Pageau and Barzal have played together in the past and Barzal is welcoming the reunion.
“We mesh great,” Barzal said. “He’s fast, he’s a righty, he’s smart, so a very easy guy to play with.”
Roy said the decision to put Pageau with Barzal and Lee was in part due to their chemistry last year and his desire to not break up the Simon Holmstrom – Cal Ritchie – Anthony Duclair line. Max Tsyplakov is expected to come out of the lineup to accommodate Pageau’s return.
The center has 12 points (6G, 6A) through 22 games this season, including a shorthanded OT winner against Vegas.
SOROKIN EXPECTED TO START
Ilya Sorokin was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate and is the expected starter against Vegas. Sorokin was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday after he went 3-0-0 with a 1.33 GAA, .960 SV% and one shutout.
PROJECTED LINES
Emil Heineman – Bo Horvat – Max Shabanov
Anders Lee – Mathew Barzal – JG Pageau
Simon Holmstrom – Cal Ritchie – Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Travis Mitchell – Scott Mayfield