![May 30, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) looks on after giving up a goal to the Colorado Avalanche during the first period of game one in the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports](https://sportsnaut.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/16180618.jpg?resize=788,444)
Robin Lehner was the first goalie off the ice at the Vegas Golden Knights’ morning skate on Sunday, an indication he will start Game 4 of the NHL semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, multiple outlets reported.
Coach Peter DeBoer was mum on whether Lehner or Marc-Andre Fleury would start in goal in the pivotal game in Montreal.
“Not a chance I’m confirming that,” he said, per TSN.
The Canadiens have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
A Fleury error late in Game 3 on Friday led to the contest going into overtime. With a 2-1 Vegas lead and less than two minutes on the clock, Fleury collected a loose puck behind the net but accidentally kicked it, where it was knocked into the open net by Montreal’s Josh Anderson to tie the score.
Montreal won 3-2 in overtime on another Anderson goal.
“Those type of events are tough to recover from,” DeBoer said after Game 3. “I didn’t think we were poor in overtime, but there’s no doubt that carried over.”
The 36-year-old Fleury was a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time this season. In 15 playoff games this year, he is 9-6 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. Those are comparable to his regular-season numbers of 1.98 and .928, respectively.
Lehner, 29, has one forgettable appearance this postseason. In the opening game of the second-round series with the Colorado Avalanche, he allowed all seven goals in a 7-1 loss on May 30.
In 19 games in the regular season, he was 13-4-2 with a 2.29 GAA and .913 save percentage.
–Field Level Media