The Vegas Golden Knights (43-20-8) battle the Chicago Blackhawks (21-42-9) for their first game of a back-to-back on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. PT at United Center.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340
NOTES
Jack Eichel recorded his fifth career hat trick in the win against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. The hat trick was the fifth of the season for the Golden Knights, marking a new franchise high in a single campaign.
Eichel continues to increase the Vegas franchise record for most points in a single season (90). The center has tallied 10 points (5G, 5A) in his last four games, including a three-game goal streak.
Shea Theodore played in his 500th game as a Golden Knight against the Wild on Tuesday.
Mark Stone reached the 400 career assist mark in the win Tuesday.
The Golden Knights hold a record of 27-8-4 against Western Conference teams and a 12-4-3 record against the Central Division.
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Jack Eichel – Two goals away from 100 goals as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Keegan Kolesar – One point away from 100 career points
Ilya Samsonov – One game away from 200 career games
Nicolas Roy – Three assists away from 100 career assists
Mark Stone – Three games away from 700 career games
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 90 points (26G, 64A)
Mark Stone – 63 points (18G, 45A)
Tomas Hertl – 59 points (31G, 28A)
Shea Theodore – 49 points (7G, 42A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 46 points (30G, 16A)
Ivan Barbashev – 45 points (20G, 25A)
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights defeated the Minnesota Wild, 5-1, on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center. Jack Eichel recorded Vegas’ third hat trick in four games in the win. Eichel and Brett Howden each scored a goal in the first two periods to give Vegas a 2-0 lead. Marcus Johansson scored the Wild’s lone goal of the game 1:42 into the third period. Vegas scored three goals in 2:31, an empty net goal by Tanner Pearson and two goals by Eichel for the hat trick, to secure the 5-1 victory in the final game against Minnesota. Shea Theodore tallied an assist in his first game back with the Golden Knights since Feb. 8. Adin Hill turned aside 23-of-24 shots for a .958 save percentage and a career-high 27th win of the season.
SEASON SERIES
The Golden Knights first faced off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 18, falling 5-3, for the first regulation loss in franchise history at United Center. Victor Olofsson scored the first goal, and Tomas Hertl recorded a three-point (2G, 1A) night. The Golden Knights bounced back in the second game against the Blackhawks on Feb. 27 at T-Mobile, winning the matchup 7-5. Ivan Barbashev powered Vegas with a four-point (2G, 2A) night. The Golden Knights recorded five goals in the first period from Keegan Kolesar, Nicolas Hague, Barbashev, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev. Kolesar found the back of the net for his second goal of the night in the second period, and Barbashev topped off his big night with his second goal late in the third frame. Brett Howden recorded a three-point night with three assists in the victory.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
The Chicago Blackhawks have been eliminated from playoff contention and own a 21-42-9 record with 51 points. The Blackhawks enter Friday’s matchup for their third game of a five-game homestand. Chicago defeated the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, 7-4, in their first game and fell to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, 5-3, in the second game of the homestand. Connor Bedard (20G, 36A) and Teuvo Teravainen (15G, 41A) lead the Blackhawks with 56 points each, followed by Ryan Donato with 55 points (25G, 30A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Vegas Golden Knights – 43-20-8, 94 points
Los Angeles Kings – 40-22-9, 89 points
Edmonton Oilers – 41-26-5, 87 points
Vancouver Canucks – 34-26-12, 80 points
Calgary Flames – 34-26-11, 79 points
Anaheim Ducks – 31-32-8, 70 points
Seattle Kraken – 31-36-6, 68 points
San Jose Sharks – 20-42-9, 49 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD...
- Mark the 356th win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 15-3-3 all-time record against Chicago
- Give the Golden Knights a 7-1-2 record at United Center
KEYS TO THE GAMES
Control the Destiny: With a tight race for the top of the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights control their own destiny. There are 11 games left in the regular season, so Vegas must continue its offensive dominance to separate itself from its Pacific opponents.
Lineup Depth: Head Coach Bruce Cassidy stated that to be successful in the NHL, teams need to have depth throughout their lineup. He believes Vegas achieves this on a nightly basis with each line contributing to scoring success every game. Many players are having career-high seasons leading the Golden Knights to be one of the most balanced scoring teams in the league.
