GAME DAY: Golden Knights face rival Sharks to close preseason
The Golden Knights conclude the preseason Sunday when they host the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena.
Opening faceoff is 5 p.m., and the game will be televised on KTNV-13 and NHL Network.
This is the first of three straight matchups between the heated rivals, who play a home-and-home to open the regular season beginning Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.
The Knights, who were eliminated from the playoffs by San Jose in an infamous seven-game playoff series, claimed a 3-1 preseason victory over the Sharks on Sept. 21.
“It’s an exhibition game. We want to play well and get ready for the home opener,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “We played them two years in the playoffs so there’s an intense rivalry there. But once the season starts, the next game, it doesn’t matter if it’s San Jose, or L.A. or Calgary. They’re in our division; they’re teams you’re trying to beat.”
The Knights have lost two straight games, including a 3-2 setback to Los Angeles on Friday. Right wing Alex Tuch suffered an upper-body injury against the Kings and is listed as week to week.
Center Cody Eakin (upper body) will not play Sunday and is day to day, leaving him questionable for the season opener. That could open the door for 20-year-old center Cody Glass to make the 23-man roster.
Glass skated on the second line between left wing Max Pacioretty and right wing Mark Stone at practice Saturday.
The Knights held an optional morning skate and did not announce a starting goaltender. Gallant will hold media availability two hours before opening faceoff.
San Jose is coming off a 4-1 win over Calgary on Thursday that snapped a four-game preseason losing skid.
Dylan Gambrell had two goals in the third period, but coach Peter DeBoer was critical of his play in the first two periods and dropped him from a top-six role in Saturday’s practice.
The Sharks did not announce a starting goaltender.
Golden Knights projected lineup
Forwards
Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith
Max Pacioretty-Cody Glass-Mark Stone
Valentin Zykov-Paul Stastny-Brandon Pirri
William Carrier-Tomas Nosek-Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Jon Merrill-Shea Theodore
Brayden McNabb-Nic Hague
Jimmy Schuldt-Deryk Engelland
Goaltenders
Marc-Andre Fleury
Malcolm Subban
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.