Golden Knights’ Eichel, Cotter expected to return vs. Pens

Some huge news for the Vegas Golden Knights came out on Wednesday afternoon, as Jack Eichel is expected to suit up for Thursday night’s game versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Eichel, 26, hasn’t played since Dec. 9 after suffering a lower-body injury a few games prior. He has since been activated from the injured reserve on Tuesday, and is expected to be ready to go tomorrow night. He will provide an immediate boost to the club, particularly offensively, as his 29 points in 27 games were leading his team in scoring prior to his sustained injury.

While losing Eichel certainly wasn’t ideal for this Golden Knights squad, they have continued to play well in his absence. Their 54 points rank first not only in the Pacific Division but the Western Conference. Currently, they find themselves on a short two-game winning streak, and are 6-3-1 in their past 10 outings.

On top of Eichel’s return, Paul Cotter is also expected to be back in the lineup versus the Penguins. The 23-year-old centerman has missed the past eight games with an upper-body injury suffered in a game on Dec. 15 versus the Chicago Blackhawks. Prior to the injury, he had recorded four goals and six points in 22 games playing in a bottom six role.