Golden Knights’ Max Pacioretty to return vs. Maple Leafs

TORONTO — Max Pacioretty is expected to return to the Golden Knights’ lineup Tuesday when they open a four-game road trip against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.

Opening faceoff is 4 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be televised on AT&T Rocky Mountain.

“We expect him to go tonight,” coach Gerard Gallant said after the morning skate. “The trainer’s got to give me the OK, but everything looks like he’s going to go. … We’re really excited to get him back, for sure.”

Pacioretty missed the past four games with an upper-body injury suffered Oct. 26 against Tampa Bay. He participated in the Knights’ morning skate and took line rushes with center Erik Haula and right wing Alex Tuch.

Pacioretty had two goals in 10 games prior to gettng hurt.

“This is a big two points for us here,” Pacioretty said. “Coming out east, you want to start off the road trip with a win. And to do so, we have to outwork this opponent, because they have a lot of skill.”

With Pacioretty back in the lineup, winger Tomas Hyka likely will slide to the third line with winger Tomas Nosek and center Cody Eakin.

Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in goal for the Knights and is coming off a 34-save shutout against Carolina on Saturday.

Toronto (9-5, 18 points) has struggled on home ice, scoring more than three goals in one of their eight games while going 3-5 at Scotiabank Arena.

The Maple Leafs are without dynamic forward Auston Matthews (shoulder), but feature high-scoring forwards Mitchell Marner and John Tavares.

Goaltender Frederik Andersen is the probable starter.

“Toronto’s got a lot of offensive guys, a lot of good weapons,” Gallant said. “We’re just going to try to play the same game we did the other night against Carolina. We played a good, sound hockey game. Worry about playing our game and doing the right things with the puck and manage the puck well.”

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Erik Haula-Alex Tuch

Tomas Nosek-Cody Eakin-Tomas Hyka

William Carrier-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Shea Theodore-Deryk Engelland

Brayden McNabb-Colin Miller

Nick Holden-Brad Hunt

Goaltender

Marc-Andre Fleury