LOS ANGELES — Logan Thompson is getting his shot.
The Golden Knights rookie goaltender will start his team’s season opener at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Kings. The 25-year-old entered training camp as the man to beat with goaltender Robin Lehner out for the season after hip surgery. His .924 save percentage in the preseason secured his spot.
The nod continues a meteoric rise for Thompson, who was undrafted and played a year of Canadian college hockey before finding his footing as a professional.
Now it’s just a matter of what he does with his opportunity. He’s likely to get a long look with goaltender Laurent Brossoit still recovering from offseason hip surgery.
Coach Bruce Cassidy said the team has already mapped out what games Thompson and goaltender Adin Hill will play through October.
“I’m going to flip a new page here and start the season off hopefully right,” Thompson said Monday. “Just build off every game and hopefully get better. When the season is over, (hopefully) I can look at myself in the mirror and just be happy with myself.”
Cassidy also said left wing William Carrier (mid-body injury) won’t play Tuesday, meaning rookie left wing Paul Cotter is expected to go in. Cotter, 22, broke camp with the Knights for the first time after scoring five points in six games this preseason.
He had two goals in seven NHL games last year.
“I don’t know if I’ll be in the next game, but hopefully I do something that makes it a tough decision for the coaching staff,” Cotter said.
Other than that, there weren’t too many other questions about the Knights’ lineup entering an important first game against a Los Angeles team that finished five points better than them in the standings last season. It’s a chance to make an early statement.
“They’re a playoff team,” Cassidy said. “I’ve said all along that’s where we want to be. It’s a good first test. It’s always good when you’re playing a team that was in the playoffs in your division and get a good idea of where you’re at.”
Here is the Knights’ projected lineup and some information about the matchup:
Knights at Kings
TV: ESPN
Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM)
Knights record: 0-0-0 (43-31-8 last season)
Kings record: 0-0-0 (44-27-11 last season)
Head-to-head: 0-0-0 (Knights 2-1-1 last season; 13-9-3 all-time)
Knights’ projected lineup:
Reilly Smith — Jack Eichel — Phil Kessel
Brett Howden — Chandler Stephenson — Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault — William Karlsson — Michael Amadio
Paul Cotter — Nicolas Roy — Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez — Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Ben Hutton — Zach Whitecloud
Logan Thompson
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