Golden Knights at Sabres
After finishing an amazing inaugural season with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, the Vegas Golden Knights began their sophomore campaign with a setback. They bounced back by kicking off a five-game road trip with a shootout win in Minnesota and look to maintain the momentum when they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday afternoon.
Max Pacioretty earned the Golden Knights a point by scoring with 91 seconds remaining in the third period and Erik Haula netted the lone goal of the shootout against his former team, which had won all three meetings last season. Buffalo also is coming off its first win of the campaign, a 3-1 triumph over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Conor Sheary converted a pair of power-play opportunities for his first two goals with the club after being acquired from Pittsburgh in June as the Sabres improved to 1-1-0 on their season-opening four-game homestand. Captain Jack Eichel notched a tally and an assist in the win for Buffalo, which was blanked by Boston in its 2018-19 opener.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVA, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Vegas), MSG Buffalo
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (1-1-0): Jonathan Marchessault, who set career highs last season with 48 assists and 75 points, is off to a solid start with a goal and an assist for a team-best two points over the first two games. The 27-year-old forward leads Vegas with nine shots, including a game high-tying five in the triumph over the Wild. Paul Stastny remains in search of his first point with the Golden Knights after combining for 53 with St. Louis and Winnipeg last season - his highest total since registering 60 for Colorado in 2013-14.
ABOUT THE SABRES (1-1-0): Sheary, who is five points shy of 100 in the NHL, already has matched the career high in power-play goals he set in 2016-17 and equaled last season. The 26-year-old registered his eighth multi-tally performance and 20th multi-point effort in the victory over the Rangers. Johan Larsson (foot), who has begun the campaign on injured reserve, participated in Sunday's practice and could be close to making his season debut.
OVERTIME
1. Golden Knights RW Reilly Smith is two goals away from 100 for his career.
2. Eichel saw 25 minutes, 45 seconds of ice time Saturday, eclipsing the previous career high of 24:23 he logged on Feb. 18, 2017.
3. Vegas D Jon Merrill has recorded one point in his first two games of the season after collecting only three in 34 contests last campaign.