Boston beginning a five-game road trip in Vegas
LAS VEGAS – The Bruins are kicking off their five-game road trip on Thursday night against the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. Boston is aiming to avoid its fourth consecutive loss.
“It’s a good team, it’s a fun building to play in,” said Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. “Obviously they are on top of the league and we’re fighting for our lives right now. It’s a huge match for us. They’re big, heavy – I thought we could have come out with a point at home last time we played them.
“I don’t think you need to do much to get up for this game today, it’s a huge game obviously. They probably have good starts in this building as well. We’ve got to match it.”
With so many new faces in the lineup, Zadorov added that this 12-day road trip should benefit the Bruins as they get to know each other on and off the ice.
“It’s fun, just being around the guys for the past two days,” said Zadorov. “It’s a fun stretch of hockey games coming up for us…it’s playoff hockey already, it’s always having that mentality. The weather is great outside too, that helps.
“When you’re at home for a while and then you go on such a long road trip, it definitely gives you some bonding.”
Zadorov speaks with the media ahead of matchup @VGK
Vegas has dropped two straight and four of five but remains atop the Pacific Division with a 39-20-8 record and 86 points, two points clear of Edmonton.
Jack Eichel paces the Golden Knights with 80 points (21 goals, 59 assists) in 66 games this season, while Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev both lead the team with 27 goals. Mark Stone (17-41—58) and Shea Theodore (7-41—48) round out the team’s top five scorers.
Goalie Adin Hill, recently inked to a six-year contract extension, is 24-11-5 with a 2.54 goals against average and .907 save percentage.
Sacco speaks with the media ahead of matchup @VGK
FORWARDS
Morgan Geekie – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak
Marat Khusnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – Jakub Lauko
Cole Koepke – Casey Mittelstadt – Vinni Lettieri
Johnny Beecher – Mark Kastelic – Patrick Brown
DEFENSEMEN
Nikita Zadorov – Henri Jokiharju
Mason Lohrei – Andrew Peeke
Parker Wotherspoon – Ian Mitchell
GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
BOS take on VGK in first of five game road trip tonight at 10pm

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