The Golden Knights will add a key player to their lineup as they start a four-game homestand at 7 p.m. Saturday against the New York Islanders at T-Mobile Arena, but they still have a lengthy injury list.
Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was at the Knights’ morning skate and is expected to return after missing the previous nine games for personal reasons. Pietrangelo said his 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn, had encephalitis, a brain condition that, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, can have various symptoms and requires prompt treatment. Pietrangelo said she lost all motor skills and he and his wife, Jayne, spent “a lot of late nights, early mornings” at Sunrise Children’s Hospital.
Pietrangelo said Evelyn came home three days ago. On Friday, she walked around the house all day, Pietrangelo said. Her condition is much better, and she is expected to make a full recovery, Pietrangelo said.
“It’s a miracle how much she’s come along the last 48 hours,” Pietrangelo said. “I can’t believe how resilient she’s been over the last few days.”
The Knights are expected to play without center Jack Eichel (lower-body) and left wing Paul Cotter (upper-body), who are considered day to day. Defenseman Shea Theodore (lower-body) and defenseman Zach Whitecloud (undisclosed) are not expected to return soon, but coach Bruce Cassidy said neither of their injuries are expected to be season-ending. Theodore is considered week to week, and Whitecloud is considered month to month. The Knights also remain without center Brett Howden (lower-body), who is on long-term injured reserve.
Goaltender Logan Thompson is expected to get his second straight start Saturday. He made 24 saves in the Knights’ 4-1 win in Chicago on Thursday.
Knights at Islanders
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: T-Mobile Arena
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM)
Line: Knights -175; total 6
Knights record: 22-9-1
Islanders record: 17-13-1
Head-to-head: 0-0-0 (Knights 1-1-0 last season)
Knights’ projected lineup:
Phil Kessel — Chandler Stephenson — Mark Stone
Reilly Smith — William Karlsson — Jonathan Marchessault
Jonas Rondbjerg — Jake Leschyshyn — Michael Amadio
William Carrier — Nicolas Roy — Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez — Nic Hague
Brayden McNabb — Daniil Miromanov
Ben Hutton — Alex Pietrangelo
Logan Thompson
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.