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Vitaly Abramov News

The Senators have recalled Vitaly Abramov from Belleville (AHL).

Abramov made his NHL debut with the Senators last year but opened the year with Belleville. With Filip Chlapik and Drake Batherson being re-assigned on Sunday, Abramov comes up and will likely be in the lineup on Thursday. Abramov had 29 points (16G / 13A) in 70 AHL games last season.

Vitaly Abramov
The Senators have acquired Vitali Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, a 2019 first-round pick and a conditional 2020 first-round pick from the Blue Jackets for Matt Duchene and Julius Bergman.

Abramov is a highly touted prospect, who was at the top of the Blue Jackets farm system after being picked in the third-round (No.65 overall) in 2016. The under-sized winger (5-foot-9, 171 lbs) has excellent elusiveness and dangling ability, that he he has used to score 12 goals with 10 assists (22 points) in 52 AHL games this season.

Vitaly Abramov
Tomas Vokoun announced his retirement on Sunday night.

Vokoun, 38, was a ninth round pick of the Canadiens in 1994. He only played 20 minutes with Montreal before moving to Nashville, where he would spend eight seasons. He would later play four seasons in Florida followed by a season with both the Capitals and Penguins. Vokoun finished his career with a 300-288-43 record, 2.55 GAA, .917 SV% and 51 shutouts.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender Tomas Vokoun from his conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Vokoun went 1-1 with a 2.41 GAA and .891 SV% in his two game conditioning stint.. He was playing his first games since having emergency surgery to dissolve a blood clot in late September.

Vokoun (blod clot) has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning assignment.

Vokoun has not played all season after having surgery for a blood clot in his pelvis in September. It is unlikely that Vokoun will play any part in the Penguins' playoff run, but this is great news for Vokoun.

Vokoun has been out since September after having surgery for a blood clot and remains unable to play hockey but hasn't dismissed the idea of playing this season. “I feel great,” Vokoun said. “Don't have any health issues. I'm still taking the (blood thinners).”

Vokoun was given a three-to-six-month timetable for a possible return. And while the 37-year-old acknowledged that retirement is possible — this is the second time Vokoun has dealt with blood-clot issues, the other time occurring when he played with Nashville in 2006 — he hasn't given up hope of rejoining the Penguins. “It's hard to look that far ahead,” he said. “But definitely, if I get cleared, I want to try. We'll see. I don't have definite yes or no.

Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun is out indefinitely after undergoing a procedure Saturday to dissolve a blood clot in his pelvis.

With Vokoun almost certainly unavailable to begin the season, the Penguins will turn to goaltender Jeff Zatkoff — who has never played in an NHL game — as starter Marc-Andre Fleury's backup.

Not that there was really any question about which goalie is starting, but Vokoun was off the ice way before Fleury at #Penguins skate.

Vokoun rebounded nicely in Game 3 after a tough Game 2. He allowed two goals on 40 shots in the 2-1 double-overtime loss. He will need to have a solid outing tonight or the Penguins will be bounced from the playoffs.

Vokoun starting in Game 3 for #Pens

Vokoun will get the start in Game 3 after giving up three goals on 12 shots in Game 2's 6-1 loss. He was yanked after 16:31 in the first period in favor of Marc-Andre Fleury. Pittsburgh is in an unfamiliar situation down 2-0 on the road and all coach Bylsma wants is "a solid game between the pipes from our goalie and allow our team to win the hockey game."

#Pens goalie Tomas Vokoun said that coach Bylsma told him he was starting Game 2.

There was some speculation that the Penguins may go back to Marc-Andre Fleury after Vokoun allowed three goals on 30 shots in Game 1. However the loss was just Vokoun's third of the playoffs and he still sports a GAA under 2.00 (1.98) so there really is no reason for coach Bylsma to panic.

Vokoun will start Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Vokoun replaced Marc-Andre Fleury in the first round and has play admirably. He has posted a 1.85 GAA and .941 SV% in seven games this post-season. The Penguins are stacked so Vokoun should have no problem recording W's.

Vokoun will start Game 4.

Vokoun continued his strong play in the playoffs in Game 3 when he turned aside 46 of the 48 shots that were directed at him. He gave up a backhand goal to Colin Greening at 7:39 into the second overtime frame that gave the Sens the victory. In five starts Vokoun has posted the playoff's best GAA (1.61) and SV% (.949).