Vegas Golden Knights Vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Vegas Golden Knights conclude this long homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at T-Mobile Arena.
Going 4-2-0 on this current homestand, the Vegas Golden Knights will be looking to sign off at home before hitting the road for just under a month.
However, they are going up against a Blue Jackets team who are really punching above their weight this year and they won’t be pushovers.
And, given how poor the Golden Knights have been in the first period of games recently, Columbus will be looking to exploit that.
On that note, let’s delve into some storylines to keep an eye on between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Columbus Blue Jackets…
Storyline 1 – Debut for Kolesar
There will be a National Hockey League debut for Keegan Kolesar tonight, who is expected to slot in on the fourth line.
After scoring his first two goals of the year for the Chicago Wolves on Friday, Kolesar got the call to fly to Vegas and it is expected that his parents will be in the building tonight.
And, what makes this even more cool is the fact that Kolesar was drafted 69th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Funny how things work out sometimes.
Storyline 2 – Marchessault Game-Time Decision
Jonathan Marchessault has now missed four-straight games with a lower-body injury, which seems to be lingering.
Although Reilly Smith is still producing, the top line isn’t the same without Marchessault’s combination of skill and grit, and William Karlsson is suffering in particular from the absence of his linemate.
Marchessault was on the ice this morning and Vegas Head Coach Gerard Gallant announced that the forward will be a Game-Time Decision.
Storyline 3 – Flower in net
Marc-Andre Fleury will get the start in goal tonight after getting the night off against the LA Kings on Thursday.
The rest was needed for Fleury who has been below his best as of late, although he hasn’t been helped by his defense.
Through 30 games, Fleury has a 18-9-3 record with a 2.84 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage.
He will no doubt want to bounce back tonight and, with an extended break coming up, Fleury will have the chance to recharge his batteries ahead of the postseason.
Storyline 4 – Signing off in style
Tonight is the final game of a seven-game homestand, which has produced a 4-2-0 record for the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Knights will look to finish the homestand on a high and sign off from T-Mobile with a win before hitting the road for just under a month.
After tonight, the Golden Knights won’t be back on home ice until Feb. 13, when they take on the St. Louis Blues.
So, as a result, the Golden Knights will want to leave the home crowd with that winning feeling and some happy memories to cherish until they return.
Also, the Knights will need to be ready to go from the first drop of the puck, something they have struggled with as of late.
In the last three games, they have been outscored 9-0 in the first period, while they have given up 15 goals in the first period in their last six games. These first period struggles need to stop. And quick.
Storyline 5 – Plucky Blue Jackets
After losing a plethora of big hitters during the off-season, including elite playmaker Artemi Panarin, expectations were low for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
They got off to a poor start too but, out of the blue, they have enjoyed a dramatic upturn in fortunes and are on the bubble of the postseason right now.
The Blue Jackets did lose their last outing 3-1 to the San Jose Sharks and they are 2-1-0 on a road trip that finishes tonight.
Next. Brutal first period, other takeaways from LA loss. dark
Despite being decimated in the summer, this Columbus team does boast some talent and a lot of grit, and the Golden Knights will need to be ready to battle for the whole 60 minutes if they want to win this game.