The Vegas Golden Knights return to the ice tonight to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second to last game of the regular season. With the postseason approaching, we're really starting to get down to the wire.
The Golden Knights will close out the regular season with a two-game homestand starting tonight against the Jets before hosting the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.
Here's the latest from practice.
Reilly Smith in, Saad out
According to Danny Webster, the Golden Knights will start with Reilly Smith instead of Brandon Saad. The two have been bouncing back and forth between lineups.
"Smith will go tonight and Saad will be out," head coach John Tortorella said. "I'll have to figure it out, I like where the other lines are. I'm going to change them tonight and we'll see how it all works out."
Smith has 13 goals and 22 points in 67 games, while Saad has three goals and nine points in 49 games.
Hart got the nod in the net
Carter Hart got the nod in net tonight against the Jets and considering his play, it's no surprise. He is 4-0-0 with a 1.93 average and .918 save percentage in his last four games.
Why won't he start? He is 9-5-0 in 14 games in the playoffs, including a goals-against average of 2.23 and a save percentage of .926 in his career playoffs.
“Carter is on track to be in really good shape as we get to the playoffs.” Tortorella said.
As the regular season winds down, we'll see if the Golden Knights lean toward Hart or if they give Adin Hill a chance to steal the crease back.
High Stakes vs Jets
Unlike last season, the Golden Knights still have a lot at stake. Vegas has won four of the last seven Pacific Division titles, but has yet to reach the postseason.
The Golden Knights currently lead the division with 91 points, with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks close behind with 90 points each.
A win against the Jets would give Vegas 93 points. A win would clinch the division and potentially set up a first-round matchup against the top wild-card team, which is trending toward the Utah Mammoth.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM PST tonight.
