The Vegas Golden Knights (28-17-14) visit the Pittsburgh Penguins (30-15-13) to open the two-game season series on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT at PPG Paints Arena.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TNT
Streaming: HBO Max
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340
NOTES
Brayden McNabb has registered three assists in his two appearances since returning to the lineup.
Braeden Bowman notched his eighth goal of the campaign, the third-most of any rookie skater in Golden Knights’ history.
Pavel Dorofeyev holds a five-game point streak (4G, 3A) as he’s factored in on every game since the start of February.
Mitch Marner has a point in his last six appearances (4G, 3A) dating back to Jan. 29.
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Shea Theodore – Seven assists away from 300 assists as a Golden Knight
Jack Eichel – Seven games away from 300 games as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Colton Sissons – One goal away from 100 career goals
Adin Hill – One game away from 200 career games
Mark Stone – Six points away from 700 career points
Rasmus Andersson – Six games away from 600 career games
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 68 points (21G, 47A)
Mark Stone – 60 points (21G, 39A)
Mitch Marner – 59 points (16G, 43A)
Tomas Hertl – 51 points (23G, 28A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 47 points (28G, 19A)
BY THE NUMBERS
91 – Tomas Hertl ranks second in the NHL in high-danger shots on goal this season with 91.
175 – Jeremy Lauzon leads all NHL defensemen with 175 hits this season and 22 more than the second-place holder.
600 – Tomas Hertl registered his 600th career NHL point with a power-play goal in the third period on Friday.
800 – Mitch Marner picked up his 800th point of his NHL career with an assist on the Hertl tally, becoming the eighth fastest active player to reach the mark and the second player from the 2015 NHL Draft to do so.
LAST TIME OUT
Vegas fell, 3-2, to the Washington Capitals on Friday as their third-period comeback bid came up short. Trailing by three goals entering the final frame, Braeden Bowman notched his eighth tally of the year with a helper from Brayden McNabb and Kaedan Korczak. Tomas Hertl followed up on the man advantage just before the midway mark of the period, but Washington held off the late rally. Pierre-Luc Dubois potted two for the Capitals, while Jakob Chychrun added his 22nd goal, leading all NHL defensemen.
2024-25 SEASON SERIES
The Golden Knights split last year’s series with the Penguins, 1-0-1, shutting them out on home ice before falling in overtime on the road four days later. The first of two matchups came March 7, 2025, when Vegas cruised to a 4-0 win behind a three-point performance from Mark Stone (1G, 2A), as well as a tally from Brandon Saad and Ivan Barbashev. The win also marked the return of Reilly Smith to the Golden Knights after he was acquired from the New York Rangers at last year’s trade deadline. The second matchup within a week saw Noah Hanifin strike with six seconds left in the contest to force overtime and secure a point. Pavel Dorofeyev scored first for Vegas in the second period, with an assist from Jack Eichel. The helper marked Eichel’s 78th point, matching the franchise record for points in a season. (William Karlsson, 2017-18). Sidney Crosby lifted Pittsburgh to a 2-1 lead in regulation with two markers, but a Hanifin slapshot in the dying seconds forced an extra frame. Erik Karlsson potted the winner less than a minute into overtime to seal the Penguins’ 3-2 overtime win.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
The Penguins enter Sunday’s matchup with a 30-15-13 record and 73 points, sitting at second place in the Metropolitan Division. Prior to the Olympic break, Pittsburgh rattled off wins in seven of their final nine appearances. After returning, the Penguins bested the New Jersey Devils, 4-1, at home on Thursday before falling to the New York Rangers in a 3-2 shootout loss at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The Penguins offense is spearheaded by Sidney Crosby, who leads the team with 59 points (27G, 32A) but was designated to injured reserved this week. Evgeni Malkin ranks second for the Penguins with 46 points (13G, 33A), followed by Anthony Mantha with 44 points (21G, 23A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Vegas Golden Knights – 28-17-14, 70 points
Anaheim Ducks – 32-23-3, 67 points
Edmonton Oilers – 29-24-8, 66 points
Seattle Kraken – 28-22-9, 65 points
Los Angeles Kings – 24-21-14, 62 points
San Jose Sharks – 28-25-4, 60 points
Calgary Flames – 24-28-6, 54 points
Vancouver Canucks – 18-34-7, 43 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD…
- Mark the 390th win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 7-7-1 all-time record against the Penguins
KEYS TO THE GAME
Make Your Mark: With high-end talent on both benches, the Golden Knights will need their top players to leave their fingerprints on the game. After Friday’s contest, Head Coach Bruce Cassidy emphasized that the group’s dynamic players have to find a groove, and that starts with setting the pace early and dictating play through all three zones.
Own the Trip: With the final East Coast trip of the regular season underway, this is the time to bring the A-game for the Golden Knights. Sharpening details now, from puck management to connected team defense and checking, builds habits needed for the push through March and April.
