GAME DAY: Golden Knights’ Mark Stone faces Senators for first time

Mark Stone faces his former team for the first time Thursday night when the Golden Knights host the Ottawa Senators at T-Mobile Arena to close out a two-game homestand.

Opening faceoff is 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

Stone was acquired from the Senators at the trade deadline in February for Oscar Lindberg, prospect Erik Brannstrom and a 2020 second-round pick.

“I loved living there. I still go back there. It’s an awesome city to live. Our fans were awesome. They embraced me from Day One. We had some really good times there,” Stone said. “But looking forward now, they’re going through a major rebuild. I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to be in Las Vegas long term. I wish nothing but the best for those guys.”

Stone leads the Knights with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games and has a modest three-game points streak after registering a goal and a fight in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Nashville. He remains one assist shy of 200 in his career.

Forward Valentin Zykov was suspended 20 games starting Thursday for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances program and will be replaced in the lineup by Brandon Pirri.

Center Paul Stastny had six points in his past three games for the Knights (4-3-0, 8 points).

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to make his fourth straight start and brings a record of 4-2 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

Left wing Max Pacioretty is set to play in his 700th career NHL game, while Gerard Gallant will coach in his 500th career game.

Ottawa (1-4-0, 2 points) begins a three-game trip and is coming off a 2-0 loss to Minnesota on Monday.

Anders Nilsson, who struggled in his lone start of the season Oct. 10, will start in net for the Senators.

Center Artem Anisimov, who was scratched against Minnesota because of a lower-body injury, left practice early Wednesday and is questionable.

Vladislav Namestnikov and Jean-Gabriel Pageau share the team lead in scoring with four points. Brannstrom has one assist in five games.

The Senators are 0-for-17 on the power play, joining New Jersey as the only teams without a power-play goal.

“They’re playing a fast game,” Gallant said. “I know their record’s not good, but they’re working hard and they’ve got a lot of kids in their lineup and they’re a good, dangerous lineup. They’ll come ready to play.”

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Paul Stastny-Mark Stone

Brandon Pirri-Cody Eakin-Cody Glass

William Carrier-Tomas Nosek-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore

Jon Merrill-Nick Holden

Nic Hague-Deryk Engelland

Goaltender

Marc-Andre Fleury