The Vegas Golden Knights are set to face off against the San Jose Sharks tonight at the SAP Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM EST, with the game broadcast on NHL Network. Here's a look at the projected lineups, considering recent injuries and roster moves.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights (20-11-12) enter the game on a three-game winning streak, but are dealing with several key injuries. Goaltender Carter Hart is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury sustained in their recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Adin Hill is also still working his way back from injured reserve. William Karlsson remains out long term with a lower-body injury. Brayden McNabb is sidelined with an upper-body injury. Brandon Saad is also out on a day-to-day basis with an undisclosed injury.
Based on these factors, the projected lineup for the Golden Knights is as follows:
- Forwards: Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone Reilly Smith — Mitch Marner — Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden — Tomas Hertl — Keegan Kolesar Cole Reinhardt — Colton Sissons — Braeden Bowman
- Defense: Noah Hanifin — Zach Whitecloud Jeremy Lauzon — Shea Theodore Ben Hutton – Kaedan Korczak
- Goalies: Carl Lindbom, Akira Schmid
Carl Lindbom is likely to start in goal, with Akira Schmid backing him up.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks (23-18-3) have been a surprise team this season, led by the outstanding play of rookie Macklin Celebrini. They've won six of their last seven games and are looking to continue their strong play against the Golden Knights.
The Sharks also have their share of injuries. Ty Dellandrea is out with a lower-body injury. Will Smith is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Philipp Kurashev is also on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. John Klingberg is questionable with a lower-body injury. Vincent Desharnais is out with an upper body injury.
The projected lineup for the Sharks is:
- Forwards: William Eklund — Macklin Celebrini — Igor Chernyshov Pavol Regenda — Alexander Wennberg — Tyler Toffoli Jeff Skinner — Adam Gaudette — Collin Graf Barclay Goodrow — Zack Ostapchuk — Ryan Reaves
- Defense: Dmitry Orlov — Timothy Liljegren Mario Ferraro — Vincent Iorio Sam Dickinson — Nick Leddy
- Goalies: Yaroslav Askarov, Alex Nedeljkovic
Yaroslav Askarov is expected to start in goal. John Klingberg could return to the lineup for the first time since December 31st.
Keys to the Game
The Golden Knights will need strong performances from their top players, such as Eichel and Stone, to overcome their injury woes. Their defensive structure will be tested by the Sharks' offensive firepower, led by Celebrini. For the Sharks, continuing their strong offensive play and capitalizing on the Golden Knights' goaltending situation will be crucial.
