Nabokov allowed two goals on 36 shots in a shootout loss against the Lightning on Tuesday. Despite going 0-0-2 he has been solid in both starts since returning from a groin injury, positing a 1.42 GAA and .951 SV%. He will face a struggling Rangers squad tonight and could make for a solid start.
Omark was drafted in the fourth round (97th overall) in 2007. He has skated in 66 NHL games with the Oilers registering eight goals and 22 assists (30 points). In 29 games with the Oklahoma City Barons this season, Omark has 14 goals and 15 assists (29 points). On a weak Sabres squad he is expected to battle for playing time with the NHL club.
Bellemore missed the last six games, but will be back in the lineup tonight against the Capitals. Bellemore has one goal and one assist in 24 games. He will be paired with Ron Hainsey tonight.
Ward gave up five goals on 29 shots in a 5-4 OT loss to the Oilers on December 10. Ward has struggled allowing three-plus goals in seven of eight starts since returning from a lower-body injury. He carries a 1-1-1 record with a 3.66 GAA and .869 SV% into tonight's tilt with Washington.
Lundqvist surrendered three goals on 32 shots in a shootout loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. Despite suffering a neck injury in the contest, he is feeling well enough to face the Islanders the evening. Lundqvist has struggled in December, going 2-3-2 with a 3.31 GAA and .883 SV% in seven starts.
Schneider allowed three goals on 23 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Penguins last Friday. Martin Brodeur made the next two starts, but it will be Schneider tonight looking for his first win since November 30. He will be in tough with the Anaheim Ducks coming to town - Schneider is 2-2-2 with a 1.45 GAA and .930 SV% at home.
Hutton stopped 24 of 27 shots in Thursday's loss to the Blackhawks. It was a tough matchup so expectations were not too high, but he still had a solid game. It would be his fifth consecutive start if he takes on the Lightning tonight. Hutton is 3-1-0 with a 1.64 GAA and .949 SV% since reclaiming the starting role.
Reimer stopped 20 of 23 shots in a loss to the Panthers on Tuesday. He has allowed three goals in five straight contests and is 1-4-1 in his last six starts. He draws a pretty difficult matchup tonight with the Coyotes and their fifth ranked offence in town.
Miller allowed two goals on 27 shots in a 4-2 win over the Jets on Tuesday. The win moved Miller to 7-17-0 on the season and he is likely to chalk up loss number-18 tonight with the Bruins in town. In his first start against the B's he allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 5-2 loss. Miller is 2-2-0 with a 1.98 GAA and .937 SV% in December.
Johnson stopped five of seven shots in relief of Tuukka Rask last Saturday in Vancouver. Johnson has won his last five straight starts while allowing just nine goals and stopping 136 of 145 shots (.938 SV%). He makes for a solid spot-start option against the Sabres tonight.
Simpson only 20 minutes of NHL action while with the Blackhawks. He relieved Antti Raanta on December 14, he allowed two goals on seven shots.
LaBarbera was acquired from the Oilers on December 14 and will likely serve as Antti Raanta's backup until Corey Crawford is healthy. Even when Crawford is healthy LaBarbera could stay with the club if they want Raanta to get more playing time in Rockford.
Zatkoff stopped 28 of 29 shots in a win over the Red Wings on Saturday. Zatkoff has played very well when called upon this season, he has won five straight and is 5-2-0 with a 2.53 GAA and .911 SV%. He has a decent against a Josh Harding-less Wild squad.
Smith stopped 25 of 27 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Canadiens on Tuesday. For the second straight game Smith held his opponents to two goals, but the Coyotes usually potent offence has been unable to muster enough goal-support for the 6-foot-4 netminder. He gets the call in Toronto tonight, Smith is 5-5-3 with a 3.09 GAA and .914 SV% on the road this season.
Clemmensen has won three straight starts while posting a 1.37 GAA and .944 SV%. He will look to make it four in a row tonight vs. the Senators. Despite his recent success it remains hard to trust the lifetime backup and his career 2.74 GAA and .906 SV%.
Warsofsky was the Blues' fourth round pick (95th overall) in 2008 and is in his fourth season with the Providence Bruins (AHL). The 23-year-old defenseman is a Massachusetts native who played of Boston University, so he is a Bostonian through-and-through. He is under-sized at 5-foot-8 and 170 lbs. but is a solid offensive defeseman. He has two goals and 14 assists (16 points) in 26 games with Providence.
Cote is in his third season with the Lightning organization and has recorded two goals and seven assists in 19 games with Syracuse. He has played in eight NHL games in his career, all of which came with Montreal in 2005-06. Since then he spent a season with the Habs and Penguins AHL affiliates and played a few seasons in Europe and in the ECHL.
The 23-year-old defenseman has been out since November 15, but was paired with Tobias Enstrom this morning indicating that he will be in the lineup tomorrow vs. Florida. He has one goal, three assists and a plus-8 rating in 21 games.
Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau said the his captain is fine just "a little uglier" after the stitches. Getzlaf, who returned to Tuesday's game will suit up on Friday in New Jersey.
Niemi allowed two goals on 22 shots in a win over the Blues on Thursday. Niemi has not been a model of excellence lately but good enough to get the occasional win. He will need to be great tonight against a red-hot Kings team and their rookie netminder who has not allowed a goal in Los Angeles in two starts.
