The Vegas Golden Knights vs Bruins preview for Monday centers on two teams heading in opposite directions. Vegas (9-5-1) opens a four-game road trip at TD Garden against Boston (10-4-1), which sits atop the Atlantic Division. Puck drop is 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 2, with Carter Hart and Jeremy Swayman projected to start in net.
Vegas enters off a 5-2 home loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, a game in which Mark Stone opened the scoring on a power play before Ivan Barbashev added a second goal, according to NHL.com. That defeat dropped the Golden Knights to second in the Pacific Division, 19 points to Edmonton’s 22. Boston, meanwhile, has won four of its last five games and leads the Atlantic with 21 points.
Golden Knights Vs Bruins Game Information
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
- TV/Streaming: NHL Net, Scripps Sports, NESN
- Series: Season series opener
How Have Both Teams Played Recently
Vegas has lost four of its last five games, including defeats to Tampa Bay, St. Louis and New Jersey, with its only win in that stretch a 4-1 result over Ottawa on Oct. 28. The Golden Knights also dropped a 2-1 overtime decision at Columbus during that span. That recent skid comes after a stretch where Vegas looked like one of the league’s stronger offensive teams, and the team now heads into Boston carrying some defensive questions after allowing six goals twice in its last five outings.
Boston has been far steadier, winning four of its last five with victories over Nashville (6-0), San Jose (6-4) and Chicago (5-4 in overtime) sandwiched around back-to-back road losses to Carolina and St. Louis. The Bruins’ 6-0 shutout of Nashville on Oct. 22 remains their most complete performance of the stretch, and the overtime win over Chicago on Halloween night kept their point streak alive heading into the Vegas matchup.
Who Are The Probable Starting Goaltenders
Carter Hart is projected as the probable starter for Vegas, while Jeremy Swayman is listed as Boston’s probable starter, according to official data. Both designations remain projections until puck drop. Boston’s goaltending tandem has posted a .917 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average as a team this season, compared to Vegas’s .890 save percentage and 2.93 goals-against average, a gap that has shown up in recent games as the Golden Knights have allowed 44 goals against to Boston’s 36.
Is There Any Injury News To Track
Vegas defenseman Parker Wotherspoon remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and has a projected return date of Nov. 8, according to official data, meaning he will miss Monday’s game. No other injury designations were listed for either team heading into the matchup.
By The Numbers
- Goals: Boston 55, Vegas 52
- Points: Boston 145, Vegas 139
- Shots on goal: Vegas 437, Boston 395
- Shooting percentage: Boston 13.9%, Vegas 11.9%
- Save percentage: Boston .917, Vegas .890
- Goals against average: Boston 2.40, Vegas 2.93
- Power-play goals: Vegas 12, Boston 9
- Faceoff percentage: Boston 54.6%, Vegas 50.5%
- Penalty minutes: Boston 194, Vegas 119
What Is The Key Matchup To Watch
Jack Eichel leads Vegas with 20 points, including a team-high 13 assists, while Mark Stone paces the Golden Knights with nine goals. That duo will face a Boston team led offensively by David Pastrnak, who tops the Bruins with eight goals, 11 assists and 19 points. Boston’s edge in faceoff percentage, 54.6% to Vegas’s 50.5%, could matter against a Golden Knights power play that has converted 12 times this season, more than Boston’s nine power-play goals. Vegas also holds an advantage in total shots on goal, 437 to 395, but Boston has converted those chances at a higher rate, posting a 13.9% shooting percentage compared to Vegas’s 11.9%.
What To Watch
Boston’s position atop the Atlantic Division standings, one point ahead of Montreal and two ahead of Ottawa and Tampa Bay, makes every game valuable as the Bruins try to hold their lead. Vegas sits second in the Pacific behind Edmonton and is looking to stop its recent slide before three more road games follow this trip. The Golden Knights’ penalty kill and goaltending will be tested against a Bruins team that has scored 55 goals on the season, three more than Vegas, in a game that opens the season series between the two clubs.
Vegas continues its four-game road trip after Monday’s game, while Boston stays home at TD Garden. Neither team’s next opponent was included in the available data.
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