The Golden Knights could get a boost in defense for Game 5 of Monday’s West Division first-round playoffs.
Brayden McNabb attended morning practice at City National Arena and is expected to return after a one-game absence, although coach Pete DeBoer called it a game-time decision.
“(McNabb has) been a key player, especially against this team,” said DeBoer. “They have big, heavy forwards and he’s a guy who charges the price for people to go to those areas. The good thing is that our depth in defense allowed us to survive his absence for a night.
McNabb was struck out for Game 4 at Minnesota with an undisclosed injury. While McNabb is expected to be back in his usual place alongside Shea Theodore, Nick Holden will remain in the lineup. Nic Hague is expected to be a healthy scratch for the second time in the last three games.
Top scorer Max Pacioretty and forward Tomas Nosek were once again game decisions. Pacioretty did not appear in the series due to an upper-body injury suffered on May 1 in Arizona, while Nosek left early in Game 2.
Defender Alec Martinez has also been listed as a game time decision by DeBoer, but hasn’t been on the morning skates recently and is expected to be part of the roster.
“With those injuries, if there’s a knee and the guy is away for months and we know he’s not coming back or it’s a broken bone and we know it’s going to take three or four weeks, that’s obviously information we’ll give you, ”DeBoer said. “There are a lot of injuries that aren’t these. Literally a guy gets up and might feel great and might be an option to play with 24, 48 hours. That’s what we’re dealing with with all these guys.
Coke and a smile
After Alex Pietrangelo swept the puck off the goal line late in Game 3 to help preserve the Knights’ victory, goaltender Marc-André Fleury said he owed the defenseman a drink.
“We shared a good Coke after the game, I’ll tell you,” said Pietrangelo.
The Knights were leading 4-2 when Joel Eriksson Ek blocked a loose puck past Fleury, only for her to hug the post and rest on the line. Pietrangelo, who didn’t have his stick, got down on his knees and dove back, pushing back the puck with his right hand before Wild forward Jordan Greenway could reach it.
“It’s desperation, you know? At this point in the game, at this time of year, you have to do whatever you can to keep the puck out of the back of the net, ”said Pietrangelo. “(Fleury) definitely covered my butt a few times, so I think I should be the one to buy her a Coke.
Captain Celly
Mark Stone’s enthusiastic celebration of his shorthanded goal in Game 4, punctuated by a “Come on, baby!” was all the rage on social networks.
What many haven’t seen, according to DeBoer, is his reaction when Mattias Janmark blocked a shot in the dying seconds to help preserve the shutout.
“Stone is on the bench and is throwing his hands up like we’ve scored an overtime winner,” DeBoer said. “It happens all the time. That’s why he’s our captain. This emotion that he brings to our group is essential.
Contact David Schoen at [email protected] or 702-387-5203. To pursue @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.