Golden Knights Gameday
Golden Knights Gameday 65: Yes, There is a Game Today- Lines, Notes, vs Wild
The Vegas Golden Knights (34-26-4, 72 points) still have a game to play tonight, on NHL Trade Deadline day and it is against the Minnesota Wild (36-20-4, 76 points), who now have Marc-Andre Fleury.
It has been a wild day as the NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. Trades are still trickling in with Evgenii Dadonov reportedly on his way to the Anaheim Ducks per Emily Kaplan of ESPN.
Sources: Anaheim and Vegas agreed to a deal in principle that includes sending Evgenii Dadonov to the Ducks.
Believe the trade is in the queue at central registry. Cap clearance for VGK.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) March 21, 2022
More details on the Dadonov deal will come as they are available.
But pushing all of this aside the Golden Knights are looking for their third-straight win Monday night. This game will be the first of a two-game back-to-back road trip with the Golden Knights in Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Outside of the obvious departure of Dadonov, and also Derrick Pouliot going to the Seattle Kraken on waivers, no lineup chances are expected from the VGK. Jake Leschyshyn and Brayden Pachal, who were both recalled from the Henderson Silver Knights Sunday will likely both play.
The Golden Knights are looking for another big game out of Logan Thompson, who has started the last two games for the VGK and won both. He defeated both the Panthers and Kings with 30+ save performances in both games and has emerged as a legitimate goalie for the Golden Knights.
Keys to the Game
The Even More Evident Stretch Run
The time period leading up to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is always considered to be the “stretch run” where teams on the playoff bubble make or miss the playoffs. For the first time in team history, the Golden Knights are in danger of not making the playoffs and this should only motivate them, even more, to play better in the stretch run.
With the trade deadline over, it is now truly crunch time for playoff bubble teams. The Golden Knights have 18 games remaining on the season.
Take a Sigh of Relief
The festivities of the trade deadline being over also means that players rumored to be traded that were not traded are staying. The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t really have any players that were heavily involved in trade rumors outside of maybe Reilly Smith, who is injured. But even still, the pressure of the trade deadline and having your name on the market has passed for every member of the team. Now they can simply relax and focus on hockey with these distractions over with.
Take a Good Hard Look
Lastly, the trade deadline over means that this team, for better or for worse, is the team the Vegas Golden Knights will go with the rest of the season. Everyone in the locker room from Jack Eichel to Brayden Pachal needs to take a look at their surroundings and reassure themselves on what this team is made of. Because there is no going back to make moves for the Golden Knights.
Projected Vegas Golden Knights Line Combinations
William Karlsson- Jack Eichel- Jonathan Marchessault
William Carrier- Chandler Stephenson- Nicolas Roy
Mattias Janmark- Nolan Patrick- Michael Amadio
Jake Leschyshyn- Brett Howden- Keegan Kolesar
Ben Hutton-Â Alex Pietrangelo
Shea Theodore- Zach Whitecloud
Brayden Pachal- Dylan Coghlan
Logan Thompson/Laurent Brossoit
Vegas Golden Knights Special Teams
18.67% Powerplay (24th) and 78.74% Penalty Kill (17th)
PP1: Patrick, Stephenson, Marchessault, Karlsson, Theodore
PP2: Carrier, Kolesar, Roy, Coghlan, Pietrangelo
PK1: Karlsson, Roy, Pietrangelo, Coghlan
PK2: Stephenson, Leschyshyn, Theodore, Whitecloud
Injured Reserve/COVID-19 Protocols/Scratches/Taxi Squad
Alec Martinez (face), Mark Stone (back), Brayden McNabb (hand), Reilly Smith (knee), Robin Lehner (lower-body), Max Pacioretty (unknown), Nicolas Hague (unknown)
Projected Minnesota Wild Line Combinations
Kirill Kaprizov- Ryan Hartman- Matz Zuccarello
Kevin Fiala- Frederick Gaudreau- Matthew Boldy
Jordan Greenway- Joel Eriksson Ek- Marcus Foligno
Brandon Duhaime- Tyson Jost- Nicolaus Deslauriers
Jonas Brodin- Matt Dumba
Alex Goligoski- Jared Spurgeon
Jon Merrill- Dmitry Kulikov
Cam Talbot/Hunter Jones
Minnesota Wild Special Teams
19.78% Powerplay (19th) and 76.02% Penalty Kill (25th)
PP1- Zuccarello, Hartman, Kaprizov, Spurgeon, Goligoski
PP2- Fiala, Gaudreau, Boldy, Dumba, Brodin
PK1- Eriksson Ek, Foligno, Brodin, Dumba
PK2- Jost, Duhaime, Goligoski, Spurgeon
Injured Reserve/COVID-19 Protocols/Scratches
Marc-Andre Fleury (trade limbo)
How to Watch/Listen
5:00 pm on At&t Sportsnet, ESPN+, and Fox Sports 98.9 FM Radio.