Vegas Golden Knights’ goaltender Adin Hill day-to-day after one game back

In what was supposed to be a triumphant return turned into more problems for the Vegas Golden Knights.

On Tuesday, head coach Bruce Cassidy revealed that goaltender Adin Hill is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

The injury stems from Hill’s return to the lineup this past Sunday against the Ottawa Senators. It was his first appearance since Nov. 30, missing the previous seven games with a lower-body injury.

After making a couple of awkward-looking saves, Josh Norris scored a power-play goal for the Sens less than seven minutes into the contest. Hill looked uncomfortable on his save attempt, and immediately left the game.

Logan Thompson came in relief, helping Vegas secure a 6-3 win, the team’s fifth in their last six games.

Cassidy also told the media on Tuesday that Hill had been re-evaluated before the Golden Knights left for Raleigh for their meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cassidy pointed out that he does not expect the 27-year-old to join the team during their four-game road trip.

Hill missed the last month of the 2022-23 regular season with a lower-body injury, before becoming the hero for the team on their way to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. The former Arizona Coyote went 11-4 last spring, posting a 2.17 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and two shutouts.

So far this season, Hill is 10-2-2 with a 1.93 GAA and .933 SV%, picking up another pair of goose eggs along the way.

Thompson is expected to start most of the Golden Knights’ trip, which also sees them faceoff with the Tampa Bay Lightning (Thursday) and Florida Panthers (Saturday).

Jiri Patera was called up from Vegas’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. Patera made his season debut on Dec. 10, stopping 38 of 42 in a win over the San Jose Sharks. He is 3-0 in three NHL starts, with a 2.92 GAA and .917 SV%.

Vegas (21-6-5) is doing a very good job of defending their championship. They hold the best record in the NHL, three points ahead of the surprising Vancouver Canucks.