The Boston Bruins will be without Linus Ullmark, Matt Poitras and Brandon Carlo when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights Thursday night on the road.
The Boston Bruins will look to get back in the win column Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena after losing three of their last four games. Puck drop is set for 10 p.m. ET.
Thursday marks the first meeting between the Bruins and Golden Knights this season.
“I think they’re a high-volume shooting team that seems to get their offense going. And this rink, it plays really fast,” Kevin Shattenkirk told reporters Thursday. “We know that we’re going to play against a pretty well-structured team, and we’re going to have to commit to doing the same thing.”
The B’s are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday night against the Arizona Coyotes in the second matchup of their four-game road trip. Boston lost two key players Tuesday – both goaltender Linus Ullmark and forward Matt Poitras left the game with injuries and, per Bruins coach Jim Montomgery, are day-to-day.
Dec 9, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (12) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Arizona Coyotes during the second period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsNetminder Brandon Bussi was called up from AHL Providence and will back up Jeremy Swayman Thursday night in Vegas. Swayman has a 2.50 goals against average and .920 save percentage through 21 games.
“[Swayman] is a young man that you know just can’t wait for the opportunity,” Montgomery told reporters Thursday. “He just wants more and more. He’s going to get the ability to play consecutive games here, and I have a lot of confidence because of his attitude and his confidence.”
Brandon Carlo is also sidelined. The defenseman left Monday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche with an upper-body injury and did not return. Mason Lohrei is in the lineup in Carlo’s absence. Parker Wotherspoon also remains in the defensive rotation with Derek Forbort still on long-term injured reserve.
“You get to know other players, they get elevated roles, and you get to know if they do relish it and own the moment. And that’s what you’re looking for,” Montgomery said of his team’s next-man-up mentality due to injuries.
Dec 31, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a glove save during the second period of the game between the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY SportsPer Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic, these were the Bruins Thursday practice lines:
Jesper Boqvist - Pavel Zacha - David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand- Charlie Coyle - Jake DeBrusk
Trent Frederic - Morgan Geekie - Danton Heinen
James van Riemsdyk - Johnny Beecher - Jakub Lauko
Oskar Steen
Mason Lohrei - Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm - Parker Wotherspoon
Matt Grzelcyk - Kevin Shattenkirk
Jeremy Swayman
Brandon Bussi
Five things to know about the Golden Knights:
- Vegas is coming off of a 3-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Wednesday night in which it dropped to a 23-13-5 record for second place in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have lost seven of their last 10 games, and are playing in a back-to-back against the Bruins.
- Forward Jack Eichel leads the team in both goals (18) and points (42) while skating on the first line with Ivan Barbashev and Mark Stone. Jonathan Marchessault trails Eichel by one goal and has 17 on the season while skating on the second line with Pavel Dorofeyev and Chandler Stephenson.
- Goaltender Jiri Patera started in net Wednesday for Vegas because regular starter Logan Thompson was sidelined with an illness. Adin Hill is coming back from a lower-body injury, has missed the last eight games and is questionable for Thursday against the Bruins. Thompson will likely start if he’s available. The netminder has a 2.83 GAA and .902 SV% through 24 games.
- Vegas’ power play is ranked 15th in the league at 21.2 percent. Its first unit is composed of Eichel, Stone, Stephenson, Marchessault and Lukas Cormier. The Golden Knights’ penalty kill sits 17th in the NHL at 79.5 percent.
- Brayden McNabb has been an effective two-way defenseman for Vegas this season. McNabb has 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) and a plus-11 rating while skating on the second pair with Cormier.