GAME DAY: Jake Bischoff to make NHL debut for Golden Knights

PITTSBURGH — Defenseman Jake Bischoff will make his NHL debut when the Golden Knights open a three-game road trip Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

Opening faceoff is 4 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

“Good for him. He’s a guy that’s been with us last year a lot of games and hasn’t played an NHL game yet,” coach Gerard Gallant said.

“He deserves a chance and he’s going to play well. He’s solid,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s going to be a special night for him, obviously. Playing against a team like Pittsburgh should be a lot of fun. I’m sure he’ll look across the ice and see (Sidney) Crosby there and say, ‘What am I doing here?’ But he’ll be great.”

The Knights (5-3-0, 10 points) are coming off a 3-2 shootout victory over Ottawa on Thursday. A win over Pittsburgh would be the 100th in franchise history (99-59-14 in 172 regular-season games).

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will make his fifth consecutive start and brings a 5-2 record with a 2.46 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.

Fleury, who played his first 14 seasons with the Penguins, has 444 career wins and is one shy of tying Terry Sawchuck for seventh on the all-time list.

“It’s still weird every time I come back to this side of the locker room,” Fleury said following morning skate. “It’s fun, though. I’ve had so many good memories from this place. It’s always cool to come back.”

Right wing Mark Stone leads the Knights with 11 points (five goals, six assists) and owns a four-game point streak.

Right wing Reilly Smith has scored in three straight games and tops the Knights with six goals.

Pittsburgh (6-2-0) is playing the second game of a back-to-back after defeating Dallas 4-2 on Friday. Defenseman Kris Letang scored twice in the third period to lift Pittsburgh to its fifth win in a row.

Goaltender Matt Murray played against the Stars, leaving Tristan Jarry in line to play against the Knights.

Jake Guentzel has a career-high, seven-game point streak (five goals, three assists). Crosby was held without a point for the first time this season Friday but leads the Penguins with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in eight games.

The Penguins are without injured forwards Evgeni Malkin (lower body), Alex Galchenyuk (lower body), Nick Bjugstad (lower body) and Bryan Rust (upper body). Malkin, who’s missed the past six games, skated in a track suit Friday but is not expected to play.

“Watching Pittsburgh play on TV and seeing some of their games, they work real hard,” Gallant said. “They’ve got a lot of good players out of their lineup, but I think they’re all rallying around. … When you watch their four lines, they compete, they battle real hard and they’re playing real fast.”

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

Jake Bischoff-Deryk Engelland

Goaltender

Marc-Andre Fleury