Erik Haula will miss at least the next three games after sustaining a lower-body injury Tuesday night in Toronto. That’s great news for the Golden Knights considering it looked as though he could be done for the season, but it’s still yet another setback for Vegas’ second line.
However, the show must go on, and the Knights go back to battle tonight against the Ottawa Senators. This is a team capable of scoring seven goals and equally if not more capable of surrendering seven goals, which should make tonight’s contest particularly interesting.
It appears as though Oscar Lindberg will re-enter the lineup to take on third-line center duties while Cody Eakin shifts to the second line in place of the injured Haula.
For the Senators, rookie Brady Tkachuk is set to return to the lineup tonight; he last played Oct. 15 but has six points in four games this season. Based on line combinations from today’s morning skate, the Senators might play seven defenseman, with Chris Wideman slotting in on the fourth line. One defenseman who is expected to play is Mark Borowiecki, who was suspended for three games for his hit on Eakin when these teams met Oct. 28.
Here are the projected lineups for both teams:
Golden Knights
Marchessault — Karlsson — Smith
Pacioretty — Eakin — Tuch
Hyka — Lindberg — Nosek
Carrier — Bellemare — Reaves
Miller — McNabb
Theodore — Holden
Merrill — Hunt
Fleury
Subban
Senators
Dzingel (#18) — Duchene (#95) — Stone (#61)
Tkachuk (#7) — Tierney (#71) — Ryan (#9)
Paul (#13) — White (#36) — Boedker (#89)
McCormick (#17) — Pyatt (#10) — Wideman (#6)
Chabot (#72) — DeMelo (#2)
Lajoie (#58) — Ceci (#5)
Borowiecki (#74) — Jaros (#83)
Anderson (#41)
Condon (#1)
Let’s discuss!