LAS VEGAS – Fresh off their first game—and win—of the season against the San Jose Sharks, the Ducks are right back at it in the second game of a back-to-back (SEGABABA) against the Vegas Golden Knights (2-0-0). The Golden Knights have scored at least four goals in each of their first two games.
“I think we’ll be better tomorrow,” Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said after his team’s first win of the season. “I remember last year, we were in Vegas and we lost the game and we came home and we seemed like a different team.
“It’s one of those things, the first games (of the season) are always kind of funny—especially for us because it was eight days before we played a game. I think the guys will have a little more of their rhythm and timing back tomorrow.”
Robby Fabbri is expected to play in his 400th career game tonight. The forward lined up alongside Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras in his Ducks debut against the Sharks and will likely do so again against the Golden Knights.
“With all the injuries I’ve had,” Fabbri said. “Any milestone (that is) game-related or anything like that, it means a lot to me after everything I’ve been through.”
Lukáš Dostál was terrific in the season opener, stopping all 30 shots en route to his second career shutout. He’ll likely get the night off as the Ducks turn to recent waiver claim James Reimer, who will be making his Ducks debut.
“He was great,” Cronin said. “You could just tell in preseason, his body language. It’s like I said all along, he’s very consistent. He’s a consummate professional and he did a great job.”
Defenseman Jackson LaCombe was a late scratch from the lineup with illness, so Olen Zellweger drew into the lineup in his place. Zellweger manned the top power play unit in LaCombe’s absence but had just under 14 minutes of ice time. If LaCombe isn’t able to go again, look for either Zellweger or Urho Vaakanainen to fill in against the Golden Knights.
Ducks Projected Lines
Cutter Gauthier – Leo Carlsson – Alex Killorn
Robby Fabbri – Mason McTavish – Trevor Zegras
Frank Vatrano – Ryan Strome – Troy Terry
Brock McGinn – Isac Lundeström – Brett Leason
Jackson LaCombe – Radko Gudas
Cam Fowler – Tristan Luneau
Pavel Mintyukov – Brian Dumoulin
James Reimer (projected)
Golden Knights Projected Lines
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofeyev – Tomáš Hertl – Alexander Holtz
Brett Holden – Nicolas Roy – Victor Olofsson
Tanner Pearson – Cole Schwindt – Keegan Kolesar
Shea Theodore – Alex Pietrangelo
Noah Hanifin – Nicolas Hague
Brayden McNabb – Zach Whitecloud
Ilya Samsonov (confirmed)
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