Rask (illness) is expected to dress Saturday vs. the Coyotes.
Rask missed last night’s game because of an illness but it looks like he will be able to dress at the very least tonight vs. the Hurricanes. Monitor his status during pre game warmups.
NHL Hockey Player News
Call up / Send down
The Bruins have sent Jeremy Smith back to Providence (AHL).
Smith served as Niklas Svedberg’s backup last night, but his return to the AHL suggests that Tuukka Rask will be capable to backup at the very least.
Line Change
Visnovsky will be a healthy scratch on Saturday.
Visnovsky will sit after playing the last three games. He will be replaced by Brian Strait.
Line Change
Strait in; Visnovsky out.
Strait has been a healthy scratch in the last three games, but will play tonight vs. the Hurricanes. Strait has two goals and four assists (6 points) in 37 games this season.
Goalie Start
Johnson starts Saturday vs. the Hurricanes.
Johnson stopped 27 of 28 shots in the Islanders win over the Coyotes on Tuesday. He has won two of three goals with a 1.30 GAA and .957 SV%. Tonight he will face a Hurricanes team he has gone 2-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .935 SV%.
Smith (arm) will play on Saturday.
Smith was listed as a game-time decision, but will play this afternoon vs. the Predators. Smith has 10 points (3G / 7A) in 55 games this season.
Goalie Start
Ward starts Saturday vs. the Islanders.
Ward allowed one goal on 24 shots in the Hurricanes win over the Flyers on Tuesday. He was given last night off while he was honoured for his 500th career NHL game. He will be back in the cage this afternoon on Long Island. He will face an Islanders team who are 4th in the NHL in scoring (3.10 G/PG).
Line Change
Bartley will be back in the Predators lineup on Saturday.
Bartley was a healthy scratch when Ryan Ellis returned on Thursday, but will be back in the lineup tonight with Ellis back out. Bartley will be paired with Seth Jones—he has registered nine assists in 32 games.
Ellis (lower-body) is not on the ice for warmups; will not play vs. Detroit.
Ellis played just 11:29 in his return to the lineup on Thursday. He said he was 100%, but being scratched this afternoon suggests that he might have re-aggregated that lower-body injury.
Goalie Start
Luongo leads the Panthers onto the ice for warmups.
Luongo allowed two goals on 28 shots in the Panthers 3-0 loss to the Blackhawks on Thursday. He has lost three in a row, despite stopping 97 of 105 shots (.924 SV%). Today he will take on the Sabres at home, making him an excellent fantasy option in all formats.
Goalie Start
Rinne leads the Predators onto the ice for warmups.
Rinne gave up three goals on 29 shots in the Predators 4-2 loss to the Wild on Thursday. Rinne has dropped three of his last four starts, while positing a 2.80 GAA and .911 SV%. Tonight he will take on a Red Wings team he is very familiar with from their time in the Western Conference—Rinne has gone 23-4-1 with a 1.88 GAA and .931 SV% at home this year.
Spurgeon (head) will start working out on Saturday.
Spurgeon has missed the last four games and will miss his fifth consecutive tonight in Colorado. Today was the first time that Spurgeon has skated since getting injured in mid-February. He remains without a timetable for his return, but it is a great sign that he was able to resume skating today.
Call up / Send down
The Sharks have sent Chris Tierney to Worcester (AHL).
Tierney, 20, has one goal and six assists in 24 games with San Jose this season. With Tye McGinn returning to the lineup on Saturday, Tierney has been sent down. He has 24 points (7G / 17A) in 26 games with Worcester.
Injury
McGinn (undisclosed) has been activated from IR and will play on Saturday.
McGinn has been out with a concussion since January 31st, but will be back in tonight vs. Ottawa. He has one goal and four assist (5 points) in 32 games this season.
Call up / Send down
The Panthers have reassigned Garrett Wilson to San Antonio (AHL).
Wilson had four shots and minus-2 rating in two games during his recall. With Brandon Pirri returning to the lineup on Saturday, the Panthers had to return Wilson to the AHL.
Goalie Start
Quick is expected to start Sunday vs. the Jets.
Quick made 27 saves on 28 shots in the Kings 1-0 loss to the Senators on Thursday. He was given Friday night off, but he is expected to be back in goal in Winnipeg this afternoon. Quick went 8-3-0 with a 1.92 GAA and .928 SV% in February, so he will look to get March off to a hot start today.
Goalie Start
Niemi starts Saturday against the Senators.
Niemi allowed three goals on 35 shots in the Sharks 3-2 loss to the Red Wings on Thursday. Despite the loss, he was outstanding and definitely deserved the start tonight vs. Ottawa. He will look to wrap up February with a win after going 3-5-2 with a 2.99 GAA and .910 SV% in his first 10 starts this month.
The Panthers have acquired Dany Heatley and a 2015 3rd round pick from Anaheim for Tomas Fleischmann.
Heatley, 34, has seen his career hit rock-bottom. He scored 50 goals in back-to-back years in 05/06 and 06/07 but will be assigned to San Antonio after being felt from Anaheim. He had just two goals and five assists in 25 games with Norfolk.
The Ducks have acquired Tomas Fleischmann from the Panthers for Dany Heatley and a 2015 3rd round pick.
Fleischmann has scored seven goals with 14 assists (21 points) in 52 games with the Panthers this season. Fleischmann had 56 goals and 72 assists (128 points) in 240 games under Ducks head coach Bruce Bourdreau, when they were both in Washington.
Wheeler (lower-body) is expected to play on Sunday.
Wheeler missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but he was back on the ice for Jets practice this morning and is expected to play tomorrow. Coach Paul Maurice said that Wheeler will play as long as he feels as good tomorrow as he did today.
