LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Vegas Golden Knights' Alex Pietrangelo may be back on the ice against the Blackhawks on Friday, but the same can't be said for forward Nicolas Roy.
The Vegas Golden Knights are the 16th NHL team ever to start a season 7-0 and will look to add to the win column on Friday with a home matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks.
At practice on Thursday, head coach Bruce Cassidy provided notable injury updates.
After taking a puck to the face on October 12 against the San Jose Sharks, star defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was forced to miss five games. It looks like he won't have to miss a sixth.
Pietrangelo got in a full workload at practice and is expected to return on the ice when the puck drops against the Blackhawks at 3 p.m. on Nevada Day.
"I anticipate he'll be in the lineup tomorrow, but he'll have to make that call himself," Cassidy told the media. "So if he is, we're glad to have him back."
"Luckily, I was able to get on the ice last week, so I've been skating for about a week now," Pietrangelo told me. "I just got to get back up to pace. So it's good to get a couple [practices] back in with the guys."
The same optimism can't be said for forward Nicolas Roy. After playing through an injury sustained in the Knights' 3-2 win on Tuesday over the Philadelphia Flyers, the forward will miss at least the team's two games this weekend.
Roy's absence will test the defending Stanley Cup champions' depth, which has been lauded as among the NHL's best.
"Howden will play center in his spot, and we'll move Pav in with Karly, and Cotter goes with Stevie and Stoney for tomorrow," Cassidy said. "Hopefully, after that, we'll get through the game and worry about how it looks Saturday. But that's where we're at now."
The Golden Knights will try to stay hot and improve to 8-0 on the season when they face 1st overall draft pick Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.
