Vladar will get the call for the tail-end of Calgary's back-to-back after starter Jacob Markstrom got the nod in Friday's 7-4 win over the Stars. Vladar's last appearance came on Monday against the Kraken, when he stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced enroute to the 4-3 victory. He draws a difficult road assignement on Saturday with the Flames being +140 underdogs to the Avalanche.
Ristolainen missed the Flyers' first 20 games of the 2023-24 season but has been activated off the injured reserve and will make his season debut vs. the Islanders Saturday. The 29-year-old will replace Egor Zamula and is entering his 11th NHL season after posting three goals and 20 points in 74 games played in 2022-23.
Woll allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Maple Leafs' win in Minnesota last Sunday. Woll has had a tough time recently, allowing at least three goals in five of his last six games, while posting an .873 SV%. Tonight he'll face a Penguins team that is 1-for-22 (4.5%) on the power-play in their last nine games. Toronto are -120 road favourites.
Starting goalie Jacob Markstrom will rest on Monday after starting the Flames' last three games, allowing Vladar to emerge as the starter against the Seattle Kraken. Vladar was terrific last season, often outperforming Markstrom, but has had trouble regaining that confidence this season. As a result of his inconsistent play, Vladar has been limited to four games this season (2-1-1), posting an ugly 3.92 GAA and .858 SV%. The Flames last played the Kraken on November 4th, a 6-3 win where Vladar saved 17 of 20 shots (.850 SV%).
Studnicka was placed on unconditional waivers by the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and has now, after clearing, been reassigned to the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL. In five games this season, Studnicka has one point (1G / 0A) and a +2 plus/minus rating.
Duck coach Greg Cronin announced that Zegras has been dealing with a lower-body issue for some time, which could be part of the reason for his sluggish start to the 2023-24 campaign. The talented forward has seen his ice-time drop nearly a full minute since last season and has only scored two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games thus far. The Ducks have not given an expected timeline on Zegras' return.
Studnicka was placed on unconditional waivers by the Vancouver Canucks with the intention of reassigning him to the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL. In five games this season, Studnicka has one point (1G / 0A) and a +2 plus/minus rating.
Adam Boqvist seems to be the odd man out of the Blue Jackets lineup as Jiricek skated alongside Jake Bean at the team's morning skate on Tuesday. Jiricek last played for the Blue Jackets on November 4th, recording one assist and one shot in 12:06 time-on-ice. The 19-year-old Czech defender has three points (1G / 2A) in 10 games with the Blue Jackets this season.
Jiricek has been a healthy scratch for the last two games, so he heads back to the AHL to make room for Patrik Laine, who will return from an upper-body injury. Jiricek had one goal and two assists in 10 games with Columbus during his call-up.
Duck coach Greg Cronin announced that Zegras has been dealing with a lower-body issue for some time, which could be part of the reason for his sluggish start to the 2023-24 campaign. The talented forward has seen his ice-time drop nearly a full minute since last season and has only scored two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games thus far.
With Jacob Markstrom out of the lineup, Vladar will start for the fourth time this season. There was some speculation that Dustin Wolf, recalled from the AHL on Thursday, would get the start but the Flames will turn to the more experienced Vladar for the time being. In three games this season (2-1-0), Vladar has a 4.00 GAA and .844 SV%. The Flames are +135 road underdogs on Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season against the Maple Leafs, Vladar allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss.
Woll has allowed 16 goals on the last 113 shots he has faced (.858 SV%) and will attempt to return to his early-season form on Friday when he takes on a Calgary Flames team that ranks 25th in the league offensively (2.67 GF / GP). In his first four games of the season (3-1-0), Woll was nearly impenetrable, saving 122 of 127 shots (.961 SV%), gaining the favour of the coaching staff in Toronto. The Maple Leafs have gone back to mostly rotating between goaltenders now as the team hopes one of them can emerge as a bonafide starter.
Woll will return to the crease for the Maple Leafs after starting the team's previous matchup backing up Ilya Samsonov but eventually entering the net in relief and making 18 of 19 saves in an eventual 6-5 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before his strong relief effort on Tuesday, Woll allowed nine goals on 67 shots (.866 SV%) in his previous two games (0-2-0), a blemish on an otherwise impervious season thus far. The Maple Leafs are -156 home favourites against an Ottawa Senators team that has lost five of their last six (1-5-0).
It appears Woll will return to the crease for the Maple Leafs after starting the team's previous matchup backing up Ilya Samsonov but eventually entering the net in relief and making 18 of 19 saves in an eventual 6-5 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before his strong relief effort on Tuesday, Woll allowed nine goals on 67 shots (.866 SV%) in his previous two games (0-2-0), a blemish on an otherwise impervious season thus far. The Maple Leafs are -156 home favourites against an Ottawa Senators team that has lost five of their last six (1-5-0).
