Montreal Canadiens (8-25-5, eighth in the Atlantic) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (23-15-2, first in the Pacific)
Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Vegas hosts Montreal looking to end its three-game home losing streak.
The Golden Knights have gone 12-10-2 in home games. Vegas is the top team in the Western Conference with 5.8 assists per game, led by Mark Stone averaging 0.8.
The Canadiens are 3-15-4 on the road. Montreal is the last-ranked team in the Eastern Conference averaging 3.7 assists per game. Jonathan Drouin leads the team with 14 total assists.
In their last meeting on Nov. 6, Vegas won 5-2.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jonathan Marchessault leads the Golden Knights with 18 goals and has 28 points. Chandler Stephenson has six assists over the last 10 games for Vegas.
Sami Niku leads the Canadiens with a plus-three in 13 games this season. Christian Dvorak has two goals over the last 10 games for Montreal.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.1 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game with an .885 save percentage.
Canadiens: 2-6-2, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.3 assists, 5.3 penalties and 13.6 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game with an .893 save percentage.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Max Pacioretty: out (wrist).
Canadiens: Joel Armia: out (health and safety protocols), Rafael Harvey-Pinard: out (health protocols), Louie Belpedio: out (covid-19), Gianni Fairbrother: out (covid-19), Cole Caufield: out (health and safety protocols), Jake Allen: day to day (undisclosed).
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