Kulak has had a nice start to the season in the AHL, leading all Laval defensemen with 11 points (3G / 8A) in 19 games. There is no word whether or not Kulak will make his Canadiens debut on Friday.
Pickard stopped the only shot that he faced after replacing Brian Elliott in the Flyers loss to the Devils on Thursday. With Elliott on IR, Pickard will remain between the pipes this afternoon. Pickard has an ugly 4.33 GAA and .865 SV% in seven appearances this season.
Demers was forced to leave Thursday’s game late in the third period after suffering an apparent right leg injury. Demers was unable to put weight on his leg as he was being helped off of the ice, suggesting that he could miss an extended period of time.
Arvidsson missed three games with a lower-body injury before returning last Saturday, when he suffered a broken thumb. Arvidsson will be out until at least late-December, which means Kevin Fiala and Colton Sissons will continue to see expanded roles. Top prospects Elli Tolvanen could be called up to fill-in for Arvidsson.
Smith surrendered two goals on 28 shots in the Flames 3-1 loss i San Jose on Sunday. Smith has actually been much better on the road than he has been on home-ice. Through six starts in Calgary, Smith is 3-2-1 with a 4.34 GAA and .840 SV%, so you may be best to avoid him tonight as they host the Canadiens.
Koekkoek has played in eight consecutive games, but will be replaced by Erik Cernak tonight. Koekkoek has one goal while averaging 14:55 TOI/GM in eight games this season.
Arvidsson was activated from IR with a lower-body injury for Saturday’s game, but was forced to leave the game with an upper-body injury. Arvidsson was hurt while crashing into the boards and will miss at least the next three games. With Arvidsson back out, Kevin Fiala will likely move back to the top line.
Arvidsson has missed the last three games but is set to return on Saturday afternoon after being activated from IR. Arvidsson has picked up 12 points (8G / 4A) in 12 games this season and will likely reclaim his spot on the top line today.
Pickard allowed two goals on 36 shots in the Flyers win in Arizona on Monday. Even with Brian Elliott back from injury, Pickard will make his third consecutive start on Thursday. He has had a tough season, but has stopped 65 of 71 shots (.916 SV%) in his last two outings. Pickard has a solid matchup as he closes out a home-and-home with the Coyotes.
Pickard allowed two goals on 36 shots in the Flyers win in Arizona on Monday. Even with Brian Elliott back from injury, Pickard will make his third consecutive start on Thursday. He has had a tough season, but has stopped 65 of 71 shots (.916 SV%) in his last two outings. Pickard has a solid matchup as he closes out a home-and-home with the Coyotes.
Arvidsson was placed on IR on Monday, but was on the ice for Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s morning skate but is not expected to play in Colorado. It’s a good sign that Arvidsson was on the ice for two straight days, so there’s a chance that he plays Saturday in Dallas.
Smith allowed five goals on 26 shots but still walked away with the win last Thursday. Giving up four-plus goals has not been rare for Smith this season, who has allowed at least four goals in six of his 10 starts this season—posting a 3.71 GAA, .871 SV% and one shutout overall. He makes for a decent option against a Ducks team that is on the tail-end of a back-to-back and have lost eight of their last nine games.
Pickard allowed four goals on 35 shots in the Flyers loss in San Jose on Saturday. With Michal Neuvirth on IR and Brian Elliott getting hurt in Sunday’s practice, Pickard will start his second straight game. The Coyotes are on-fire and Pickard has a 4.51 GAA and .851 SV% this season, so he is not an ideal spot-start option.
Arvidsson has missed the last two games and the Predators placed him on IR on Monday morning. Arvidsson’s move to IR means that he will miss at least Wednesday’s game in Colorado, but he is eligible to return in Dallas on Saturday.
Michael Neuvirth landed on injured reserve and Brian Elliott is questionable after getting hurt in Sunday’s practice, so look for Calvin Pickard to start in Arizona. Pickard has gone 2-1-1 with a 4.51 GAA and .851 SV% this season. The Flyers other option is Alex Lyon, who was recalled this morning.
Bouchard, 19, was the 10th overall pick in this summer’s draft and picked up one goal while averaging 12:21 TOI/GM in seven NHL games. Bouchard was impressive, posting a 55.4 CorsiFor% and +11.0 CF% rel, thanks to a 64.3% Offensive-Zone start percentage. Bouchard returns to the London Knights, where he led the team with 87 points (25G / 62A) in 67 games last year.
