Golden Knights Game 71, Theodore Game-Time Decision; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs Wild

The Vegas Golden Knights (42-20-8) are on a roll. They swept their three-game homestand and outscored their opponents 15-6. The Golden Knights look to continue their win streak against the injury-ridden Minnesota Wild (40-26-5) at Xcel Energy Center.

The puck drops just after 5 p.m. 

The Golden Knights are fresh off a dominant back-to-back. On Saturday, they beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-3. They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Sunday, but the score is slightly skewed. The game was 4-1 until the waning seconds of the third period when Nikita Kucherov struck on the power play. 

The Minnesota Wild were in action on Monday, so they’ll be playing a back-to-back. They were shutout by the Dallas Stars and lost 3-0. Injuries are piling up for the Wild— they’re down Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson-Ek, and Marcus Foligno. Defenseman Jonas Brodin is a game-time decision.

Adin Hill gets the start in net against the Wild. Hill has a 2-4-0 record and an average save percentage of .896 in seven games against the Wild.

Filip Gustavsson started last night, which means Marc-André Fleury will face his former team. Fleury, retiring at the end of this season, has a record of 1-3-0 and an average save percentage of .873 in four games against the Golden Knights.

Defenseman Shea Theodore was activated off Injured Reserve. He’s a game-time decision. Alex Pietrangelo is out tonight and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Projected Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Mark Stone

Brandon Saad-Nic Roy-Pavel Dorofeyev

Victor Olofsson-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Tanner Pearson-Brett Howden-Keegan Kolesar

Defense

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin-Zach Whitecloud

Nic Hague-Kaedan Korczak

Goaltender: Adin Hill

Projected Wild Lines

Mats Zuccarello-Marco Rossi-Matt Boldy

Marcus Johansson-Frederik Gaudreau-Gustav Nyquist

Yakov Trenin-Ryan Hartman-Vinnie Hinostroza

Devin Shore-Brendan Gaunce-Justin Brazeau

Defense

Jacob Middleton-Brock Faber

Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon

Jon Merrill-Zach Bogosian

Goaltender: Marc-André Fleury

Special Teams

Golden Knights power play: 29.7%, 2nd. Golden Knights penalty kill: 75.7%, 25th.

Wild power play: 20.4%, 21st. Wild penalty kill: 71.8%, 31st.

Game Notes

This is the third and final game between the Golden Knights and the Wild. The Golden Knights won the first two matchups 14-12-1 against the Wild all time.

The Golden Knights will be without leading goalscorer Tomáš Hertl (31), who was injured during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pavel Dorofeyev sits behind him with 30 goals on the season. 

We’re on Milestone Watch! Keegan Kolesar is one point away from 100 in his career. 

We’re on MileStone Watch! Mark Stone is two assists away from 400 in his career. Stone has five goals and 26 points in 23 career games against the Wild.

Sitting at 87 points on the season, Jack Eichel has four goals and 13 assists in 14 career games against the Wild. 

The Golden Knights are 15-13-5 on the road this season; the Wild are 18-15-2 at home.

HOW TO WATCH

TV: Vegas 34

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340