Final on their minds, Knights battle Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks

The Vegas Golden Knights open their season on Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks in Las Vegas, marking the debut of new head coach Ryan Craig. Craig takes over after Vegas reached the Stanley Cup Final last season under interim coach John Tortorella, who was not retained after losing to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Vegas faces a Chicago team missing star center Connor Bedard, who is recovering from left shoulder surgery. The Golden Knights enter the campaign looking to replace traded goal-scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, relying on leaders Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Mitch Marner.