Vegas Golden Knights Face St. Louis Blues Without Mitch Marner

The Vegas Golden Knights take on the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on Thursday night. The matchup features two Western Conference opponents looking to secure a crucial early-season victory, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

Vegas enters the contest with an 8-3-0 record, though the team is looking to bounce back from a tough 6-2 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Forward Mark Stone noted that the team suffered from unforced errors and turnovers during that defeat. "You give them free offense, they feast," Stone said, adding that the team needs to correct its mistakes and build on the positive aspects of its game.

The Golden Knights will have to navigate Thursday's game without star forward Mitch Marner, who has taken a personal leave from the team. Marner's wife, Stephanie, is in labor with the couple's second child, and the forward is expected to rejoin the roster later in the week. Marner has recorded 10 points during a seven-game scoring streak.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues carry a 4-4-1 record into the second game of a five-legged homestand. The Blues are coming off a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, a game in which defenseman Philip Broberg scored the tiebreaking power-play goal in the third period.

St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery praised Broberg's recent trajectory. "I think he's gone from neutral to overdrive to Lamborghini style here in the last two games if you're comparing him to a race car," Montgomery said. Goaltender Joel Hofer, who stopped 32 of 33 shots against Winnipeg, is expected to start in goal for the Blues, with Jordan Binnington serving as the backup.

Vegas is expected to counter with goaltender Adin Hill, who holds a 4-0-0 record with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage across four starts this season. The Golden Knights have historically fared well against St. Louis, holding an 8-1-2 record in their last 11 games dating back to the 2022-23 regular season.

Both squads continue to manage roster adjustments due to injuries. The Golden Knights recently placed defenseman Parker Wotherspoon on long-term injured reserve and recalled forward Alexander Holtz. The Blues continue to play without forward Alexey Toropchenko, who is nearing a return from an upper-body injury but will miss his ninth consecutive game.