Thomas will accompany the Panthers on their four-game road trip that starts tomorrow in Montreal. Coach Peter Horachek said they are just being cautious. WIth Thomas out Scott Clemmensen will make the start tonight vs. the Capitals and Jacob Markstrom will serve as his backup.
Clemmensen allowed six goals on 32 shots in loss to the Blackhawks on Sunday. He was thrown to the wolves in his his first start in 14 contests, but regardless his 3.89 GAA and .857 SV% should scream "STAY AWAY!". He will face Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals tonight, so there is one more reason not to start Clemmensen.
Bickell has missed the last 12 games with a lower-body injury that he suffered in the first period of a game vs. Colorado on November 19. He has not been the offensive force that he was in last year's playoffs (5G /1A in 22 games) but his physical presence will be a welcomed addition to the Blackhawks lineup.
Scuderi suffered a broken ankle that required surgery in late October. He has begun light workouts and skating, but the next step would be to participate in practice. He was given a six-to-eight week timetable and this would mark the sixth week, so the Penguins will look to have the veteran D-man back in their lineup soon.
This is a good sign for Orpik who was knocked unconscious by Shawn Thornton just six days ago. No word on whether or not he will participate in the morning skate, but regardless it is great to see him out there less than a week after a scary incident.
Glencross has missed 15 games with a 2nd degree MCL sprain suffered November 7. He will enter the lineup and Blair Jones will sit. Glencross has five goals and four assists in 15 games.
Dubnyk allowed four goals on 28 shots but still walked away with the overtime win on Tuesday vs. Carolina. He has alternated wins and losses in his last seven starts, so hopefully for Dubnyk owners that streak does not continue. He does draw a terrible matchup vs. the Bruins, so there is a good chance that streak does hold up.
Peters stopped 24 of 25 shots in a 2-0 loss to the Canucks on Monday. He has been really strong in his last three starts going 2-1-0 with a 1.34 GAA and .946 SV%. He has a great matchup tonight against the Flames.
McElhinney made 15 saves on 16 shots and departed with the Blue Jackets up 3-1. He has been solid through three starts as the Blue Jackets' number-1 going 2-1-0 with 2.00 GAA and .929 SV%. Expect an update on McElhinney's status to come tomorrow.
The Panthers recalled Jacob Markstrom on an emergency basis, suggesting that Thomas will not be available for Friday's game.
Starting goaltender Tim Thomas took part in the team's practice Thursday, but left with an unspecified injury after 15 minutes. Florida will have an update on Thomas' status following the team's morning skate on Friday. Markstrom appeared in 11 games with Florida earlier this season, posting a 1-5-3 record, 3.36 goals-against average and a .877 save percentage. He was loaned to the Rampage on November 10. After joining San Antonio, the 23-year-old appeared in 10 games, going 4-5-1.
Johnson allowed two goals on 32 shots in a win over the Maple Leafs on Sunday. He has one each of his last four starts and draws a solid matchup against the Oilers. However, Edmonton also represents a risky spot-start as they have shown that they can light the lamp at any time.
Reimer gave up three goals on 50 shots (.940 SV%) in a 4-3 shootout win over the Senators last Saturday. He has allowed three goals in each of his last three starts, but he's seen 119 shots combined so a .924 SV% points to how well he is playing. He draws a really tough matchup tonight in St. Louis.
Morris will miss his third consecutive game tonight, but the Coyotes should have all six of their top-6 back intact on Saturday. Phoenix has had D-men shuffled in and out of the lineup all season long.
Nilsson made five appearances, winning none of them and posting a 3.63 GAA and .873 SV%.
Nabokov missed 11 games after he suffered a groin injury on November 16 against the Red Wings. He will serve as Kevin Poulin's backup tonight and could start on Saturday vs. Montreal. He will take over as the team's number-1 goalie and try to stabilize the position that has been in flux since he went down. To make room for him Anders Nilsson was sent back to Bridgeport.
Baertschi struggled in his 26 games with the Flames. He registered only two goals and nine assists with a minus-4 rating. He was the 13th overall pick in 2011 after he ripped up the Western Hockey league, but he has not developed into the scoring threat the Flames envisioned when they selected him. However this is common with young players and Sven is only 21-years-old and still has a bright future ahead of him. He heads to Abbotsford to develop his game and could find himself back in Calgary soon.
Luongo stopped 28 of 29 shots in a win over the Avalanche on Sunday. The W extended his winning streak to three games, he has allowed a combined four goals in those contests. He allowed two goals on 23 shots in a 6-2 win over the Oilers back on October 5.
Schneider allowed three goals on 21 shots in a loss to the Red Wings last Saturday. After winning three straight, Schneider has lost each of his last two starts while allowing three goals in each. He will face the Penguins for the second time this season, he stopped 18 of 21 shots in a 3-0 loss in his first start as a Devil.
Backstrom stopped 37 of 41 shots in a loss to the Blue Jackets last Saturday. He draws a tough matchup on the road against the Sharks. He has not faced San Jose this season, but was 1-2-0 with a 3.32 GAA and .903 SV% against them last year.
