GAME DAY: Malcolm Subban to make 2nd start in row for Knights

DENVER — Goaltender Malcolm Subban will make his second consecutive start when the Golden Knights face the struggling Colorado Avalanche on Monday at Pepsi Center.

Opening faceoff is at 6 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

Subban had 29 saves in a 5-1 victory over Nashville on Saturday in his first start since Jan. 6.

He won three straight games dating to Dec. 29 and is 3-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average and .960 save percentage in that span.

Gallant is expected to go with the same lineup from Saturday after the Knights (32-24-4, 68 points) snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the first time at home since Jan. 19, although he did mention a game-time decision still could be made.

“We played a real good game against Nashville and had some tough games before that. We’ve got to be ready for a hungry Colorado team tonight,” Gallant said. “It should be a good hockey game. They’ve got one of the best lines in the NHL and they’ve got a lot of talent. They’ve been going through a rough patch like we have so it’s an important game for both teams tonight.”

Left wing Max Pacioretty, center Cody Eakin and right wing Oscar Lindberg combined for three goals and five points against the Predators.

Eakin has a four-game point streak, with one goal and three assists.

Left wing Brandon Pirri scored for the second time in three games Saturday, and will continue to skate with center Paul Stastny and right wing Alex Tuch.

Tuch had two assists against Nashville to snap a streak of seven consecutive games without a point. He leads the Knights with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists).

Colorado (23-24-11, 57 points), which is three points out of the second wild card, opened its three-game homestand with a 3-0 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.

The Avalanche are 1-6-3 in their past 10 games and 10-12-5 overall at Pepsi Center after going 28-11-2 at home last season.

Semyon Varlamov was the first goaltender off the ice at Colorado’s morning skate and is expected start.

Right wing Mikko Rantanen leads Colorado with 76 points (24 goals, 52 assists) and is two points shy of 200 for his NHL career. Center Nathan MacKinnon has 75 points and is sixth in the league in scoring.

Left wing Gabriel Landeskog tops the Avalanche with 30 goals and his next point will be the 400th of his career.

Center Andrew Agozzino will make his season debut with the Avalanche and first NHL appearance since April 9, 2016, after being recalled from the American Hockey League.

Agozzino, who has three assists in 10 career NHL games with the Avalanche, is fourth in the AHL with 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists).

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Brandon Pirri-Paul Stastny-Alex Tuch

Max Pacioretty-Cody Eakin-Oscar Lindberg

William Carrier-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Nate Schmidt-Deryk Engelland

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill-Colin Miller

Goaltender