Ex-Union goalie Kinkaid posts first NHL win

by Ryan Fay

The third time was the charm for former Union goaltender Keith Kinkaid.

Making his third NHL start, Kinkaid registered his first NHL victory after stopping 26 shots to lift the New Jersey Devils to a 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.

Kinkaid poses with the puck from his first NHL win

"It was one of the best moments of my life," said Kinkaid, who starred at Union from 2009-2011. "I celebrated with my teammates, but it's a great accomplishment to get the first one. Hopefully, it's just the beginning and I can talk about a regulation win."

Kinkaid, who dropped 3-2 shootout losses to Chicago and Islanders in his first two starts, was staked to a 2-0 lead after the Devils received goals from Adam Henrique and Patrick Elias.

Tampa Bay erased New Jersey's lead on tallies from Steven Stamkos and Nikita Krucherov, with the latter coming with just 41 seconds left in the third period.

But Kinkaid, who was recalled from the American Hockey League's Albany Devils earlier this month, stopped all three Tampa Bay bids in the shootout.  New Jersey secured the win in the third round on a goal from Elias.

"[Kinkaid] was really solid," Devils coach Pete DeBoer told the media after the game. "He played with confidence. He gave our group confidence."

In six games (three starts) with New Jersey this season, the 25-year-old Kinkaid is 1-1-2 with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.

Highlight: Kinkaid secures first NHL win

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