The Golden Knights will look to extend the team’s winning streak to three games as they host the Anaheim Ducks tonight in Vegas.
The Knights won three out of four meetings between these teams last year. This is the first taste of the Pacific Division for the Knights, who will take on the team currently sitting atop the division standings with a 5-1-1 record.
Cody Eakin enters tonight’s game with back-to-back game-winning goals, and William Karlsson no longer has to worry about scoring his first of the season. Plus, Shea Theodore will be eager to play well against his former team. For other keys to the matchup, check out the preview for tonight’s tilt.
Despite facing multiple injuries to key players, Anaheim has had early success thanks in great part to the extraordinary play of netminder John Gibson. He’s likely to be the Ducks’ start tonight and will square off against Marc-Andre Fleury, who has allowed just one goal in the last two games combined.
The Ducks will have captain Ryan Getzlaf back in the lineup tonight; it will be the first game this season in which all of Anaheim’s top three centers (Getzlaf, Adam Henrique, Ryan Kesler) will be in the lineup at the same time. While Jakob Silfverberg intends to play through a fractured finger, it’s unclear if he will suit up tonight. Corey Perry, Ondrej Kase, Carter Rowney and Patrick Eaves are all out with injuries, however.
For Vegas, Paul Stastny and the recently re-signed Alex Tuch remain out of the lineup, as does Deryk Engelland.
Here are the projected lineups for both clubs:
Golden Knights
Marchessault — Karlsson — Smith
Pacioretty — Haula — Hyka
Nosek — Eakin — Carpenter
Carrier — Bellemare — Reaves
Miller — McNabb
Theodore — Holden
Hunt — Merrill
Fleury
Subban
Ducks
Lundestrom (#48) — Getzlaf (#15) — Rakell (#67)
Comtois (#53) — Henrique (#14) — Aberg (#20)
Cogliano (#7) — Kesler (#17) — Sherwood (#64)
Street (#46) — Steel (#34) — Gibbons (#23)
Fowler (#4) — Manson (#42)
Lindholm (#47) — Montour (#26)
Pettersson (#28) — Schenn (#2)
Gibson (#36)
Miller (#30)
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