Golden Knights Gameday: Big Setting, Bigger Two Points

The Vegas Golden Knights will take on the Colorado Avalanche in a beautiful outdoor setting at Lake Tahoe this afternoon. As incredible as the setting may be, there’s an even bigger two points on the line for the Golden Knights.

Vegas Golden Knights (10-3-1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (8-4-1)

Today’s game is the third in a series of four straight games for the Golden Knights against the Avalanche. So far the teams have split the results one game apiece with the most recent result a 3-2 win for the Avs on Tuesday night.

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who has not appeared yet in the series, is listed as a game-time decision. Sam Gerard has been cleared from the team’s COVID-19 protocol list and may play.

For Vegas, Tomas Nosek remains on the COVID-19 protocol list.

Keep An Eye On

Vegas Golden Knights

Max Pacioretty has goals in his last two games after not seeing the scoresheet for three in a row. Pacioretty’s goals have come in bunches this season, so odds are good he could extend his team-leading eight goal total today at Lake Tahoe.

Colorado Avalanche

Joonas Donskoi has recorded at least a point in six of his last seven games (3-4-7) and has been one of the most consistent players offensively for the Avs as of late. Donskoi’s next assist will be his 100th career helper, and reaching that milestone in such a unique setting would be a tremendous memory.

Tom’s Notes:

Vegas Golden Knights

• This is the first time the Vegas Golden Knights will play outdoors as a franchise, but the team has ten players and three coaches with outdoor game experience. Coaches Pete DeBoer, Steve Spott and Ryan McGill have all coached outside before. On the ice, Alec Martinez, Chandler Stephenson, Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Nick Holden, Robin Lehner, Marc-Andre Fleury, Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan Reaves and Brayden McNabb all have outdoor experience.
• The state of Nevada has already hosted an outdoor game. Back on September 27, 1991 the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers 5-2 at Caesar’s Palace in an NHL pre-season contest.
• Vegas has not lost back-to-back games in regulation (regular season) since January 11 and 14, 2020.

Colorado Avalanche

• Today marks the third outdoor game in Colorado Avalanche history. They are 0-2 when playing outdoors.
• Avs defenseman Devon Toews logged a career-high 26:48 of ice time in the absence of Cale Makar on Tuesday.
• Colorado has 18 players on its roster with outdoor game experience.
• The Avalanche will debut the team’s Adidas Reverse Retro jerseys today at Lake Tahoe. The uniforms hearken back to when the team was located in Quebec City and known as the Nordiques.
• Colorado’s penalty kill is ranked second in the NHL at 88.6 percent.