Clutterbuck left Tuesday's game with an upper-body injury and did not return. The Islanders' season is all but over, so they will keep all injured players out for the rest of the year. Clutterbuck scored 12 goals and added seven assists in 73 games this season. As we have grown accustomed to seeing, Clutterbuck is once again in the top-5 in hits with 270 on the season.
Hanzal hopped on the ice this morning, took a couple of laps around before shaking his head (in displeasure we assume) and heading off of the ice. It looks like Hanzal will miss a second straight game, and what back timing for the Coyotes as they continue to fight furiously with the Dallas Stars for the final Wild Card spot.
None of the Islanders injured players will return this season. Head coach Jack Capuano said there is "no need to rush anyone back, the standings won't change." Okposo finally had that breakout season that everyone had been waiting for. He tallied 27 goals and 42 assists (69 points) in 71 games. This certainly is something he can build off of next season, when he and John Tavares return at 100 per cent.
Folin signed a three-year deal with the Wild on April 1st and now, nine days later, he will make his NHL debut. He was the biggest fish in the college free-agent market, so the Wild are expecting big things out of him next season. He is ineligible to play in the playoffs, so this may be the only game he plays in this season. Jared Spurgeon will come out with Folin going in.
Hutchinson stopped 16 of 17 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Wild in his NHL debut on Monday. He was not tested all that much, but he played well for his first NHL game. Tonight, he will face the team that drafted him 77th overall back in 2008. The Bruins are the NHL's top team, so it won't be as calm of a night as Monday was.
Tlusty missed four games with a lower-body injury he suffered on March 31st. Tlusty will likely skate with Jordan Staal and Nathan Gerbe on Carolina's second line. He as 14 goals and 12 assists (26 points) in 65 games this season.
McDonagh will miss his fourth straight game tonight, but could be back for the final game of the Rangers' regular season. The fact that he is skating and may play Saturday, is a great sign for McD's availability for the first-round vs. the Flyers.
Nabokov surrendered three goals on 29 shots in a loss to the Capitals on Saturday. Nabby was given the next two nights off, but the Isles will get him back between the pipes tonight vs. Montreal. At age-38, Nabokov has gone 14-14-8 with a 2.82 GAA and .903 SV% this season. He is in the final year of his contract, so who knows where he will be next season.
Galchenyuk left Wednesday's game in the first period and did not return to the contest. Early reports are that he will not be ready for the start of the first round, and could potentially miss the whole round. Galchenyuk had a modest three-game point streak snapped last night. He has totalled 31 points (13G / 18A) in 65 games this season.
Emery gave up four goals on 41 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Bruins on Saturday. Emery has posted a 2.18 GAA and .933 SV% in his last four outings, but that has only resulted in a 1-2-1 record. Tonight, he start in Tampa Bay, and the road has not been very friendly to Emery this season. In 15 starts away from Wells Fargo Center, he is 4-9-2 with a 2.99 GAA and .902 SV%.
MacIntyre has played in five career NHL games, but has never started one of them. He has stopped 50 of 54 shots in games with the Canucks, Sabres and Leafs. WIth the Maple Leafs season over, MacIntyre looks like he will finally make his first NHL start at the age of 30. He went 27-15-3 with a 2.49 GAA and .918 SV% with the Toronto Marlies (AHL) before being recalled.
Kostka has missed the last three games after suffering a concussion when he was knocked out by a Douglas Murray elbow on March 1st. Murray was suspended for three games and Kostka missed three games, so that seems fair. Kostka will replace Sami Salo who is out with an minor injury.
Roberto Luongo will start and Scott Clemmensen will be his back-up with Ellis out with an illness. Consider him day-to-day.
Clemmensen has been recalled to serve as Roberto Luongo's backup on Thursday. Dan Ellis is sick, so Clemmensen is back up to back-up.
Luongo was scheduled to start on Tuesday, but was a late scratch due to an upper-body injury. It was described as general upper-body soreness, so Bobby Lu is good to go tonight vs. the Maple Leafs. Luongo is 5-6-1 with a 2.45 GAA and .923 SV% with the Panthers and should be safe play tonight vs. a Maple Leafs team who have crumbled down the stretch.
Lehner stopped 41 of 43 shots in a win over the Rangers on Saturday. Lehner has faced a ridiculous 41.2 shots per game in his last five starts. He won three of the five with a 2.52 GAA and .941 SV%. The 22-year-old is still working his way into the NHL, and it looks like he has a bright future ahead of him. As long as the Senators sign him in the offseason, he could take more of starting role next season, with Craig Anderson set to be a UFA in the following season.
As far as the Lightning are concerned, Bishop has no structural damage to his elbow. That is "encouraging" news said head coach Jon Cooper and he did not rule out Bishop playing "at some point" in the first round of the playoffs. Still, it doesn't seem likely Bishop will be there at the start, and there is no timetable other than he will be re-evaluated in five or six days.
Lindback stopped all 25 shots that he faced after replacing the injured Ben Bishop in Tuesday's 3-0 victory vs. Toronto. It looks like Bishop will miss at least the rest of the regular season, leaving Lindback with the starting duties. Lindback is 6-12-2 with a 3.11 GAA and .884 SV% this season. While those are ugly numbers, he has managed to go 2-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .915 SV% vs. Philly.
Curry started the year in the ECHL, where he went 10-2-0 with the Orlando Solar Bears. After moving up to the AHL, Curry posted a 7-9-2 record with a 2.62 GAA and .920 SV%. His first win with the Wild will not come easy as he gets set to go head-to-head vs. Ryan Miller and the Blues.
Miller gave up four goals on 22 shots in a loss to the Capitals on Tuesday. Miller has allowed four goals in three of his last four starts. His recent stretch of poor play has seen his GAA rise to 2.27 and SV% dip down to .910 since arriving in St. Louis. Tonight, he faces the Wild, who he is 1-1 against this season.
