The Vegas Golden Knights hope to put the finishing touches on what has been a productive five-game road trip when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Vegas has picked up seven of a possible eight points following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. It was the team’s fifth win in six games.
The hot streak has moved the Golden Knights into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with the Anaheim Ducks at 39 points.
“It’s a good trip already (and) we’ve got an opportunity to make it a great one,” Vegas captain Mark Stone said. “To get nine out of 10 points would be a helluva trip.”
Stone, who has recorded at least one point in all 14 games he’s played this season (24 points total), scored two goals in the victory over the Flyers, including the game-winner in overtime.
Jack Eichel stole the puck from Travis Konecny in the left corner of the Philadelphia zone and then fed Stone with a backdoor pass by the right post.
“Honestly, I was back checking my guy and then I heard the crowd kind of ooh and ahh,” Stone said. “Wasn’t sure really what happened. Jack obviously forced a turnover, had great poise with it, kind of made their guys flat-footed, and I just came down the gut there and he made an incredible pass backdoor. Great play by the best player, and that’s kind of what we need in OT.”
Eichel finished with two assists.
“It was great to get one in overtime,” Eichel said. “A big two points for the group.”
Columbus brings a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) into the contest following a 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the opener of a four-game homestand on Thursday.
The Blue Jackets have dropped into the cellar in the Metropolitan Division with the skid.
The good news is that despite the rough stretch, Columbus was just three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild-card spot at the start of NHL play Friday. A clogged Eastern Conference has eight teams separated by just three points for the final wild card.
Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner had a goal and an assist in his first contest back after missing 14 games with an upper-body injury.
Columbus fell behind 3-0 in the first 15 minutes to the Senators and trailed 4-1 at the end of the first period but clawed back to within 4-3 on a Dmitri Voronkov power-play goal midway through the second period. However, Ottawa regained a two-goal lead just before the end of the period on Tim Stutzle’s second goal of the game.
“I thought that second period we were climbing back,” Jenner said. “We had some momentum going, a couple of quick goals. So, it’s just that late goal. I mean, late goal in the first period and a late goal in the second. That hurt us. We weren’t able to come back after that.”
The loss snapped an eight-game home point streak for the Blue Jackets (5-0-3), who talked about playing with more desperation in Saturday’s game with Vegas.
“We have to win hockey games,” said defenseman Zach Werenski, who had two assists Thursday. “It’s as simple as that. We’re letting it slip. We’re falling behind, and it’s on us as players in this room to correct it.”
