The Golden Knights will wrap up a three-game homestand by using their fourth goaltender of the season.
Jonathan Quick will make his Knights debut at 3 p.m. Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena. He was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday with goaltenders Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit on injured reserve.
Quick has had a difficult season, with an .876 save percentage and 3.50 goals-against average. Playing a rebuilding Canadiens team should give him an easier start to his Knights tenure. The 37-year-old is 6-4 in his career against Montreal with a .930 save percentage and 2.00 GAA.
“He’s here because he still wants to play and feels he can help the team win,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I do know that 100 percent. He’ll get that opportunity here in the next little bit.”
Quick is one of two lineup changes the Knights will make against the Candiens, who have the seventh-worst record in the NHL.
Rookie left wing Paul Cotter will jump on the third line with left wing William Carrier out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Cotter was a healthy scratch for Friday’s 4-3 shootout win against the New Jersey Devils, but his spell on the sidelines didn’t last long.
“The message to Paul was nobody’s given up on you,” Cassidy said. “You’re a good hockey player.”
Sunday’s game is key for the Knights because it’s one of the few soft spots on their recent schedule.
They just finished a four-game stretch against playoff contenders Dallas, Colorado, Carolina and New Jersey, going 2-1-1. They start a five-game road trip after playing the Canadiens with matchups against the Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Knights vs. Canadiens (3 p.m.)
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM)
Line: Knights -275; total 6½
Knights record: 37-19-6
Canadiens record: 26-32-4
Head-to-head: Knights 1-0-0
Knights’ projected lineup:
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Jonathan Marchessault
Reilly Smith — William Karlsson — Michael Amadio
Paul Cotter — Chandler Stephenson — Phil Kessel
Brett Howden — Teddy Blueger — Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez — Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Nic Hague — Zach Whitecloud
Jonathan Quick
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