Golden Knights to start Subban with Fleury placed on injured list

The Golden Knights will be without their best player for at least a week as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was put on the injured reserve list with a concussion.

Fleury was injured during the second period of the Knights’ 6-3 loss to Detroit Friday at T-Mobile Arena after he took a knee to the head from Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha following a collision in Fleury’s crease. He remained in the game as his status at the time was not deemed severe enough to leave the game by the NHL’s concussion medical personnel, which monitors all games.

“He passed all the tests on ice and between periods with flying colors,” Knights general manager George McPhee said prior to Sunday’s game. “It wasn’t until after the game that there was a spike with one of the tests, an issue.

“We knew then there might be a problem. It was the same issue (Saturday morning). So we will continue to follow the protocol and just be very careful with him and take our time.”

Fleury’s teammates sensed something wasn’t right.

“I think he wasn’t the same after he got hit,” forward David Perron said of Fleury prior to Sunday’s game. “I think you saw it on the last goal even more. You could tell the way his energy level was on the ice.”

Malcolm Subban, who has been serving as Fleury’s backup since being claimed on waivers Oct. 3 from Boston, will start in goal Sunday against the Bruins. The 25-year-old from Toronto has appeared in two NHL games in his career.

The Knights have recalled goalie Maxime Lagace from their American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago to be Subban’s backup. Lagace, who played for the Wolves in Saturday’s 6-2 win over Ontario, played in part of one preseason game with the Knights.

The Knights will also be without forward Jonathan Marchessault, who sustained a lower-body injury Friday against Detroit. Marchessault, who scored his first goal with the Knights Friday, is also on the IR and is also expected to miss at least a week.

Right wing Alex Tuch has been recalled from Chicago to take Marchessault’s place on the roster. Tuch has four goals and five points in three games with the Wolves, including a hat trick on opening night (Oct. 6) against Texas. He played in five preseason games with the Knights and had one goal and one assist.

Fleury and Marchessault join Erik Haula on the injured list. Haula, who was also injured Friday against Detroit, was placed on IR Saturday with a lower-body injury and will miss at least a week. The team recalled Vadim Shipachyov Saturday to take Haula’s roster spot.

Cach Gerard Gallant said the plan is to play Shipachyov and Tuch together with Brendan Leipsic and move William Karlsson up to the second line with Reilly Smith and Oscar Lindberg.

“I want our team to play the same way every night, every shift,” Gallant said. “I don’t want them to change the way they play just because we have a different goaltender in net.”

Golden Knights lines vs. Bruins

James Neal-Cody Eakin-David Perron

Reilly Smith-Oscar Lindberg-William Karlsson

Tomas Nosek-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Will Carrier

Brendan Leipsic-Vadim Shipachyov-Alex Tuch

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Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.