GAME DAY: Golden Knights look to snap skid against Panthers

Golden Knights' center Jonathan Marchessault (81) moves the puck against Florida Panthers' Mike Matheson (19) during an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Golden Knights look to avoid their first four-game losing streak when they take on the Florida Panthers on Saturday at BB&T Center.

Opening faceoff is 4 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

The Knights, who fell 5-2 at Carolina on Friday in the first game of the back-to-back, have never lost four straight during the regular season in their brief history.

They lost three straight from Oct. 8-11 against Buffalo, Washington and Pittsburgh and dropped three in a row on three occasions during their inaugural season.

The Knights lost four straight to Washington in the Stanley Cup Final.

“We went on a good streak there for a little while in January where we were playing some good hockey,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “And then we’re still playing good hockey and lost some games and it starts to creep in that you’re not playing well. And then you come out with a game like (Friday) where you just don’t have it for the whole game. Break or not, you’ve got to have it for the whole game.”

No lineup information was available since the Knights (29-20-4, 62 points) did not hold a morning skate.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to make his league-leading 46th start after Maxime Lagace drew the assignment against Carolina in the first game after the All-Star break/bye week.

Fleury leads the NHL with 27 wins and six shutouts.

The Knights’ offense is mired in a slump, producing two goals or fewer in four of their five past games.

Florida allowed four third-period goals in a 4-1 loss to Nashville on Friday that snapped the Panthers’ three-game win streak.

The Panthers (20-21-8, 48 points) are 11 points behind Columbus for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Forwards Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan, who were acquired Friday in a trade with Pittsburgh, will make their debut with the Panthers.

Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, who missed four games with a concussion, is expected to play after he was activated from IR on Friday.

James Reimer is projected to start in net for Florida on the second game of a back-to-back. The backup is 4-1-2 in his last seven decisions.

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Paul Stastny-Alex Tuch

Brandon Pirri-Cody Eakin-Ryan Carpenter