Coyotes play in third straight shootout, fall to Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS (AP) — When Malcolm Subban was 14 years old, he started packing his goalie bags the exact same way and hasn’t changed since.

“I go pants, jock, kneepads, then skates, shoulder pads, helmet, glove — always the same” said the 25-year-old goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights.

He’s just as meticulous as he prepares his mindset for a shootout.

Subban improved to 5-0 lifetime in a shootout, Alex Tuch scored in regulation and added the shootout winner, and Vegas notched a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.

Jonathan Marchessault also scored in the shootout for Vegas, which won its second straight.

Subban, who went into the shootout a perfect 16 for 16 in his career, stopped 35 shots in his third straight start, including two monster saves in the final 12 seconds of regulation, and two more in overtime, turning away Phil Kessel. He stopped two of the three shots he faced in the shootout.

“I wish I could describe the feeling, but I’m just focused on the puck and you don’t really feel anything else,” Subban said. “I just try to stay patient in there and give my team a chance to get a goal or two.”

After losing his first six starts, going 0-4-2, Subban has won two straight after an overtime win in Nashville on Wednesday night.

“When you’re losing a lot, it gets pretty miserable, so I’m happy to get a couple of wins here,” Subban said. “You’re kind of just into the game and just try to dial yourself in and not think about anything else that’s going on.”

Vegas played its second straight overtime game and sixth in November. The Golden Knights, who are 4-4 in overtime games this season, including a perfect 3-0 in shootouts.

“Tuchy had a good game, he played one of his better games of the year,” Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said. “Subby was good, made a couple of key saves there in overtime, locked in all night long. Obviously in the shootout he’s very good at those breakaways.”

Arizona — which is 6-2-2 against Pacific Division teams and has earned a point in nine straight games (6-0-3) against them — played in its third straight overtime game and seventh this month.

The Coyotes have earned points in 11 of 14 road games (8-3-3) and have earned points in eight of their last nine road games (6-1-2).

Jakob Chychrun scored for the Coyotes, and Darcy Kuemper made 37 saves. Christian Dvorak scored the lone shootout goal for Arizona.

“We played a good hockey game tonight, we deserved better,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said. “You kill that many penalties and you don’t get power plays and that’s what happened. I’m proud of the guys we played hard.”

NOTES: Vegas scored a first-period goal in its first 11 home games of the season but has been held scoreless in the first period in three of its last four home games. … Chychrun is two games shy of playing in the 200th of his career. … Arizona’s 61 goals against are tied for third-fewest in the NHL.

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