Goalie Ilya Samsonov said the Vegas Golden Knights locker room was easy to get comfortable with when he joined the team this season.
“You don’t need to feel more comfortable. You’re comfortable right away on the first day. We have a nice group, so fun to be with the guys,” Samsonov said. “We know each other more every day. I don’t have a problem like in the city too. It’s a good city with nice weather. My family is very comfortable.”
Samsonov stopped all 31 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory against the Calgary Flames on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
He said he doesn’t tend to think about the shut-out; instead, he wanted to thank his teammates for doing the gritty work in front of him.
In December, Samsonov is undefeated in four starts, allowing just five goals in that span (1.25 goals against average). He’s also stopped 95 percent of the shots he’s faced this month.
The duo of Samsonov and Adin Hill have been spectacular for the Golden Knights. When combined with the stingy defensive stylings of a Bruce Cassidy-coached team, it can only be a recipe for success.
So far, outside of one game where Hill gave up six, the Golden Knights duo have not let much go by them this month. Only one team (San Jose Sharks on Thursday) has scored more than two goals in the 10 wins.
If the Golden Knights can stay healthy in the net, something that wasn’t there in 2022-23 when it lifted the Stanley Cup, and continue their production, the Golden Knights will be primed to make another deep playoff run.
Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.
