The Vegas Golden Knights (32-25-14) make their final trip to Winnipeg Tuesday as they take on the Jets (29-29-12) at Canada Life Centre at 5 p.m. PT.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Scripps Sports (The Spot-Vegas 34 in Vegas; full network)
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340
NOTES
Ivan Barbashev netted his 20th goal of the campaign Sunday, reaching the benchmark for the third time in his career (also 2024-25, 2021-22).
Reilly Smith’s game winner Sunday marked his 23rd as a member of the Golden Knights, the fourth most of any skater in franchise history in that category.
Mitch Marner has registered 18 points over his last 18 games (7G, 11A).
Pavel Dorofeyev sits one goal shy of 90 as a Golden Knight, where a tally Tuesday would make him the third fastest player to reach that milestone in franchise history (221 GP).
Shea Theodore comes into Tuesday with a goal and an assist in his last two games.
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Shea Theodore – Two assists away from 300 assists as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Mark Stone – Four points away from 700 career points
Shea Theodore – Four points away from 400 career points
Nic Dowd – Seven points away from 200 career points
Ivan Barbashev – Seven assists away from 200 career assists
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 74 points (24G, 50A)
Mitch Marner – 70 points (19G, 51A)
Mark Stone – 62 points (21G, 41A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 58 points (34G, 24A)
Tomas Hertl – 54 points (24G, 30A)
BY THE NUMBERS
1.27 – Mark Stone’s 1.27 points per game this season ranks ninth in the NHL, with 62 points (21G, 41A) in 49 games.
28 – Brayden McNabb has thrown 28 shots on goal since the start of March, seventh most among all NHL defensemen.
36 – The Golden Knights have a +36 goal differential in the third period this season, the second best across the NHL.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights completed a comeback Sunday, earning a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Brayden McNabb opened the scoring at 4:01 of the first period, going end-to-end through three Dallas skaters before beating Casey DeSmith on the rush. The Stars answered with two tallies to close the period from Wyatt Johnston and Justin Hryckowian. Ivan Barbashev knotted it in the middle frame with a power-play goal off a face-off set play, and Reilly Smith sealed the comeback with the game winner in the final four minutes of regulation, collecting a rebound off a Mitch Marner shot and burying it from in close. Adin Hill stopped 13-of-15 shots, coming up with several timely saves down the stretch to preserve the victory.
SEASON SERIES
Vegas and Winnipeg have met once this season, showing a 4-3 Golden Knights win on Jan. 6 at Canada Life Centre. After falling behind, 2-0, midway through the second period, Winnipeg native Mark Stone cut the deficit with a power-play goal in the final minute of the frame, and Brett Howden tied it early in the third. Kyle Connor restored the Jets’ lead at 3-2 with five minutes remaining, but Reilly Smith answered less than a minute later to force overtime, where Tomas Hertl ended it with a net-front redirection off of a shot from Mitch Marner. Carter Hart earned the win, turning aside 17-of-20 shots.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
The Jets enter Tuesday in sixth place in the Central Division with a record of 29-29-12 and 70 points, sitting five back of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. Winnipeg is 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and coming off a three-game slide that they snapped with a 3-2 shootout win over the Rangers on Sunday. Three of the last four outings for the Jets have gone to a shootout, including losses to the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins and the Sunday win over New York. Mark Scheifele leads the way offensively with 83 points (31G, 52A), followed by Kyle Connor at 79 points (31G, 48A), and Gabriel Vilardi with 58 points (27G, 31A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Anaheim Ducks – 39-27-4, 82 points
Vegas Golden Knights – 32-25-14, 78 points
Edmonton Oilers – 34-28-9, 77 points
Los Angeles Kings – 28-25-17, 73 points
Seattle Kraken – 31-29-9, 71 points
San Jose Sharks – 32-30-6, 70 points
Calgary Flames – 29-34-7, 65 points
Vancouver Canucks – 21-40-8, 50 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD…
- Mark the 395th win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 6-0-0 record in their last six visits to Winnipeg
- Give the Golden Knights a 13-7-2 all-time record against the Jets
- Give the Golden Knights an 7-5-0 all-time record against the Jets at Canada Life Centre
KEYS TO THE GAME
Protect the Paint: Adin Hill was tested late against Dallas and came up with the saves the team needed, but the Jets’ top line of Scheifele, Connor, and Iafallo generates a lot of danger from net-front chaos and second-chance opportunities. The Golden Knights D-core will need to be sharp boxing out and clearing traffic to limit second chances against a team that can do their damage from up close.
Finish Strong: The Golden Knights picked up one of their biggest wins of the season Sunday in Dallas, taking down the West’s second-best record in the Stars. Now they have the chance to return to Vegas on a high note. A win in Winnipeg would pull the Golden Knights within two points of first place in the Pacific Division and send them home with a two-game swing.
