New Jersey @ Vegas preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 3, 2019 ) Vegas 4, New Jersey 3

Just as the Vegas Golden Knights were threatening to seize control of the Pacific, they were brought back to earth by the worst team in the division. After having their franchise record-tying eight-game winning streak snapped by Los Angeles on Sunday, the Golden Knights wrap up a four-game homestand against another last-place club in the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Vegas also had a seven-game winning streak at T-Mobile Arena halted in Sunday's 4-1 loss and will be seeking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since the final two games before the All-Star break. "We can't look at what we've done in the last couple of weeks," forward Paul Stastny said. "I think our mindset's got to be every game ... whether we're playing a top team in the West or a bottom team in the East or vice-versa: These points are so important for us." The Golden Knights have won four of five in the series against the Devils, who have earned points in a season-high six straight games (4-0-2) entering the final stop of a five-game road trip. Despite shipping out a number of key players in advance of the trade deadline, New Jersey has picked up points in 14 of 17 games (9-3-5) since the All-Star break.

TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain, MSG-Plus

ABOUT THE DEVILS (26-27-12): Pavel Zacha was mired in an 11-game goal drought before scoring twice on the power play in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Anaheim, with both tallies assisted by linemate Jesper Bratt. "They have chemistry now," interim coach Alain Nasreddine said of the duo. "They feel good, they feel confident and you can really see that, but what I really enjoy is their compete and battle level on 50-50 pucks." Mackenzie Blackwood, who compiled a 6-0-1 mark and .967 save percentage in February, is expected to get the start Tuesday.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (36-23-8): Jonathan Marchessault has been held without a goal for the past eight games, but he registered a hat trick in a 4-3 win at New Jersey on Dec. 3, helping to account for 14 of his 20 tallies away from home. Robin Lehner, acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline, will make his second start after turning aside 32 of 34 shots in a 4-2 victory over Buffalo on Friday in his Vegas debut. Lehner is 3-6-1 with a 2.57 goals-against average versus the Devils after giving up three goals in relief on Dec. 3.

OVERTIME

1. The Devils are 8-for-22 on the power play over the past six games.

2. Vegas F Mark Stone, tied for the team lead with 63 points, is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

3. Devils rookie F Nikita Gusev has two goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 4, Devils 2