Somehow, Gorges will likely play tonight just one week after it was announced that he would miss more than two months with a foot fracture. This is a miraculous recovery by Gorges, who comes into play with just one assist in 23 games this season.
Koekkoek, 22, has picked up four assists in 17 games with the Lightning this season. The former first round pick will return to Syracuse, where he has two assists in five games this season.
Connor has been a healthy scratch for the last five games and will head to Manitoba to get more playing time. Connor made the team out of training camp, but only picked up one goal and three assists (four points) in 19 games.
Lehner allowed three goals on 33 shots in the Sabres’ overtime loss in Washington on Monday. Lehner will be back on home-ice tonight, where he has gone 1-4-2 with a 2.26 GAA and .923 SV% this season. He’ll face the same Washington team tonight, making him a risky start for the second game in a row.
Zatkoff allowed one goal on 26 shots in the Kings’ win in Arizona last Thursday. Peter Budaj started on Sunday, but they’ll come back to Zatkoff tonight vs. Carolina. His last game was the best performance of the season for Zatkoff, who lost his three previous starts and tonight he faces a Hurricanes team who lost in Anaheim last night.
Lehtonen allowed two goals on 20 shots in the Stars’ loss to the Flames on Tuesday. He has played well as of late, stopping 41 of the last 43 shots (.953 SV%) that he has faced. Tonight he will take on a Nashville team that has dropped three of their last five games entering play on Thursday.
Hutchinson allowed two goals on 22 shots in the Jets’ overtime win in St. Louis on Saturday. Connor Hellebuyck started the last two games, but Hutchinson will be between the pipes tonight vs. the Rangers. He has a less than ideal .895 SV% through his first 11 appearances and New York continues to pace the NHL with 3.59 goals for per game.
Lehtonen allowed two goals on 20 shots in the Stars’ loss to the Flames on Tuesday. He has played well as of late, stopping 41 of the last 43 shots (.953 SV%) that he has faced. Tonight he will take on a Nashville team that has dropped three of their last five games entering play on Thursday.
Grabner missed Tuesday’s game because he was back in Austria attending a funeral, but will be back in for Jimmy Vesey (upper-body) tonight. Grabner has picked up 13 goals and four assists (17 points) in 26 games this season.
Vesey was injured late in in Tuesday’s loss in Brooklyn and is listed as day-to-day. Tuesday was a rough night for the Rangers, who lost two other players in addition to Vesey. Michael Grabner will be back in the lineup for Vesey.
Del Zotto has two goals and two assists in his last six games, but will come out of the lineup tonight vs. the Oilers. Radko Gudas will get back in after missing three games with an illness.
Gudas has missed the last three games with an illness, but will be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Oilers. Michael Del Zotto will come out as a healthy scratch. Gudas has one goal and six assists (seven points) in 19 games this season.
Khudobin allowed one goal on 30 shots in the Bruins win vs. the Hurricanes last Thursday. It was Khudobin’s first win of the season and he now has a 2.75 GAA and .902 SV% in four games. Tonight he will give Tuukka Rask a night off as he faces an Avalanche team that has lost six straight games entering tonight.
Mason allowed two goals on 44 shots in the Flyers’ win over the Panthers on Tuesday. Mason has turned his season around, winning his last five starts while posting a .947 SV%. Tonight he will face the Oilers on home ice, where he has gone 7-4-2 with a 2.52 GAA and .914 SV% in 12 starts and two relief appearances this season.
Bouma has been sidelined by an upper-body injury since November 5th, but will be back in the lineup in Arizona. Bouma will replace Kris Versteeg, who is dealing with his own upper-body ailment. The heavy-hitting winger has one assist in 13 games this season.
Versteeg will come out of the lineup on Thursday, which means that Michael Ferland will move up and play with Sean Monahan and Lance Bouma will draw into the lineup after being sidelined by and upper-body injury of his own. Consider Versteeg as day-to-day.
Johnson allowed one goal on 30 shots in the Flames’ win in Dallas on Tuesday. Johnson has been on fire, winning seven of his last eight while posting a 1.74 GAA, .947 SV% and one shutout. In his first start vs. the Coyotes, Johnson stopped 20 of 21 shots in a Flames’ 2-1 overtime victory.
Tyutin has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, but it looks like he will be back in tonight in Boston. There’s no word on who he will replace, but Tyson Barrie missed the morning skate with an illness, so it could be Barrie, Cody Goloubef or Eric Gelinas.
