Thornton was suspended for Game 4 but will replace Lukas Radil in the lineup for Game 5, and will skate with Marcus Sorensen and Kevin Labanc. Thornton has a point in each game, scoring one goal on eight shots with two assists through three games in the series.
Vlasic missed Games 3 and 4 but will be back in the Sharks lineup for Game 5. There is no word on who he is expected to play with but there’s a chance he skates on the top pair with Brent Burns. Vlasic, who had one goal and one assist in Game 1, will replace Tim Heed.
Brown will make his season debut in Game 4 of the first-round because Micheal Ferland is out with an upper-body injury. Brown spent the entire season with Charlotte (AHL), where he was tied for fourth on the team in goals (19) and 11th in points (35) through 70 games.
Maenalanen split his season between the NHL and AHL, totalling eight points (4G / 4A) in 34 games with the Hurricanes and 14 points (7G / 7A) in 31 games with the Checkers. Maenalanen was a healthy scratch in Game 1 and 3 but will dress for the second time with Andrei Svechnikov scratched due to a concussion.
Binnington allowed two goals on 39 shots in the Blues 2-1 overtime loss to the Jets in Game 4. Binnington dropped both games in St. Louis but returns to Winnipeg, where he was 2-0 while stopping 50 of 54 shots (.926 SV%) in the first two games of the series. Overall, he has allowed 12 goals on 122 shots (.902 SV%) in the postseason.
Mrazek stopped all 18 shots the he faced in the Hurricanes 5-0 shutout win in Game 3. It was a dominating performance from the Hurricanes and made things easy on their netminder. Mrazek has stopped 61 of the 68 shots (.897 SV%) through three games this series and is on a seven-game winning streak in Carolina, posting a 0.99 GAA, .966 SV% and two shutouts in the process (since Feb.26).
Holtby allowed five goals on 45 shots in the Capitals 5-0 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 3. Holtby was much busier than Petr Mrazek in this game and has now allowed a combined 10 goals on 102 shots (.902 SV%) through three games. It was the first time that the Capitals lost to Carolina this season and Holtby will try to lead them to a 3-1 series lead tonight.
Ferland left Game 3 after playing just 2:08 TOI and will join Andrei Svechnikov in the press box for Game 4. Patrick Brown was recalled from Charlotte (AHL) on Wednesday and will replace Ferland in the lineup in Game 4.
Svechnikov did some light stick-handling this morning but will miss Game 4 as he remains in concussion-protocol after being knocked out by Alex Ovechkin in Game 3. Saku Maenalanen will replace Svechnikov in the lineup on Thursday.
Mrazek stopped all 18 shots the he faced in the Hurricanes 5-0 shutout win in Game 3. It was a dominating performance from the Hurricanes and made things easy on their netminder. Mrazek has stopped 61 of the 68 shots (.897 SV%) through three games this series and is on a seven-game winning streak in Carolina, posting a 0.99 GAA, .966 SV% and two shutouts in the process (since Feb.26).
Jones was pulled after allowing two goals on the first seven shots that he faced in the Sharks 5-0 loss in Vegas in Game 4. Despite being yanked for the second time in four games, the Sharks will stick with Jones in Game 5. Jones has allowed 13 goals on 80 shots (.838 SV%) in the series, including five goals on 33 shots (.849 SV%) in the two games in San Jose.
