Cernak was injured in Tampa Bay's previous game, but five days of rest between contests have given him enough time to recover and, likely, return to the lineup on Thursday. The 27-year-old Cernak is averaging 18:43 time-on-ice, has four points (0G / 4A), 19 blocks, and 21 hits in 14 games this season.
The Sharks will likely turn to Blackwood between the pipes on Thursday against the New York Rangers. The 27-year-old Blackwood has won three of his last four outings (3-1-0) and is coming off unquestionably his best performance of the season, a 44-save shutout in a 1-0 win over his former team, the New Jersey Devils. That said, the Sharks enter the action on Thursday as enormous +359 road underdogs against the New York Rangers.
Brodin exited Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks after playing 16:38 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. The 31-year-old Bordin is averaging 22:04 time-on-ice, second most among Minnesota defensemen, and has six points (1G / 5A) in 15 games this season.
Allen has been solid lately for the Devils and has likely earned himself his third start in the past six games. The 34-year-old Allen has a respectable 2.35 GAA and .914 SV% in six outings (3-2-1), highlighted by saving 57 of the last 58 shots he has faced (.983 SV%). The Devils enter the action on Thursday as +127 road underdogs against a Florida Panthers club they defeated 4-1 on Tuesday.
Mitchell is an undrafted 24-year-old from Cornell University. The left-shooting defenseman has spent the previous two seasons with the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL), scoring seven points (2G / 5A) in 42 combined games.
Oskar Back will re-enter the Stars lineup on Thursday, resulting in Bourque being a healthy scratch for the second time this season. Bourque, in his first NHL season, is averaging 11:06 time-on-ice and has two points (1G / 1A) in 10 games.
Mavrik Bourque will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Back to re-enter the lineup for the first time since November 7th. The 24-year-old Back, in his first NHL season, is averaging 9:58 time-on-ice and has one assist in nine games.
The Stars will turn to Oettinger between the pipes for a fourth consecutive game on Thursday when they host the Boston Bruins. Oettinger wasn't heavily tested in his previous outing, saving 20 of 21 shots (.952 SV%) in a 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, rebounding after 11 goals on 69 shots (.841 SV%) in his three games prior. The Stars enter the action on Thursday as -167 home favorites against a Bruins club with points in three straight (2-0-1).
Only 16 games into the 2024-25 season, the red-hot Jets are riding their second seven-game winning streak and will likely turn to Comrie between the pipes in a cross-conference matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Comrie has only played once in the past eight games but has been serviceable in limited action when called upon, posting a 2.67 GAA and .914 SV% in three games (3-0-0). The Jets enter Thursday's contest as slight -102 road favorites against a Lightning squad riding a four-game losing skid.
Tampa Bay is riding a season-worst four-game losing skid and will attempt to snap it on Thursday with Vasilevskiy between the pipes. The 30-year-old Vasilevskiy has been serviceable this season, albeit with an unspectacular 6-5-1 record, posting a 2.43 GAA and .910 SV%. That said, Tampa Bay enters the action on Thursday as slight -108 home underdogs against the league's best team, the Winnipeg Jets.
Drouin has not played since the first game of the season, missing 16 consecutive contests, but could return to the lineup on Friday against the Washington Capitals. After several forgetful seasons, the 29-year-old Drouin had a career-high 56 points (19G / 37A) in 79 games last season.
Wood has not played since October 28th but appears to be nearing an imminent return the the lineup after being activated from Injured Reserve. In 10 games this season, Wood has one goal, a -2 plus/minus, and is averaging 13:40 time-on-ice. He and Jonathan Drouin (upper body), also activated from IR, could both be options to return to the lineup on Friday.
Defenseman Darren Raddysh will draw into the Tampa Bay Lineup on Thursday, replacing Atkinson, an indication that they will likely go with an 11-forward, seven-defenseman formation. The 35-year-old Atkinson, a 41-goal scorer in the 2018-19 season, has one point (0G / 1A) and a -7 plus/minus in his first season with Tampa Bay.
Fedotov has seen limited action this season but will return to the crease on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The 27-year-old Fedotov has an ugly 4.05 GAA and .851 SV% in four games this season (1-3-0) but was excellent in his previous outing, his first win of the season, saving 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) in a 2-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers enter the action on Thursday as +156 road underdogs against a Senators club coming off a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Cam Atkinson will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Raddysh to draw into the lineup, indicating that Tampa Bay will likely go with a 11-forward, seven-defensemen formation. The 28-year-old Raddysh is averaging 16:46 time-on-ice and has one assist in seven games this season.
Ullmark is riding his first two-game winning streak as a Senator and will try to extend it to three on Thursday. The 31-year-old Ullmark has a 2.51 GAA and .904 SV% in nine games (4-4-0) and is coming off his best performance of the season, saving all 27 shots he faced for his first shutout in a 3-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Senators enter the action on Thursday as -174 home favorites against a Flyers club with points in three straight (2-0-1).
Fedotov has seen limited action this season but could return to the crease on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The 27-year-old Fedotov has an ugly 4.05 GAA and .851 SV% in four games this season (1-3-0) but was excellent in his previous outing, his first win of the season, saving 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%) in a 2-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers enter the action on Thursday as +156 road underdogs against a Senators club coming off a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to head coach Paul Maurice, Bennett had something "tighten up," which prevented him from playing the previous game for the Panthers. He added that even if Bennett doesn't play Thursday, he won't be out long-term. Jesper Boqvist moved up to the Panthers' second line with Bennett out.
The Panthers will return to Bobrovsky in net on Thursday after turning to Spencer Knight in their previous outing. The 36-year-old Bobrovsky has not been spectacular this season but has been adequate when needed, guiding his team to an 8-2-1 record in his 11 outings, posting a 2.95 GAA and .895 SV%. The Panthers enter the action on Thursday as -134 home favorites in a rematch against a New Jersey Devils club that snapped their seven-game winning streak on Tuesday.
Ponomarev was the 53rd overall pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old had a two-game stint with the Hurricanes in the 2022-23 season, scoring two points (1G / 1A), but has predominantly been an AHL player so far in his career.
