Russell has missed the last two games and will be a game-time decision tonight vs. the Predators. With Ethan Bear making his NHL debut tonight in place of Adam Larsson, there’s no word on who Russell will replace if he does play.
Larsson was back in the lineup for the last seven games but will return to Sweden for his father’s funeral and will be replaced by Ethan Bear tonight vs. the Predators. Larsson could be back in the lineup next Monday vs. the Coyotes.
Bear, 20, was a fifth round pick of the Oilers in 2015 and will play his first NHL game tonight. Bear will replace Adam Larsson in the lineup and comes to the Oilers with 16 points (6G / 10A) in 34 games with Bakersfield (AHL) this season.
Enstrom did not come on the ice for warmups vs. the Predators on Tuesday and will remain out of the lineup on Friday. With Enstrom out, newcomer Joe Morrow will remain on the blueline for the second straight contest. Enstrom is considered day-to-day.
Stalock allowed two goals on 40 shots in the Wild’s win in New Jersey last Thursday. Stalock will start the front-end of the Wild’s Thursday/Friday back-to-back and draws a great matchup in Arizona. Stalock has gone 4-7-1 with a 3.31 GAA and .907 SV% on the road this season, but he remains a high-end option tonight.
Barre-Boulet, 20, is an undrafted free agent in his fourth season in the QMJHL. The undersized forward (5-foot-9 / 167 lbs) isn’t the first small, undrafted free agent the Lightning have signed in years past. Barre-Boulet has picked up an impressive 49 goals and 55 assists (104 points) in just 57 games with Blainville-Boisbriand this season.
Hanzal will miss his fourth straight game tonight and has been bothered by injuries all season-long. Hanzal has already missed 25 games this year and it sounds like he will miss at least the next couple of weeks as well.
Domingue allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Lightning’s win in Ottawa last Thursday. The Lightning come in on the tail-end of a back-to-back. With Andrei Vasilevskiy losing last night vs. the Sabres, look for Domingue to go tonight in Dallas. Since joining the Lightning, the 25-year-old has gone 3-2-0 with a 3.20 GAA and .907 SV% in five starts and one relief appearance.
Nordstrom was caught near the eye during Tuesday’s game in Boston and is expected to be sidelined for extended period of time. “There’s some pressure on the eye,” head coach Bill Peters said. “[He] dodged a bullet. Vision-wise he’s going to be fine, but he’s going to be a while.”
Schneider has been sidelined by a groin injury since January 23rd but will return to the crease tonight in Florida. The 31-year-old stopped 18 of 19 shots in a win with Binghamton (AHL) during his brief conditioning stint. Schneider has gone 1-1-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .944 SV% vs. the Panthers this season.
Grzelcyk had just one goal in his last six games and will be replaced by the recently acquired Nick Holden tonight vs. the Penguins.
Heinen has picked up just one assist in his last nine games and was benched late in Tuesday’s game. After signing Brian Gionta and acquiring Tommy Wingels at the deadline, Heinen will take a seat tonight vs. the Penguins.
After a career-year in 2016-17, Holden struggled to just 12 points (3G / 9A) in 55 games with the Rangers this season. He was traded to Boston prior to the deadline and will replace Matt Grzelcyk on the blueline tonight.
Gionta has picked up one goal in one game with Rochester (AHL) this season and appeared in the Olympics wth Team U.S.A. but will make his season debut on the third line and second power-play unit tonight. The 39-year-old veteran had 15 goals and 20 assist (35 points) in 82 games with the Sabres last season.
Schneider has been sidelined by a groin injury since January 23rd but will return to the crease tonight in Florida. The 31-year-old stopped 18 of 19 shots in a win with Binghamton (AHL) during his brief conditioning stint. Schneider has gone 1-1-0 with a 2.03 GAA and .944 SV% vs. the Panthers this season.
Ward allowed six goals on 39 shots in the Hurricanes loss to the Penguins last Friday. Ward has lost three in a row while posting a 3.64 GAA and .866 SV%. The Hurricanes are on a six-game slide and they will be in tough in Philadelphia—the Flyers have won six in a row and 10 of their last 11 games while averaging 3.55 goals for and 2.18 goals against.
DeSmith allowed three goals on 38 shots in the Penguins loss to the Devils on Tuesday. Despite the loss, it was a strong outing for the goaltender who just returned from the AHL. In eight appearances with the Penguins, DeSmith has a 2.35 GAA and .925 SV%, but draws a very tough matchup tonight in Boston.
Mrazek stopped all 28 shots that he faced in the Flyers shutout win in Montreal on Monday. Mrazek started playing well in Detroit before the trade and has continued that in Philadelphia, wining his first three starts with his new team while posting a 1.30 GAA, .947 SV% and one shutout. Tonight he’s a great option vs. a Hurricanes team that has lost six in a row (0-4-2).
Markstrom allowed two goals on 27 shots in the Canucks loss in Colorado on Monday. Despite starting back-to-back games, look for Markstrom to start for the third time in four nights tonight vs. the Rangers. He’s played very well as of late, stopping 74 of the last 77 shots that he has faced.
