The Vegas Golden Knights (12-6-8) battle the New Jersey Devils (16-10-1) at the Prudential Center on Friday at 4 p.m. PT in their first of five games on the road.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Scripps Sports (The Spot-Vegas 34 in Vegas; full network)
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340
NOTES
The Golden Knights hold a 7-4-0 record at the Prudential Center during the regular season.
Braeden Bowman became the fastest player in team history to score his first five career goals (11 GP).
Ben Hutton extended his point streak to three games (1G, 2A) with a goal on Tuesday against Chicago.
The Golden Knights sit third in the NHL for face-off win percentage (53.9%).
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Brett Howden – One point away from 100 points as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Shea Theodore – Two assists away from 300 career assists
Colton Sissons – Four goals away from 100 career goals
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 32 points (11G, 21A)
Mitch Marner – 25 points (5G, 20A)
Ivan Barbashev – 22 points (9G, 13A)
Tomas Hertl – 20 points (11G, 9A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 17 points (11G, 6A)
Mark Stone – 17 points (4G, 13A)
BY THE NUMBERS
3 – Ivan Barbashev scored his third game-opening goal of the season on Tuesday against the Blackhawks.
10 – Mark Stone boosted his personal point streak to ten games (4G, 13A).
27 – Carter Hart stopped 27 of the 30 shots he saw to earn a win in his first game with Vegas.
145 – Tomas Hertl leads the NHL with 145 offensive zone face-off wins.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, in a shootout on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena. Ivan Barbashev, Ben Hutton and Braeden Bowman all recorded goals in the victory. Shea Theodore picked up a pair of helpers and converted on the final shootout attempt in the fourth round. Oliver Moore, Tyler Bertuzzi and Connor Bedard all scored goals for Chicago to extend the contest, but goaltender Carter Hart stopped the remaining 27 shots to help secure the win for Vegas.
2024-25 SEASON SERIES
The Golden Knights went undefeated in both matchups against the Devils last year. In their first contest on Feb. 6, at the Prudential Center, the Golden Knights beat the Devils 3-1. Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel both found the back of the net, while Adin Hill blocked 14-of-15 shots. Vegas and New Jersey met again on March 2 at T-Mobile Arena, where Hill and the Golden Knights shut out the Devils, 2-0. Mark Stone and Noah Hanifin netted power-play goals, and Eichel picked up a pair of assists.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
New Jersey sits at fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 16-10-1 and 33 points. The Devils have dropped their last three games at home. Most recently, at the Prudential Center, the Devils fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-3, on Monday and were shut out, 3-0, by the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. New Jersey will close out their four-game homestand Friday against the Golden Knights. Jesper Bratt leads the team with 26 points (5G, 21A), followed by Nico Hischier with 25 points (10G, 15A) and Timo Meier with 22 points (10G, 12A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Anaheim Ducks – 16-10-1, 33 points
Vegas Golden Knights – 12-6-8, 32 points
Los Angeles Kings – 12-8-7, 31 points
San Jose Sharks – 13-12-3, 29 points
Edmonton Oilers – 12-11-5, 29 points
Seattle Kraken – 11-8-6, 28 points
Calgary Flames – 10-15-4, 24 points
Vancouver Canucks – 10-14-3, 23 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD…
- Mark the 374th win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 10-2-3 all-time record against New Jersey
KEYS TO THE GAME
60 Minutes: Head Coach Bruce Cassidy wants the group to sharpen their details and command each period. The Golden Knights need to establish their game early and maintain strong pressure to generate consistent offensive looks.
Win the Middle: Cassidy also wants to see the Golden Knights make cleaner and more connected plays through the neutral zone. When the Golden Knights can tighten up their plays through the blue lines, it helps the team limit odd-man rushes and create more chances of their own.
