VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES:
AGAINST THE CAPITALS
The Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals will meet for the first time this season, tonight at Capital One Arena. The Golden Knights own a 9-2-0 record against the Capitals, and swept their series in 2022-23. Last season, Vegas came away with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory at Capital One Arena on November 1 in their first meeting. Jack Eichel got the Golden Knights on the board, while William Carrier tied things up late in the third to send Vegas into overtime. Shea Theodore was the hero after scoring 1:35 into overtime with an assist from Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo. In their second meeting, the Golden Knights used goals from five different players to beat the Capitals, 6-2 at T-Mobile Arena. Alec Martinez and Nicolas Roy scored in the first period to give Vegas the early 2- 0 lead. In the middle frame Michael Amadio, Byron Froese and Paul Cotter found the back of the net to put the home team ahead, 5- 0. A late second-period goal from T.J. Oshie gave Washington something to celebrate heading into the third period. Cotter put home his second of the night in the final frame and, despite another Capitals goal, the Golden Knights skated to the 6-2 win. While the Washington-Vegas series is best known for the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights have won six in a row in the series including two overtime victories
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Alex Pietrangelo’s first period goal was the 10th time the Golden Knights have struck first out of their first 15 games this season. Vegas is 8-1-1 when it scores first, matching the Canucks (8-1-0) and the Rangers (8-1-1) for the most wins when striking first.
SOME SERIOUS SCORING
The Golden Knights returned to their scoring ways on Friday when they scored five on San Jose’s Kaapo Kahkonen. Vegas was limited to just one goal for the first time this season by the Kings last Wednesday after averaging 3.77 goals for per game, including scoring a season-high of seven goals against Colorado the previous Saturday. The Golden Knights remain a top high-scoring team with a +23- goal differential (2nd in NHL) and are one of just four teams in the NHL with at least 55 goals this season.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Recalled defenseman Dylan McIlrath from AHL Hershey and placed defenseman Martin Fehervary on IR, 11/11
INJURIES/ILLNESSES
Martin Fehervary: 11/11 (1 game)
Anthony Mantha: 11/10-11/11 (2 games)
Darcy Kuemper: 11/10-11/11 (2 games)
Trevor van Riemsdyk: 11/8-11/11 (3 games)
Nicklas Backstrom: 11/2-11/11 (5 games)
Sonny Milano: 10/29 (1 game)
Nic Dowd: 10/18-11/8 (9 games)
Charlie Lindgren: 10/16-10/27 (6 games)
Max Pacioretty: 10/13-11/11 (13 games)
Joel Edmundson: 10/13-11/11 (13 games)
Man Games Lost: 55
TONIGHT’S GAME
The Capitals host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Capital One Arena for the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Tuesday’s contest marks the start of a four-game homestand for Washington. The Capitals are 2-6-2 all-time versus Vegas in regular season play. The two teams met in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, with the Capitals defeating the Golden Knights in five games to capture the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. In 2022-23, Washington dropped the season series with Vegas 0-1-1. Dylan Strome led the Capitals with three points (0g, 3a) in two games against the Golden Knights last season.
Home Sweet Home
– Tuesday’s game vs. Vegas marks the start of a four-game homestand (Nov. 11 vs. VGK; Nov. 18 vs. CBJ; Nov. 22 vs. BUF; Nov. 24 vs. EDM).
– Washington has four homestands of at least four games on this year’s schedule.
– The Capitals recently finished a five-game homestand (Oct. 27-Nov. 8) with a record of 3-1-1
