Golden Knights Gameday #20: Pacioretty’s Return? Lines, Notes vs Predators

The Vegas Golden Knights (11-8) are looking to bounce back Wednesday night as they take on the Nashville Predators (10-7-1) tonight at 5:00 pm on the road. Max Pacioretty skated with the Golden Knights once more in today’s practice and Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer lists him as a game-time decision.

“I would call him a game-time decision. He skated with us before the last game but he wasn’t going to be an option. He skated with us again this morning. We will see how the afternoon goes and we will decide at game-time,” said DeBoer.

Both Alec Martinez and Nolan Patrick did not make the trip and will not play. Jonathan Marchessault, Michael Amadio, and William Carrier are still in COVID-19 protocols.

The Golden Knights are coming off of a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues in which they scored the first two goals of the game. However, the Blues came back and scored five unanswered goals.

“I think we have to bounce back and play better than last game. We need to avoid mistakes and play our game,” said Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy.

The Predators are fourth in the central division and have one-less point in the standings than the Golden Knights do with 21. Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund are tied for the team-lead in points with 19. Duchene has twelve goals on the season which includes a hat-trick against the Montreal Canadiens.

“They’re big guys are all playing well. Duchene has been really hot and all the guys that are supposed to be scoring for them are scoring. I think they might get Forsberg back tonight for the first time in eight or nine games so that will add another weapon to their lineup,” DeBoer said on the Predators.

It could be a matchup with two NHL superstars returning with both Pacioretty and Forsberg making a return to their team’s lineups.

PROJECTED VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS LINES

Max Pacioretty- Chandler Stephenson- Mark Stone

Evgenii Dadonov- Nicolas Roy- Reilly Smith

Mattias Janmark- Jake Leschyshyn- Keegan Kolesar

Paul Cotter- Brett Howden- Jonas Rondbjerg

Nicolas Hague- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb- Shea Theodore

Ben Hutton- Zach Whitecloud

Robin Lehner/Laurent Brossoit

IR: Jack Eichel, Nolan Patrick, William Karlsson, William Carrier, Jonathan Marchessault, Alec Martinez, Michael Amadio.

PROJECTED NASHVILLE PREDATORS LINES PER PUCKPEDIA

Luke Kunin- Mikael Granlund- Matt Duchene

Filip Forsberg- Ryan Johansen- Eeli Tolvanen

Yakov Trenin- Colton Sissons- Tanner Jeannot

Nick Cousins- Michael McCarron- Thomas Novak

Roman Josi- Dante Fabbro

Mattias Ekholm- Alexandre Carrier

Mark Borowiecki- Matt Benning

Juuse Saros/David Rittich

How to Watch/Listen: 5:00 pm, ESPN+ and on Fox Sports 98.9 FM