The Blackhawks are on the tail-end of a back-to-back on Friday, so it will be Soderblom who gets the unfortunate task of taking on the Lightning. Soderblom struggled in his last start, surrendering five goals on 23 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Bruins on Saturday. The 26-year-old netminder brings a 5-8-1 record and an .868 SV% into Friday night's matchup, where the Hawks enter action at +240 on the money line.
The Lightning will hand Vasilevskiy his 32nd start of the campaign when they travel to Chicago on Friday. Vasilevskiy delivered another stellar performance in his last start, turning away 22 of the 23 shots he faced in 4-1 win over the Sharks on Tuesday. The former Vezina Trophy winner owns an impressive 21-7-3 record on the season to go along with a .916 SV% and 2.18 GAA. He's a great bet to stay in the win column tonight, as the Lightning enter action at -300 on the money line.
Dickinson did not play in Chicago's previous game because of an illness, but he will re-enter the lineup on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 30-year-old Dickinson has 10 points (6G / 4A) in 36 games this season.
Sasson has been a regular in the lineup this season, already playing a career-high 47 games, but he will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the New Jersey Devils. He has 12 points (10G / 2A) and is averaging 11:25 time-on-ice this season.
Lankinen was solid in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals, saving 29 of 32 shots (.906 SV%), to help the Canucks snap a miserable nine-game losing streak (0-9-2). Despite the team's recent struggles, Lankinen hasn't been a detriment between the pipes, posting a serviceable 3.08 GAA and .902 SV% in his last nine appearances (3-4-1). The Canucks enter Friday's contest as +129 home underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team that has won four of their last five games (4-1-0).
With Anthony Stolarz being activated off IR and returning to Toronto's roster, Matt Benning has been reassigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). The 31-year-old appeared in one game with the Maple Leafs this season and failed to pick up a point. He returns to the Marlies, where he has two goals and 10 points in 16 games played this season.
With Anthony Stolarz returning from IR on Friday, Dennis Hildeby was the odd man out on Toronto's roster and has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). The 24-year-old towering netminder played incredibly well during his time filling in for Stolarz, with a 5-6-4 record, 2.90 GAA and .912 SV% in a career high 19 appearances.
Sabourin did not appear in any games during his current call up and will return to Syracuse (AHL) on Friday. The 33-year-old has appeared in nine games this year, picking up a goal, 3 points and 63 PIMs.
McTavish has returned to Anaheim after missing the Ducks' previous game with an upper-body injury and is unsure if he will be able to return on Anaheim's current road trip. The 22-year-old had been starting to heat up with three goals in his previous five games to add to his 13 goals and 30 points in 49 games on the season.
Bryson left Buffalo's game vs. Montreal on Thursday with an upper-body injury and has been placed on IR with expectations that he will miss an extended period of time. The 28-year-old appeared in 33 games this season prior to his injury, picking up two goals, five points and 11 SOG while averaging just 10:11 TOI.
With Jacob Bryson being placed on IR on Friday, Zac Jones has earned a call up to Buffalo from Rochester (AHL). The 25-year-old has yet to appear in a game this season for the Sabres but has an impressive six goals and 37 points in 32 games with Rochester.
Dostal will take over Anaheim's crease for the sixth time in their last seven games and look to extend the teams five-game win streak and his personal four game win streak in Seattle on Friday. The 25-year-old has been one of the hottest goalies in hockey over his last six starts, posting a 4-2-0 record and an impressive .919 SV%. He'll head to Seattle to take on the Kraken on Friday, who broke a four game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Islanders their last time out.
Martin will get just his third start of the season on Friday when he takes on the Sharks in San Jose. The 30-year-old has struggled when called upon this season in Igor Shesterkin's absence, with his 1-1-0 record, 4.13 GAA and .848 SV%. He'll take on the Sharks in San Jose on Friday, who have won five of their last 8 games.
New York will switch things up on Friday as Anton Blidh takes Jonny Brodzinski's spot in the Rangers' lineup vs. San Jose. Brodzinski has appeared in 36 games this season and has four goals, nine points and 37 SOG despite only averaging 11:09 TOI in a bottom-six role this season.
Blidh has been a healthy scratch for New York's previous six games but will draw back into the lineup for Jonny Brodzinski on Friday in San Jose for his third appearance of the season. The 30-year-old Blidh has not picked up a point since his days with Boston in 2021-22, despite appearing in 16 games between Colorado and New York combined over the years.
Markstrom will look to help New Jersey to thier fifth win in the last six games on Friday as he takes the crease in Vancouver vs. the Canucks. The 35-year-old has struggled nightly this season for the Devils, posting a 3.27 GAA, .882 SV% and 13-11-1 record across 26 appearances. He'll face the spiralling Vancouver Canucks on the road on Friday, who snapped an eight-game losing streak with a win over Washington their last time out on Wednesday.
With Dan Vladar (lower-body) still injured for at least one more game, Samuel Ersson draws the tough task of taking on the Colorado Avalanche in Colorado on Friday. Ersson's nightmare season will hopefully take a break on Friday as he looks to post a save percentage above .900 for just the second time in his last 8 starts. His .858 SV% ranks among the lowest in the NHL through 21 appearances this season. He will take on the surprisingly cold Colorado Avalanche on Friday, who, despite having the NHL's best record, have lost three of their last four games.
Nedeljkovic has been all the rage of the NHL after his fight on Monday vs. Sergei Bobrovsky made headlines and has earned himself another start on Friday vs. the Rangers. The 30-year-old has a decent 9-8-2 record despite his uglier .896 SV% and 2.96 GAA this season. He will host the struggling New York Rangers on Friday who have lost seven of their last eight games being outscored 42 to 24 during that span.
Vladar had a chance to return on Friday vs. Colorado but will instead push his expected return to Monday when Philadelphia takes on the Islanders. The 28-year-old has missed Philadelphia's last four games and will make a welcome return to their crease with his 16-7-4 record, 2.46 GAA and .905 SV%.
