Pacioretty extends goal streak to seven, helps Golden Knights top Bruins

BOSTON -- Max Pacioretty scored twice and extended his goal streak to seven games, helping the Vegas Golden Knights defeat the Boston Bruins 4-1 at TD Garden on Tuesday.

Pacioretty also ran his point streak to nine games (16 points; 10 goals, six assists).
Chandler Stephenson had three assists, and Robin Lehner made 23 saves for Vegas (17-11-0), which has won five of its past six.
"I liked our defensive game," Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said. "It was a good start to a tough road trip in a tough building tonight. I liked our game. [Part of our offensive success] is we're getting healthy. We're starting to score on the power play fairly regularly, which is adding about a goal a night, which we didn't have early in the year."
Patrice Bergeron scored, and Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves for Boston (14-9-2), which had won two in a row.
"You're going to have tough breaks sometimes, but it's all about how you respond," Swayman said. "Everything is a learning experience, and some of the best things you can learn are from the great failures. I think there are a lot of things tonight I can learn from."

Shea Theodore gave Vegas a 1-0 lead at 13:04 of the first period when his slap shot deflected in off the back of Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort.
Pacioretty made it 2-0 at 15:19, scoring through the five-hole on a breakaway after receiving a stretch pass from Stephenson.
"Transition is a big part of our game," Pacioretty said. "Every year you have a couple things you harp on. Our transition is one of them. Every team wants to fill lanes, and when you get the puck, you definitely want to get it with speed. It's an area we've addressed, and we're definitely gaining a lot of offense from it."
Jonathan Marchessault extended the lead to 3-0 on the power play with 0.5 seconds remaining. His centering pass deflected off Bruins forward Tomas Nosek's stick and Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo's skate before going in.
"I think early on mentally, it took us a while to check in," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "They get another fortunate bounce to end the first period, so all of a sudden you're really chasing it. We had to do a better job staying in the game, and I think that's what hurt us. We found our legs as the game went on. … By then it's too late."

Pacioretty made it 4-0 at 5:06 of the second period with a wrist shot from the high slot.
Bergeron cut it to 4-1 with a one-timer from the right hash marks 21 seconds into the third period.
NOTES: The Bruins were without forwards Brad Marchand and Craig Smith, who were placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Tuesday. Cassidy returned after coming out of protocol Monday. He missed six games. … Pacioretty's goal streak is the longest in Golden Knights history and tied Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the longest in the NHL this season. … Mark Stone (two assists) extended his point streak to nine games (15 points; four goals, 11 assists). He and Pacioretty each matched the longest point streak in Vegas history, a record set by Alex Tuch in 2018-19. … With an assist on Marchessault's goal, Reilly Smith got his 400th NHL point. He has 168 goals and 232 assists in 658 games. … Stephenson became the first Golden Knights player with three or more assists in consecutive games. He had four during a 6-4 win against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. … It was the first of a four-game trip for Vegas.