GAME DAY: Paul Stastny a game-time decision vs. Islanders
NEW YORK — The Golden Knights open a four-game road trip Wednesday when they take on the New York Islanders at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Opening faceoff is 4 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
The Islanders are the only team the Knights (17-14-1, 35 points) haven’t defeated in their short history.
“The Islanders are working real hard,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s a little bit like Dallas. Last year they were a very offensive team and they gave up more on the defensive end. I think the Islanders are very similar. They’re tighter defensively, they play a real good style of hockey and they’re a hard-working group. They’re having a good start to their season.”
Center Paul Stastny, who missed the past 29 games after suffering a lower-body injury Oct. 8 at Buffalo, will be a game-time decision.
Stastny participated in the Knights’ optional skate, but stayed on the ice afterward with the other scratches.
“There could be one (lineup) change, but we’re not sure,” Gallant said. “He’s obviously the guy we’re thinking about. I’ll talk to the trainers and see where we’re at.”
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will make his 11th consecutive start and league-leading 29th overall.
He is 8-2 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in his past 10 games.
The Islanders (14-11-4, 32 points) are third in the Metropolitan Division under first-year coach Barry Trotz, who led Washington to the Stanley Cup over the Knights in June.
New York is 4-4-2 in its past 10, including a 2-1 shootout loss to Pittsburgh on Monday.
Robin Lehner (4-5-3, 2.63 goals-against average, .916 save percentage) is expected to make his second straight start in net for the Islanders. He had 23 saves against the Penguins in his last outing.
Forward Leo Komarov is a game-time decision for the New York and would be replaced by Josh Ho-Sang if he can’t go.
Josh Bailey leads the Islanders with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists). Anders Lee, coming off a 40-goal season, tops New York with 11 goals.
“I think we’ve been better and better at focusing on the game and not focusing too far ahead,” Knights center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare said. “This is going to be a good test tonight. Just don’t think about anything else but tonight’s game. It’s a four-game road trip, but the most important game is tonight.”
Golden Knights projected lineup
Forwards
Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith
Max Pacioretty-Cody Eakin-Alex Tuch
Oscar Lindberg-Tomas Nosek-Ryan Carpenter
William Carrier-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Brayden McNabb-Nate Schmidt
Shea Theodore-Deryk Engelland
Nick Holden-Colin Miller
Goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
