Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP
Colorado Avalanche’ goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) makes the save on Vegas Golden Knights ‘ Jonathan Marchessault (81) during the second period of an NHL Stanley Cup qualifying round game in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020.
Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021 | 1:57 p.m.
The Golden Knights, off to the best start in the franchise’s four-year history, will face their biggest test of the season starting tonight.
At 9-2-1, Vegas is in second place in the West Division in total points. Right on the Golden Knights’ heels are today’s opponent, the Colorado Avalanche, who Vegas will play four times in a row in what could be a potential playoff preview.
Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.
The Avalanche are playing their first game since Feb. 2 after COVID-19 forced them into a layoff of nearly two weeks. Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost, all regulars, remain on the league’s COVID list and are unexpected to play.
But Colorado is welcoming the return of superstar Nathan MacKinnon. He has not played since Jan. 31 because of a lower-body injury, but because of the postponed games ended up missing just one Colorado contest. MacKinnon has eight points in eight career games against Vegas and has 14 points in 11 games this season.
ManKinnon’s winger, Mikko Rantanen, has seven goals this year and goalie Philipp Grubauer has a .934 save percentage.
Vegas will catch a bit of a break, last year’s Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year, defenseman Cale Makar, was scratched Sunday with an upper-body injury. He has 11 assists and 12 points this season and
The Golden Knights are also expected to play short-handed. Defenseman Shea Theodore has missed the last two games are leaving Tuesday’s contest with an injury, and goalie Robin Lehner has an upper-body injury.
If Lehner remains out, that would either force the Golden Knights to play Marc-Andre Fleury, who is off to a tremendous start to the season, into his third game in four days, or turn to Oscar Dansk, who has dressed as Fleury’s backup the last two games but has only five career appearances.
The Golden Knights have struggled all-time against the Avalanche, with a 3-4-1 record, including just 2-4-0 since Vegas’ inaugural season.
TV: NBC Sports Network (DirecTV 220, Cox 38, CenturyLink 640)
Radio: Fox Sports 1340 AM and 98.9 FM
Betting line: Golden Knights EVEN, Avalanche minus-120; over/under: 6 (minus-105, under-115)
Golden Knights (9-2-1, 19 points; 2nd place, West Division)
Coach: Peter DeBoer (second season)
Points leader: Mark Stone (16)
Goals leader: Max Pacioretty (6)
Assists leader: Mark Stone (12)
Expected goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (1.58 GAA, .934 save percentage)
Avalanche (7-3-1, 15 points; t-3rd place, West Division)
Coach: Jared Bednar (sixth season)
Points leader: Nathan MacKinnon (14)
Goals leader: Mikko Rantanen (7)
Assists leader: Nathan MacKinnon (12)
Expected goalie: Philipp Grubauer (1.67 GAA, .934 save percentage)
Golden Knights projected lineup
Forwards
Max Pacioretty—Chandler Stephenson—Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault—William Karlsson—Reilly Smith
Keegan Kolesar—Cody Glass—Alex Tuch
William Carrier—Nicolas Roy—Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Alec Martinez—Alex Pietrangelo
Nicolas Hague—Zach Whitecloud
Nick Holden—Dylan Coghlan
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury, Oscar Dansk
