BOSTON (AP) — Max Pacioretty scored — twice — in his seventh straight game to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the COVID-depleted Boston Bruins twice on Tuesday night.
Robin Lehner made 23 saves for the Golden Knights, who won for the fifth time in six games. Shea Theodore also scored for Vegas, and Jonathan Marchessault had a goal with 0.6 seconds left in the first period to send the Bruins to their locker room to the boos of the hometown crowd.
Hours after the Bruins put leading scorer Brad Marchand in the COVID-19 protocol, and one day after coach Bruce Cassidy returned from his positive test, the Bruins lost snapped a two-game winning streak. Patrice Bergeron scored their first goal 21 seconds in the third period — when Vegas was up by four goals — and Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots.
Vegas put on the pressure early, scoring three times in the first period. The first two were two minutes apart, starting with Theodore seven minutes left in the first and then Chandler Stephenson made a long pass to Pacioretty, who beat Swayman to make it 2-0.
The Golden Knights got a power play with 19 seconds left in the period. As the final second drained from the clock, Marchessault’s pass deflected off two Bruins and through Swayman’s legs to make it 3-0.
After booing the team off the ice at the end of the first, the crowd tried to fire it up to start the second with a chant of “Let’s go Bruins!” But five minutes in, Pacioretty scored again for his 58th career multigoal game. He also has 12 goals in 11 games.
IN THE PROTOCOL
The Bruins were the last team to play Calgary before the Flames' season was put on hold Monday due to having six players and one staffer in the COVID-19 protocol.
On Tuesday, Boston put Marchand and fellow forward Craig Smith in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Boston recalled forwards Jack Studnicka and Oskar Steen on an emergency basis to fill out the lineup.
UP NEXT
Golden Knights: At New Jersey on Thursday.
Bruins: Visit the Islanders on Thursday.
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