Frank is an undrafted forward out of Western Michigan University. The 26-year-old Frank has yet to play an NHL game. He has 28 points (20G / 8A) in 35 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) this season. In a corresponding move, Washington has loaned Ivan Miroshnichenko to Hershey.
On the tail end of a back-to-back, Blackwood is expected return to the crease on Thursday in a divisional matchup against the Minnesota Wild. Blackwood has an impressive 2.58 GAA and .917 SV% in 28 games this season (13-10-4). Even more remarkable, the 28-year-old Blackwood has been sensational since joining Colorado, boasting an absurd 1.69 GAA and .938 SV% in nine appearances (7-1-1).
The Maple Leafs are riding a five-game winning streak and will roll with Woll between the pipes on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Woll saved 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He has a solid 2.46 GAA and .915 SV% in 20 games this season (14-6-0). The Maple Leafs enter Thursday's contest as +153 road underdogs against a Hurricanes squad coming off a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Sabres snapped a three-game losing skid with an impressive 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday when Luukkonen saved 25 of 28 shots (.893 SV%). The 25-year-old Luukkonen has a 3.05 GAA and .894 SV% in 29 appearances this season (12-12-4). The Sabres enter Thursday's contest as +140 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators squad outscored 11-4 during a three-game losing skid (0-2-1).
With Linus Ullmark still sidelined, the Senators' crease remains under the control of Forsberg. Forsberg played well in his previous outing but came up short in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings when he allowed three goals on 33 shots (.909 SV%). The 32-year-old Forsberg has a 3.03 GAA and .888 SV% in 13 appearances this season (4-7-1). The Senators enter Thursday's contest as -160 home favorites against a Buffalo Sabres club coming off a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals.
The Hurricanes, fresh off a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, will roll with Kochetkov between the pipes again after performing well in the losing effort, saving 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%). The 25-year-old Kochetkov has been serviceable this season, posting a 2.50 GAA and .902 SV% in 26 appearances (15-9-1). The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -181 home favorites against a Toronto Maple Leafs squad riding a five-game winning streak.
Terry will miss a second consecutive game while attending to personal matters. Terry has been on fire lately and will be solely missed from an Anaheim team that is 4-1-1 in their last six. The 27-year-old Terry has 33 points (14G / 19A) in 39 games this season, including eight points (5G / 3A) in his last six.
With Connor Ingram (upper body) returning from nearly a two-month absence, Stauber has been reassigned to the Tuscon Roadrunners. The 25-year-old Stauber played well in limited action with Utah HC, posting a 2.23 GAA and .925 SV% in four games (2-1-1).
Ingram has not played an NHL game since suffering an upper-body injury on November 18th, missing 18 games, but returns from the AHL after a one-game conditioning stint with the Tuscon Roadrunners where he saved 29 of 30 shots (.967 SV%) in a victory. Utah HC will hope that the forced time off helped Ingram rediscover his game from a season ago as he had struggled before his injury, sporting an ugly 3.61 GAA and .871 SV% in 13 games (6-4-3).
Kurtis MacDermid will draw into New Jersey's lineup on Thursday, resulting in Tatar being a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old Tatar is averaging 10:30 time-on-ice and has nine points (3G / 6A) in 38 games this season but has been held off the scoresheet in 12 straight.
Tomas Tatar will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing MacDermid to draw into the lineup for the first time since December 31st. The 30-year-old MacDermid is averaging 5:21 time-on-ice and has zero points through 15 games this season.
Walman last appeared in a Sharks' jersey on December 21st due to a lower-body injury and has skated the past few days but will remain out of the lineup on Friday. In 31 games with the Sharks this season, he leads all defenders on the team with five goals, 25 points and 80 SOG.
Kovalenko played 11:43 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights but was not able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday due to an undisclosed ailment. The 25-year-old Kovalenko has 14 points (5G / 9A) in 40 games this season.
