Patera will be the surprise starter on Wednesday after all after Adin Hill was a late scratch due to his undisclosed injury. Patera hasn't played since December 10th, when he allowed four goals on 38 shots enroute to a 5-4 victory over the Sharks. He'll have his hands full on Wednesday as the Golden Knights travel to Colorado to take on Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche.
In only his third game after returning from the World Junior Tournament, Poitras exited Wednesday's game against the Arizona Coyotes after playing only 8:34 time-on-ice with an undisclosed injury. Poitras has been held without a shot on goal in three games but has two points (0G / 2A).
Lohrei will slide back into Boston's lineup for Tuesday's game in Arizona in place of the injured Brandon Carlo (upper-body). Lohrei has three goals and three assists in 22 games this season.
Swayman will return to the crease on Monday in a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche. The 25-year-old Swayman has allowed five or more goals in two of his last four starts (2-2-0), posting a .879 SV%, well below the .933 SV% he was sporting leading up to that point this season. The Bruins have won five of their last six (5-1-0) but are +109 road underdogs in a battle against the Colorado Avalanche, who are coming off a disappointing 8-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday but have points in seven of their last eight (6-1-1).
Swayman will likely return to the crease on Monday in a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche. The 25-year-old Swayman has allowed five or more goals in two of his last four starts (2-2-0), posting a .879 SV%, well below the .933 SV% he was sporting leading up to that point this season. The Bruins have won five of their last six (5-1-0) but are +109 road underdogs in a battle against the Colorado Avalanche, who are coming off a disappointing 8-4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday but have points in seven of their last eight (6-1-1).
Zadorov did not play on Saturday but is expected to return to the lineup on Monday against the New York Rangers. Since joining the Canucks at the beginning of December, Zadorov has two points (0G / 2A), 26 penalty minutes, 20 hits, and 16 blocks in 14 games.
Jeannot exited Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins with a lower-body injury after only playing 5:54 time-on-ice and is considered out week-to-week. The 26-year-old Jeannot has been held off the scoresheet in eight straight games while recording only seven shots on goal.
Swayman will tend the twine for the Bruins on Thursday as they search for their fifth straight victory. Over his last two games (2-0-0), Swayman has saved 52 of 56 shots faced (.929 SV%). The Bruins have outscored their opposition 18-7 over their last four games (4-0-0) and are -142 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins club that is coming off a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals but has won three of their last four games (3-1-0).
Swayman will likely tend the twine for the Bruins on Thursday as they search for their fifth straight victory. Over his last two games (2-0-0), Swayman has saved 52 of 56 shots faced (.929 SV%). The Bruins have outscored their opposition 18-7 over their last four games (4-0-0) and are -142 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins club that is coming off a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals but has won three of their last four games (3-1-0).
Gaunce will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Mathieu Olivier to draw back into the lineup for the Blue Jackets. Gaunce is averaging 10:57 time-on-ice through seven games this season, scoring three points (1G / 2A), registering 12 shots, and 13 hits.
Poitras is making an earlier-than-anticipated return to the Bruins after an abrupt exit for him and the rest of the Canadian team at the World Junior Championship. In five tournament games, Poitras scored four points (2G / 2A). Before leaving the Bruins to join Team Canada, Poitras had only six points (1G / 5A) in his last 16 games after scoring seven points (4G / 3A) in his 11 games prior.
Kuraly was helped off the ice after playing only 4:21 in the Blue Jackets December 23rd contest and was taken to hospital, where he was discharged shortly after testing. After further evaluations, Kuraly will be out of the lineup for approximately two weeks with an abdominal injury. In 35 games this season, Kuraly has 11 points (6G / 5A) while playing predominantly on a line with Alexandre Texier and Justin Danforth.
Harris has not played since November 18th, missing 15 straight games, and is eligible and expected to return to the lineup on Thursday after being activated from IR. The 23-year Harris was averaging 18:45 time-on-ice and had three points (0G / 3A) through 16 games this season.
Swayman allowed five goals on 33 shots in his last games (.848 SV%) in a 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on December 22nd and will look to rebound when he returns to the crease on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres. In recent outings against the Sabres, the Bruins have opted to start former Sabres' netminder Linus Ullmark but are using a different approach by turning to Swayman after losing 3-1 to the Sabres earlier this month. Swayman has lost three straight games (0-1-2) despite only allowing two goals in two of them, posting a .912 SV%.
Kuraly had to be helped off the ice on Saturday and was taken to hospital, where he was discharged after testing. There has not been a definitive update on Kuraly yet, but he will not play on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day.
