No glitz. No glamour. When the Avalanche lands in Las Vegas to take on the expansion Golden Knights for the first time in franchise history Friday, there will be no parties on the Strip. This is a business trip.
“I think it’s an easy disconnect,” Avs defenseman said of taking care of business in Sin City. “It’s just business as usual.”
The Knights — Las Vegas’ first major-league sports franchise — are off to a 7-1 start and stand third in the 15-team Western Conference with 14 points. They hope to extend their four-game winning streak to complete a seven-game homestand in which they have gone 5-1.
The Knights have brought a huge smile to a city shaken from the Oct. 1 mass shooting at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that killed 59 people and injured hundreds of others. Friday’s game will begin at 3 p.m. local time on Nevada Day, a state holiday. It’s celebrated on the last Friday of October each year to commemorate Nevada’s frontier legacy and entry into the Union as the 36th state on October 31, 1864.
“It is a business trip for us,” Avs coach said after Thursday’s practice. “We’re going in there tonight. I’m sure the guys will go out for dinner and walk around a little bit. But it’s a 3 p.m. (PT) game tomorrow afternoon and this is a top team in the league right now and playing real well at home with an extremely strong work ethic. So we got to be ready to go tomorrow, there’s no question.”
Colorado (5-4) is no stranger to Las Vegas. Up until this year, the Avs played an annual preseason game against the at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But this is different. Las Vegas has its own team, and the Knights are playing before sellout crowds at the new T-Mobile Arena.
“They’ve set themselves up for success this year with a quick start like that,” Avs center said. “We’ve had years here where we’ve had good starts to the season and we’ve really been able to rely on that down the stretch. We’re expecting to go against a confident team, a team that’s feeling it.”
Vegas is getting out-shot most games but is getting timely scoring and excellent goaltending. The Knights are averaging 29.9 shots per game, while allowing 33.8.
“They did a real good job in the expansion process,” Bednar said of the Knights. “They’ve got some good players and they’re dangerous. When you mix their skill level and work ethic, I’m not real surprised. They’ve come together in a short period of time and have played really well.”
Footnotes. will start in goal. … The Avs are carrying 12 available forwards and eight defensemen. … Based on Thursday’s practice, defensemen Andrei Mironov and will be the two healthy scratches but coach Jared Bednar said that’s just one option. Mironov and Zadorov had a conditioning skate after the rest of the team showered Thursday. … Defenseman Patrik Nemeth has been cleared to play after missing two of the last three games with an injury. … Forwards J.T. Compher (thumb), Tyson Jost (lower-body) and Colin Wilson (undisclosed) remain out. … Colorado will use the same lines from Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Dallas.
COLORADO AT VEGAS, 4 p.m. Friday, ALT, 950 AM
Spotlight on: Oscar Dansk. The Golden Knights’ third-string goaltender will get his second career NHL start. Dansk, a 23-year-old Swede, started and beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Tuesday, while Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) and Malcolm Subban (lower body) recovered from injuries. Dansk was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the first pick of the second round in 2012 but spent the past two seasons playing in his native Sweden. The Blue Jackets did not offer him a contract after his entry-level deal expired and he signed with the Knights as a free agent.
NOTEBOOK
Avalanche — Semyon Varlamov will start in goal. … The Avs are carrying 12 available forwards and eight defensemen. Based on Thursday’s practice, defensemen Andrei Mironov and Nikita Zadorov will be the two healthy scratches but coach Jared Bednar said that’s just one option. Mironov and Zadorov had a conditioning skate after the rest of the team showered Thursday. Defenseman Patrik Nemeth has been cleared to play after missing two of the last three games with an injury. Forwards J.T. Compher (thumb), Tyson Jost (lower body) and Colin Wilson (undisclosed) remain out. … Colorado will use the same lines from Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Dallas.
Golden Knights — They are ranked seventh in this week’s NHL.com power rankings. Vegas was ninth last week before defeating St. Louis and Chicago at T-Mobile Arena. … The Knights have capitalized on the power play in three straight games after beginning the season 1-for-21. … Leading scorer James Neal has a team-high three power-play goals; nobody else has more than one. … Vegas has reportedly told the agent of Russian center Vadim Shipachyov to pursue trade options. Shipachoyov, 30, who has played in the Kontinental Hockey League since 2008-09, has a goal in three games and was reassigned to Chicago of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
