Golden Knights goaltending picture looks shaky if Carter Hart is out

The Golden Knights' goaltending situation is in flux after Carter Hart departed Tuesday's morning skate with a lower-body injury, leaving his status uncertain ahead of Friday's home game against the New Jersey Devils. Coach Ryan Craig said Hart was still being evaluated as of Tuesday night, and the team did not practice Wednesday.

With Hart sidelined, Adin Hill delivered a 24-save performance in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators, improving to 5-1-0 on the season. Hill made a memorable play in the second period, skating 60 feet out of his crease and dropping into a butterfly to thwart a short-handed chance by Ridly Greig — a move he called his first "flying butterfly." The play shifted momentum, and Braeden Bowman scored seconds later. "I feel good about my game right now," Hill said. "Just keep trying to work on everything in practice and stay dialed in and be ready for the next one."

Craig praised Hill's readiness: "I thought 'Hilly' really let us, after our first four shifts in the game, get to a chance to win the hockey game. He looked solid back there. He looked like he was prepared and ready to play. Good on him." Hill said he is approaching every game as normal while the situation sorts itself out.

The Knights recalled 23-year-old Cameron Whitehead from the Henderson Silver Knights to back up Hill on Tuesday. Whitehead, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has allowed four goals in three games since taking over as Henderson's starter after Carl Lindbom was injured Oct. 17. Lindbom, the organization's No. 3 goalie, had allowed five goals in four starts. If Hart and Lindbom remain out long term, Whitehead could make his NHL debut during the Knights' upcoming four-game East Coast road trip that begins Monday in Boston.

That scenario would also create more opportunity for 2024 third-round pick Pavel Moysevich, 22, who made his pro debut Saturday for Henderson. The 6-foot-7 netminder posted strong numbers in the Kontinental Hockey League over the past two seasons. Henderson would likely need to recall a goaltender from the Tahoe Knight Monsters, such as Jordan Papirny, to maintain depth.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal