The Vegas Golden Knights (18-7-3) head to Canada to battle the Winnipeg Jets (21-9-0) for the first game of a three-game road-trip on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT at Canada Life Centre.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340
NOTES
The Golden Knights are 14-2-2 against Western Conference opponents this season.
Adin Hill was named the NHL’s third star of the week. Hill went 2-0-0 with a .971 save percentage. In the two games, he stopped 66 of 68 shots.
Jack Eichel is T-5th in the NHL for points with 39 points (9G, 30A). Eichel remains in second in the league for assists.
Shea Theodore recorded two assists Friday night in Vegas' last outing, marking his 65th multi-point game with Vegas. Theodore moved into fourth most multi-point games in franchise history.
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Jack Eichel – Two points away from 200 as a Golden Knight
Adin Hill – Three games away from 50 wins as a Golden Knight
Bruce Cassidy – Four games away from having the most wins all-time as a Golden Knight
Mark Stone – Five goals away from 100 goals as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Noah Hanifin – Two points away from 300 career points
Tanner Pearson – Four points away from 300 career points
Pavel Dorofeyev – Five games away from 100 career games
Victor Olofsson – Six assists away from 100 career assists
Victor Olofsson – Six goals away from 100 career goals
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 39 points (9G, 30A)
Ivan Barbashev – 28 points (13G, 15A)
Mark Stone – 22 points (6G, 16A)
Shea Theodore – 22 points (3G, 19A)
Tomas Hertl – 21 points (9G, 12A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 17 points (12G, 5A)
Alex Pietrangelo – 15 points (2G, 13A)
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars, 3-2, on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena. Tomas Hertl started the scoring for Vegas with his seventh power-play goal of the season. Mark Stone recorded the primary assist in his first game back from injury. Mavrik Bourque tied the game up a one, but Vegas answered with goals from Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy. Mason Marchment brought Dallas within one, however it wasn’t enough as Vegas took the 3-2 victory. Shea Theodore notched two assists on the night while Adin Hill made 38 saves on 40 shots.
SEASON SERIES
In the one matchup between the Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets this season, the Golden Knights came out victorious with a 4-3 win on Nov. 29 at T-Mobile Arena. Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev scored two goals each to lift Vegas over Winnipeg. Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev each notched two assists on both of Barbashev’s goals. Shea Theodore and William Karlsson both recorded an assist in the win. Adin Hill stopped 22 of 25 shots.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
Since facing the Golden Knights on Nov. 29, the Winnipeg Jets played six games where they went 3-3-0. Their three wins include a 3-2 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres, a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and an 8-1 win against the Boston Bruins. The Jets have lost to the Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, and Columbus Blue Jackets. Coming into Thursday’s matchup, Winnipeg sits at second in the central division, behind top-ranked Minnesota, with a record of 21-9-0 and 42 points. Kyle Connor leads the Jets with 36 points (16G, 20A), followed by Mark Scheifele with 34 points (16G, 18A) and Josh Morrissey with 27 points (2G, 25A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Vegas Golden Knights – 18-7-3, 39 points
Los Angeles Kings – 17-8-3, 37 points
Edmonton Oilers – 16-10-2, 34 points
Vancouver Canucks – 14-8-5, 33 points
Calgary Flames – 14-10-5, 33 points
Seattle Kraken – 14-14-2, 30 points
San Jose Sharks – 10-16-5, 25 points
Anaheim Ducks – 10-13-4, 24 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD...
- Mark the 331th win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 11-6-2 all-time record against Winnipeg
- Give the Golden Knights a 2-0-0 record against Winnipeg this season
KEYS TO THE GAME
Rock Solid Impact: Mark Stone returned to Vegas’ lineup on Friday night. Stone has a massive impact on the team and made his return known with an assist on the first goal against Dallas. Bruce Cassidy stated that Stone impacts any line he plays on and impacts the game defensively with his stick.
Energy Reset: The team gets back into action Thursday night after their longest break so far in the season. Bruce Cassidy stated the guys practiced with a lot of energy and their execution in practice was good. Having breaks like this helps the team reset and refocus, which is much needed ahead of a tough road-trip.
