Golden Knights Gameday 61: ‘League of Adversity’: Lines, Notes, vs Blue Jackets

The Vegas Golden Knights (32-24-4, 68 points) are in Ohio Sunday afternoon for the fourth game of their current five-game road trip. They will look for their first win against the Columbus Blue Jackets (29-27-3, 61 points) starting at 4:00 pm PST.

Adversity has been the name of the game for the Golden Knights as of late. They have lost eight of their last twelve games and have just four wins with Jack Eichel on the team. They have scored two or fewer goals in their past four games. For head coach Peter DeBoer, the VGK’s inability to put the puck in the net has not been a result of a lack of chances.

“We have generated enough shots and enough chances to score goals and we have got 40 shots but you have to find ways to score goals in this league. I think for us it is sticking some in the net,” said DeBoer.

The Golden Knights have seen three teams now pass them in the Pacific Division standings with the Edmonton Oilers being the latest to do so Saturday night. The VGK are now in a Wild Card playoff position after being in first place in the Pacific Division for over a month.

“The NHL is a league of adversity and how things handle it. That’s the story at the end of the day. Everybody faces adversity at one point or another in the season and it is how you respond to that,” said DeBoer.

Ben Hutton will be unavailable for the Golden Knights as he has entered COVID-19 protocols. Daniil Miromanov will replace him in the lineup. Max Pacioretty is also questionable as he left the Golden Knights game against the Pittsburgh Penguins and did not return. Logan Thompson was the first goalie off the ice during Sunday’s optional morning skate. He could be getting his third career start Sunday.

For the Blue Jackets, two of their top scorers could be out as Patrick Laine is a game-time decision and Jakub Voracek and now out week-to-week.

For your pregame read…

• Five reasons to be optimistic about the Golden Knights.
• Five reasons to panic if you are a Golden Knights fan.

Puck drop is at 7:00 pm at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. See you there.

Projected Vegas Golden Knights Line Combinations

Max Pacioretty- Jack Eichel- Jonathan Marchessault

Michael Amadio- William Karlsson- Evgenii Dadonov

William Carrier- Chandler Stephenson- Nicolas Roy

Jonas Rondbjerg- Jake Leschyshyn- Keegan Kolesar

Nicolas Hague- Alex Pietrangelo

Shea Theodore- Zach Whitecloud

Daniil Miromanov- Dylan Coghlan

Logan Thompson/Laurent Brossoit

Vegas Golden Knights Special Teams

17.42% Powerplay (27th) and 79.27% Penalty Kill (18th)

PP1: Pacioretty, Eichel, Dadonov, Marchessault, Theodore

PP2: Roy, Karlsson, Stephenson, Pietrangelo, Coghlan

PK1: Karlsson, Roy, Hague, Pietrangelo

PK2: Stephenson, Leschyshyn, Coghlan, Whitecloud

Injured Reserve/COVID-19 Protocols/Scratches/Taxi Squad

Mark Stone (back), Alec Martinez (face), Nolan Patrick (head), Brayden McNabb (hand), Mattias Janmark (unknown), Brett Howden (lower-body), Robin Lehner (lower-body), Reilly Smith (knee), Ben Hutton (COVID protocols)

Projected Columbus Blue Jackets Line Combinations

Gustav Nyquist- Jack Roslovic- Patrick Laine

Max Domi- Cole Sillinger- Oliver Bjorkstrand

Eric Robinson- Sean Kuraly- Yegor Chinakhov

Trey Fix-Wolansky- Brendan Gaunce- Emil Bemstrom

Zach Werenski- Andrew Peeke

Vladislav Gavrikov- Jake Bean

Gavin Bayreuther- Dean Kukan

Elvis Merzlikins/Joonas Korpisalo

Columbus Blue Jackets Special Teams

18% Powerplay (25th) and 79.29% Penalty Kill (17th)

PP1- Nyquist, Roslovic, Bjorkstrand, Laine, Werenski

PP2- Domi, Sillinger, Bemstrom, Chinakhov, Bean

PK1- Kuraly, Robinson, Gavrikov, Peeke

PK2- Sillinger, Nyquist, Bayreuther, Werenski

Injured Reserve/COVID-19 Protocols/Scratches

Jakub Voracek, Boone Jenner, Adam Boqvist, Alexander Texier, Daniil Tarasov

How to Watch/Listen

4:00 pm on At&t Sportsnet, ESPN+, and Fox Sports 98.9 FM Radio.