Andersen allowed three goals on 48 shots in the Maple Leafs win in Winnipeg last Thursday. Andersen received a rare night-off vs. the Islanders on Saturday night but will be back between the pipes tonight vs. the Oilers. Andersen has gone 6-0-1 with a 3.14 GAA and .909 SV% in his last seven starts. Tonight he faces an Oilers team that has lost three of their last four road games (1-2-1) while scoring just 2.25 goals per game.
Niku is among the Jets' top prospects and will finally get another look on Monday night. He's appeared in one NHL game this year and 32 total since 2018, scoring two goals with three assists. The 23-year-old blueliner has totalled 14 points (3G / 11A) in 18 AHL games this season.
Copp has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury but was back at practice on Sunday and will play Monday in Montreal. Copp, who will skate with Adam Lowry and Mathieu Perreault, has five goals and nine assists (14 points) in 34 games this season.
Smith stopped 35 of 36 shots in the Oilers win in Boston on Saturday afternoon. It was a fantastic outing for the veteran netminder, who has stopped 58 of the 62 shots (.935 SV%) in his previous two outings. Tonight he'll take on a Maple Leafs team that is on a 10-game point streak, going 9-0-1 while scoring 4.90 goals per game over that span.
Hellebuyck surrendered three goals on 44 shots in the Jets loss in Minnesota on Saturday. Hellebuyck has started every game since the Christmas break but has struggled mightily, going 1-2-2 with a 4.25 GAA and .880 SV% in five games. On the plus side, he'll face a Montreal team that has lost five straight (0-4-1) while scoring 2.60 goals per game.
Varlamov allowed two goals on 22 shots in the Islanders loss in Toronto on Saturday. Varlamov has taken over as the Islanders' go-to netminder as of late and will start his fifth consecutive game on Monday. He is 2-2-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .932 SV% in the previous four and tonight he faces a Colorado team that is 3-2-1 while scoring 4.83 goals per game in their last six.
Shesterkin is the Rangers' top goalie prospect and one of the best goalie prospects in the entire NHL. The 24-year-old was a fourth-round pick in 2014 and came over to North America this year. He has dominated at the AHL-level, going 15-4-3 with a 1.93 GAA and .932 SV% and deserves a look at the NHL-level. He had ridiculous numbers in the KHL over the last three seasons, never having a GAA over 1.69 and while posting a .940 SV% and winning 71 of 95 games.
Pysyk is expected to come out of the lineup in Pittsburgh with Jayce Hawryluk drawing back in to replace him.
Boyle is expected to come out of the lineup in Pittsburgh with Denis Malgin drawing back in to replace him.
McDonagh was hurt last night in Ottawa and will not be available for tonight's game in Carolina. With McDonagh out, Brayden Coburn will draw back into the Lightning lineup.
Malgin has been a healthy scratch for the last four games but will play Sunday in Pittsburgh. It's unclear who Malgin will replace but it will likely be Dominic Toninato. He comes in with three goals and six assists (nine points) in 29 games this season.
