Stastny gives gift of giving to Pacioretty

Oft-injured veterans show their potential

Paul Stastny remembered how Max Pacioretty set him up for a goal in his second game back from an injury.

So Friday during a 3-2 victory at Anaheim, it was payback time. The Golden Knights center slid the puck across the slot to an open Pacioretty with 9:14 left in the second period, resulting in an easy goal for Pacioretty in his first game since Dec. 17.

It was similar to the pass that Pacioretty, who was returning from a lower-body injury, gave Stastny in the second period of a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Dec. 16.

“He did that to me when I got back in New York,” said Stastny, who missed 30 games with a lower-body injury. “It’s just good to see him healthy and feeling good. He’ll only get better as these games go on. He’ll get his timing back.”

The victory over the Ducks was only the sixth time that the Knights’ two marquee offseason acquisitions played together because of the injuries. Their passes to each other show their potential on the second line with forward Alex Tuch.

“It’s going to take some time, but every game we play together, we’re finding more and more grooves with each other and just building that chemistry,” Stastny said.

Gallant praises Fleury

Knights coach Gerard Gallant said he remains unworried about goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s workload, even though the 34-year-old has played almost 320 minutes more than any other netminder.

Gallant also heaped praise on the All-Star after a 25-save performance against the Ducks.

“To me, Fleury’s been the best goalie in the NHL so far,” Gallant said.

World Juniors action

Defenseman Nate Schmidt said he and former college roommate Erik Haula “may or may not have a friendly wager” on the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships final between the U.S. and Finland on Saturday.

But the St. Cloud, Minnesota, native won’t be watching with his former University of Minnesota teammate, who hails from Pori, Finland.

“I don’t know if I could do that,” Schmidt said. “Every time something would happen, he’d be all over me.”

Finland won 3-2.

Odds and ends

■ Pacioretty missed practice Saturday after his wife, Katia, gave birth to the couple’s fourth child Friday.Gallant said he expects Pacioretty to play Sunday against the New Jersey Devils at T-Mobile Arena.

■ Defenseman Colin Miller (upper-body injury) and forward William Carrier (maintenance day) also didn’t practice. Gallant didn’t have a timetable for when Miller would practice again.

■ Forward Valentin Zykov, claimed by the Knights off waivers Dec. 29, skated with the fourth line. Gallant said he didn’t know when Zykov will play his first game.

■ Defenseman Shea Theodore practiced after missing Friday’s game because of an illness.

Marcio Jose Sanchez The Associated Press Golden Knights left wing Max Pacioretty, center, celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of Friday’s 3-2 victory over the Ducks in Anaheim, Calif.