Luukkonen has bee solid between the pipes this season for the Sabres, posting a stellar 2.45 GAA and .914 SV% in 15 games (8-5-1). The Sabres enter the action on Friday as slight -102 home underdogs against the Vancouver Canucks.
Wolf has been excellent this season, making a case for the Calder Trophy, posting a sublime 2.47 GAA and .921 SV% in 12 games (8-3-1). The Flames enter the action on Friday as -104 road underdogs against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
With Akil Thomas (undisclosed) being placed on Injured Reserve, the Kings have recalled Lee from the Ontario Reign (AHL) on an emergency basis. The 24-year-old Lee has spent most of the 2024-25 campaign with the Kings, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in 15 games. Trevor Moore will also exit the lineup for the Kings due to an undisclosed injury.
Andre Lee will return to the lineup for the Kings, replacing Trevor Moore, who is battling an undisclosed injury. The 29-year-old Moore is averaging 16:56 time-on-ice, recording 13 points (3G / 10A), 20 hits, and 52 shots on goal in 23 games.
Vasilevskiy struggled in his previous outing, allowing five goals on 32 shots (.844 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the Washington Capitals, and will have the night off on Friday. Jonas Johansson will start for Tampa Bay and be backed up by recently recalled Matt Tomkins.
Vasilevskiy will not dress on Friday, the front end of a back-to-back, as Johansson will start for Tampa Bay and be backed up by recently recalled Matt Tomkins. The 29-year-old Johansson has been limited to only four appearances this season (1-1-1) and has struggled when called upon, posting an ugly 5.22 GAA and .856 SV%. Tampa Bay enters Friday's contest as +105 road underdogs against a Nashville Predators club with the worst offense in the league, averaging only 2.3 goals per game.
Portillo was the third-round pick, 67th overall, of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. After a successful tenure with the University of Michigan, he has spent the last two seasons with the Ontario Reign (AHL). He has a 2.68 GAA and .906 SV% in six games with Ontario this season. The Kings enter the action on Friday as -209 road favorites against an Anaheim Ducks club with one of the least potent offenses in the NHL, averaging only 2.6 goals per game.
Nikolaev was the third-round pick, 88th overall, of the Calgary Flames in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old has never played an NHL game and scored four points (0G / 4A) in nine games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) this season.
LaBate was the 101st overall pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He played 13 games with the Canucks, scoring zero points, in the 2016-17 season, but has exclusively been an AHL player since. The 31-year-old LaBate has four points (1G / 3A) in five games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season.
Matthews has missed nine straight games due to an upper-body injury but will return to the lineup on Saturday after being a full participant in consecutive practices. Before his injury, Matthews was off to a slower-than-usual start to the 2024-25 campaign but had six points (2G / 4A) in his last five games.
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Oilers will roll with Pickard in net. The 32-year-old Pickard is sporting a 2.44 GAA and .893 SV% in eight games this season (4-3-0) and has been solid lately, allowing three or fewer goals in six straight (4-2-0), posting a .915 SV%. The Oilers enter Friday's contest as -155 road favorites against the Utah Hockey Club, sporting a 2-4-0 record in their previous six.
Matt Martin will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Fasching to re-enter the lineup. Fasching has been limited to five games this season and has not played since November 5th. He is averaging 6:50 time-on-ice, recording zero points, two blocks, and one hit.
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Islanders will roll with Varlamov between the pipes on Friday against the Washington Capitals. Varlamov allowed three goals on 20 shots (.850 SV%) in his previous outing, a 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, but has been solid lately, allowing three or fewer goals in five straight (2-2-1) while posting a .932 SV%. The Islanders enter Friday's contest as +129 road underdogs against a Washington Capitals club that leads the NHL offensively, averaging 4.1 goals per game.
Valimaki has not played since November 18th but will draw back into the lineup on Friday against the Montreal Canadiens. The 26-year-old Valimaki is averaging 17:00 time-on-ice and has zero points while recording 16 blocks and seven hits through 16 games.
Ben Jones will exit the lineup on Friday, allowing Khusnutdinov to return from a lower-body injury. Khusnutdinov was the 37th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old has been adjusting to his first full NHL season, averaging 11:26 time-on-ice, scoring two points (0G / 2A).
Matthews has missed nine straight games due to an upper-body injury but appears to be nearing a return to the lineup after being a full participant in consecutive practices. His next chance to return to the lineup will be on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before his injury, Matthews was off to a slower-than-usual start to the 2024-25 campaign but had six points (2G / 4A) in his last five games.
On the front end of a back-to-back, Minnesota will turn to Fleury between the pipes on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Fleury has only played once in the last three weeks but has been serviceable in limited action this season, posting a 2.76 GAA and .904 SV% in five games (4-0-1). Minnesota enters Friday's contest as sizeable -258 home favorites against a Chicago club coming off an impressive 6-2 win over the Dallas Stars.
Wagner played 12 games with the Avalanche this season, scoring one point (1G / 0A), but was placed on waivers earlier this month and has been with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) since. The 33-year-old Wagner has 66 points (39G / 27A) in 385 career NHL games.
