The Golden Knights pulled off a big shootout win the other night against Tampa Bay, snapping a four-game losing streak with a key victory against the top team in the league. Tonight’s matchup pits the Knights against the Detroit Red Wings, who could get first-line center Dylan Larkin back in the lineup (he’s a game-time decision).
The Red Wings have won three games in a row but sit 12 points out of a wildcard slot in the Eastern Conference. This is the first of Vegas’ two meetings against Detroit this season; the teams will finish the season series at T-Mobile Arena in late March.
Vegas has changed things up a bit offensively, as it appears that Brandon Pirri will be scratched from the lineup tonight. Oscar Lindberg will replace him in the lineup on the third line and first power-play unit. Ryan Carpenter remains out after sustaining a frightening injury the other night, so Tomas Nosek will step back in on the fourth line.
Update: Larkin is expected to play tonight.
Here are the projected lineups for both clubs:
Golden Knights
Marchessault — Karlsson — Zykov
Pacioretty — Stastny — Tuch
Lindberg — Eakin — Smith
Nosek — Bellemare — Reaves
McNabb — Schmidt
Theodore — Engelland
Merrill — Miller
Fleury
Lagace
Red Wings
Abdelkader (#8) — Larkin (#71) — Nyquist (#14)
Vanek (#26) — Nielsen (#51) — Mantha (#39)
Helm (#43) — Glendening (#41) — Athanasiou (#72)
Ehn (#70) — De La Rose (#61) — Rasmussen (#27)
Kronwall (#55) — Green (#25)
DeKeyser (#65) — Jensen (#3)
Ericsson (#52) — Cholowski (#21)
Howard (#35)
Bernier (#45)
ICYMI, here is the preview for tonight’s game, as well as the preview from Winging It In Motown, the SB Nation site for the Red Wings.
Let’s discuss!