Jakub Lauko will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Beecher to re-enter the lineup for the Bruins. Beecher last played on December 31st, ending a run of 12 straight games in which he recorded only a single point (0G / 1A).
Swayman will likely tend the twine for the Bruins on Thursday as they search for their fifth straight victory. Over his last two games (2-0-0), Swayman has saved 52 of 56 shots faced (.929 SV%). The Bruins have outscored their opposition 18-7 over their last four games (4-0-0) and are -142 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins club that is coming off a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals but has won three of their last four games (3-1-0).
Varlamov left Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche late in the first period due to an injury with the score being 1-1. He was replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who will likely start every game while Varlamov is unavailable. He will not dress on Thursday but is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Thompson will start his fourth straight game for the Golden Knights on Thursday and look for only his second win in five starts. In his last six games (2-4-0), Thompson has allowed three or more goals four times, posting an ugly .866 SV% after posting a more serviceable .915 SV% in his five games prior (4-0-1). The Golden Knights are slight +103 home underdogs against a Panthers team that has won five straight, including a 4-2 victory over the Golden Knights on December 23rd.
Zack MacEwen (illness) and Jacob Bernard-Docker (healthy scratch) are both expected to be out of the lineup on Thursday, allowing Angus Crookshank and Smejkal to draw back into the lineup. Smejkal has spent most of the season with the Belleville Senators of the AHL, scoring nine points (3G / 6A) in nine games.
Zack MacEwen (illness) and Jacob Bernard-Docker (healthy scratch) are both expected to be out of the lineup on Thursday, allowing Crookshank and Jiri Smejkal to draw back into the lineup. Crookshank has spent most of the season with the Belleville Senators of the AHL, scoring 21 points (10G / 11A) in 24 games.
Bernard-Docker will be a healthy scratch for the Senators after playing 15 consecutive games, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in that stretch. Angus Crookshank and Jiri Smejkal are both expected to draw back into the Senators lineup.
MacEwen played the last two games for the Senators, making his impact felt, scoring one goal, firing two shots on goal, registering five hits, and 12 penalty minutes. He will be out of the lineup due to an illness on Thursday as Angus Crookshank and Jiri Smejkal are both expected to draw back in.
The Golden Knights recalled Denisenko on Thursday and he skated on a line with Michael Amadio and Brett Howden at practice, signalling he could make his season debut on Thursday. in 31 games with the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL, Denisenko has 30 points (12G / 18A) and 26 penalty minutes.
Bjornfot has only played one NHL game this season, the season-opener for the Kings, recording one block in 10:12 time-on-ice. He was been placed on unconditional waivers and claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Hellebuyck will likely return to the crease on Thursday and attempt to continue his reign as the top goaltender in the NHL over the last month and a half. Over his last 16 games, Hellebuyck has been nearly impenetrable, allowing fewer than three goals 14 times and posting a stellar .938 SV%. The Jets, who have skyrocketed the standings and are in a battle for the top seed in the Central Division, are sizeable -279 road favourites against a Sharks team amid a nine-game losing streak for the second time this season.
Daccord was outstanding against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Winter Classic on Monday, saving all 35 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season. The 27-year-old Daccord has been among the league's top goaltenders since taking the reigns as the starting goalie for the Kraken when Philipp Grubauer went down, posting an other-worldly .946 SV% along with two shutouts through 11 games (6-2-3). Seattle is a -124 home favourite on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, who have lost two of their last three games (1-2-0).
Cam Talbot has lost his last three outings, so the Kings will likely turn to Rittich, who will attempt to capture his third victory in as many games with the team this season. In two games (2-0-0), Rittich has saved 39 of 41 shots (.951 SV%). Despite their recent struggles, Rittich and the Kings are -174 home favourites against a Detroit Red Wings squad that has lost three of their last five contests (2-3-0).
Cernak played only 6:39 time-on-ice on New Year's Eve, did not play the first game of 2024, and will not miss his second-straight game on Thursday. Before his injury, Cernak had 13 hits and six shots on goal in his last three games.
Karlsson is expected to skate on a line with Andrei Kuzmenko and Nils Aman in his first game since December 5th. Through three games this season, Karlsson has yet to record a point while averaging 10:26 time-on-ice.
Linus Karlsson is expected to re-enter the Canucks lineup on Thursday as Hoglander will be a healthy scratch for the first time in nearly two months. Hoglander has zero points in his last four games, firing only three shots on goal in the process.
Fasching will get the short end of the straw on Thursday, being healthy scratched to allow Matt Martin to draw back into the lineup for the Islanders. Fasching has played 15 straight games for the Islanders, finding ways to add sporadic offensive contribution through limited minutes (12:01 ATOI), scoring four points (1G / 3A).
Hudson Fasching will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Martin to play for only the third time since November 16th. In his last two games, Martin averaged over 10 minutes per night, recorded a five-minute fighting major, fired four shots on goal, and four hits.
Georgiev will likely start for the Avalanche in a matchup against their division rivals, the Dallas Stars. The Avalanche are +113 road underdogs against a Stars team they defeated 6-3 in mid-November when Georgiev allowed three goals on 28 shots (.893 SV%). The 27-year-old netminder allowed four goals on 22 shots (.818 SV%) in his last outing, a 5-4 overtime win over the New York Islanders, but, despite winning five of his last six (5-0-1), owns an unimpressive .899 SV% during that stretch.
