Golden Knights Gameday 7: Tying Yandle: Lines and Notes vs Maple Leafs

Phil Kessel will tie the NHL’s ironman record tonight at T-Mobile Arena with his 989th consecutive game as the Vegas Golden Knights (4-2-0, eight points) play the Toronto Maple Leafs (4-2-0, eight points).

Kessel will tie retired defenseman Keith Yandle’s streak of 989 consecutive games played Monday and surpass the record on Tuesday with 990 straight games against the Sharks. If he plays in ten more straight games, he will play in his 1,000th straight game against the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 17.

Phil Kessel has played 988 consecutive NHL games. His next-closest teammate, William Karlsson, has played 65.

All of the other VGK skaters' active consecutive game streaks combined are less than half of Kessel's current one (442).

— VGK Communications (@VGK_PR) October 24, 2022

The Maple Leafs come to Vegas having just won in Winnipeg against the Jets 4-1. After their 3-2 loss against the Colorado Avalanche, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has shuffled up his lines. Logan Thompson is expected to start his second straight game.

The Golden Knight’s next game is Tuesday, meaning that Adin Hill will likely start the second half of the back-to-back.

What to Watch For

Calling Kessel

With this being Kessel’s record-tying game and all, he might naturally show up on the scoresheet to bolter this story. He is just one goal away from career goal no. 400 and only has one assist on the season. His play has demoted him to the third line, as he is no longer with Reilly Smith and Jack Eichel.

Lineup Changes

The new lines have stacked the Golden Knight’s top line with all-star talent, as Eichel, Chandler Stephenson, and Mark Stone are all on the first line, and the Misfit Line has been reforged.

We’ll see how these lines fair against the Maple Leafs.

Measuring Stick

The Golden Knight’s only losses this season have come to Stanley Cup Contenders, the Calgary Flames, and Colorado Avalanche. With the Maple Leafs being another team bound for the playoffs, this will be a test to see where the Golden Knights are at early on in the season.

Projected Vegas Golden Knights Line Combinations

Chandler Stephenson- Jack Eichel- Mark Stone (c)

Jonathan Marchessault- William Karlsson- Reilly Smith

Michael Amadio- Brett Howden- Phil Kessel

William Carrier- Nicolas Roy- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb- Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague- Zach Whitecloud

Logan Thompson/Adin Hill

Vegas Golden Knights Special Teams

PP1: Stone, Eichel, Stephenson, Marchessault, Pietrangelo

PP2: Roy, Karlsson, Smith, Kessel, Theodore

PK1: Roy, Stephenson, McNabb, Pietrangelo

PK2: Karlsson, Stone, Martinez, Whitecloud

IR/Scratches

Paul Cotter, Jake Leschyshyn, Ben Hutton, Laurent Brossoit

Projected Maple Leafs Line Combinations

Michael Bunting- Auston Matthews- Mitch Marner

Nick Robertson- John Tavares- William Nylander

Zach Aston-Reese- Alex Kerfoot- Calle Jarnkrok

Kyle Clifford- David Kampf- Wayne Simmonds

Morgan Rielly- TJ Brodie

Rasmus Sandin- Justin Holl

Mark Giordano- Victor Mete

Ilya Samsonov/Erik Kallgren

Maple Leafs Special Teams

PP1- Nylander, Tavares, Matthews, Marner, Rielly

PP2- Jarnkrok, Kerfoot, Bunting, Sandin, Robertson

PK1- Kampf, Marner, Brodie, Holl

PK2- Kerfoot, Jarnkrok, Rielly, Giordano

IR/Scratches

Matt Murray, Jake Muzzin, Jordie Benn, Timothy Liljegren, Carl Dahlstrom, Pierre Engvall, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Denis Malgin, Victor Mete

How to Watch/Listen

7:00 pm on AT&T Sportsnet, ESPN+, and Fox Sports 98.9 FM Radio.