David Pastrnak slipped a shot past Carter Hart, breaking a shootout stalemate and giving the Boston Bruins a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night. This loss marks the Golden Knights’ alarming fifth defeat in their last six games, a brutal slide after starting the season with an impressive 8-2 record.
Pastrnak Seals the Deal: Bruins’ Home Dominance Continues
The Bruins clinched the win thanks to Pastrnak’s lone shootout goal, but it was a full team effort. Boston’s Jeremy Swayman was a brick wall in the shootout, stopping Vegas’ Trevor Connelly, Jack Eichel, and Mitch Marner to set the stage for Pastrnak’s heroics in the third round. Before the shootout drama, James Hagens tallied his sixth goal of the season, and Morgan Geekie added a crucial power-play goal, helping Boston secure its sixth consecutive home victory. The Bruins, who received assists from Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Pavel Zacha, and Pastrnak, have now won two in a row, a solid rebound after dropping their previous two games. Swayman was a force between the pipes all night, making 21 saves.
Golden Knights’ Season Is Already a Power Play Nightmare
For Vegas, this loss highlights some serious early-season issues. They were up 2-0 in the second period before Mark Stone knocked in a loose puck for a power-play goal, assisted by Tomas Hertl and Marner, cutting Boston’s lead to 2-1. Trevor Connelly then tied it 7:23 into the third period, slipping a loose puck past Swayman with assists from Noah Hanifin and Marner. Despite Carter Hart making 25 saves, the Golden Knights simply couldn’t get it done in the shootout. What’s even more concerning than their 5-of-6 slide? Their power-play killing unit is in disarray, having allowed a power-play goal in seven of their last eight games. That’s a huge problem.
The Golden Knights will try to stop their alarming slide Tuesday night when they visit Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the Bruins also head to Pittsburgh, playing on Thursday night, looking to extend their own winning streak. Can Vegas right the ship and fix those power-play issues, or will their early-season struggles continue to haunt them on the road?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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