canadiens, and left wing Max Pacioretty has two assists.

Alex Tuch returned to third-line right wing as a result, and Keegan Kolesar moved down to fourth-line right wing. Forward Patrick Brown was a healthy scratch.

Tuesday marks the first time the Knights have had a fully healthy lineup this postseason.

“Chandler is a tremendous player,” Kolesar said. “He does everything for us. First line, power play, (penalty kill). Plays a lot of heavy minutes for us.”

Here’s what the Knights’ lineup looks like:

Max Pacioretty-Chandler Stephenson-Mark Stone

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark-Nicolas Roy-Alex Tuch

William Carrier-Tomas Nosek-Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez-Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore

Nick Holden-Zach Whitecloud

Marc-Andre Fleury

Here’s what the Canadiens’ lineup look like:

Artturi Lehkonen-Phillip Danault-Brendan Gallagher

Tyler Toffoli-Nick Suzuki-Cole Caufield