Getting some relief time on Saturday is one thing, but starting a game was still a nerve-wracking experience for Arizona Coyotes goalie Louis Domingue. After a rocky opening stretch, he channeled those nerves into his first NHL win as the Coyotes edged the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Sunday.
At first, it definitely seemed like a laugher. Alex Galchenyuk beat Domingue twice within the opening five minutes to make it 2-0. The 22-year-old told the Arizona Republic’s Sarah McLellan that he was a little rattled to start.
“The first five minutes [were] really hard,” Domingue said. “It was a lot of emotion to take in.”
There were plenty of emotions at the end, too. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston sets quite the scene:
Wow, all of Louis Domingue's family is in tears in the Bell Centre stands. He jumped when the buzzer sounded. Pretty cool stuff.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 1, 2015
The Coyotes carried much of the play on Sunday, firing 32 shots on goal to Montreal’s 20. Still, there was enough of a flurry at the end that Domingue faced some tense moments.
Domingue: "The last 13 seconds were the longest I’ve ever lived in my life."
— Sarah McLellan (@sarah__mclellan) February 1, 2015
This represents just the second win for Arizona in 10 games, ending Montreal’s resourceful winning streak at five. Considering how miserably things have been going for the Coyotes, they might just want to see if Domingue can show a little more after grabbing his first career victory.