Ferland was making his return from a concussion but the Hurricanes removed him from the game because he didn’t feel right. This likely means that Ferland will miss the Hurricanes’ back-to-back on Thursday/Friday.
Klefbom was forced to leave Tuesday’s game in Colorado and head coach Ken Hitchcock said that Klefbom will return to Edmonton to be evaluated but that he will likely be “out weeks, not days.” Klefbom’s injury should lead to Chris Wideman getting regular playing time and Darnell Nurse to take on a much larger role.
Stastny has been out since the third game of the season but was back at practice on Tuesday and has a chance to play on Wednesday. Expect an update following today’s morning skate in Brooklyn.
Kamenev suffered a shoulder injury that will require surgery on Saturday and will likely miss the rest of the season according to head coach Jared Bednar. This is the second major injury that Kamenev has suffered in two years since being acquired from the Predators. A.J Greer was recalled from Colorado (AHL) to replace him on the roster.
Crawford allowed three goals on 28 shots in the Blackhawks loss to the Canadiens on Sunday. Crawford has struggled as of late, going 0-8-0 with a 4.43 GAA and .871 SV% in his last eight starts. Overall, Crawford is tied for 39th in SV% (.901) and 47th in GAA (3.21) on the season. Leave him on the bench against a Penguins team that is eighth in the NHL in goal-scoring (3.34 GF/pg).
Varlamov allowed five goals on 23 shots in Colorado’s loss in Tampa Bay on Saturday. Varlamov has had a nice season but has struggled mightily in his last two starts—giving up a combined 11 goals on 55 shots (.800 SV%). In his first start against the Oilers, Varlamov allowed one goal on 27 shots in a 4-1 win (Nov.11).
Rinne gave up four goals on 25 shots in the Predators loss in Vancouver last Thursday. The loss snapped a brief two-game winning streak for Rinne, who continues to lead the NHL in GAA (1.96) and SV% (.930). He’s a must-start against an Ottawa team that is missing some key pieces up front.
Luongo allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Panthers loss to the Rangers on Saturday. Luongo posted a shutout over the Bruins last Tuesday but lost back-to-back games after—allowing a combined eight goals on 62 shots (.871 SV%). He comes into Tuesday’s game at 2-3-0 with a 3.64 GAA and .886 SV% on the road.
Mrazek stopped 18 of 19 shots in the Hurricanes win in Anaheim last Friday. Since returning to the Hurricanes’ crease, Mrazek has stopped 51 of 53 shots (.962 SV%) in two appearances. With Curtis McElhinney still banged up, look for Mrazek tonight vs. the visiting Maple Leafs. So far Mrazek is 2-1-1 with a 2.97 GAA and .862 SV% on home-ice.
Kerfoot will be replaced by AJ Greer, who was recalled from the AHL. Kerfoot has had a solid season and should be considered questionable for Colorado’s back-to-back on Friday and Saturday.
Varlamov allowed five goals on 23 shots in Colorado’s loss in Tampa Bay on Saturday. Varlamov has had a nice season but has struggled mightily in his last two starts—giving up a combined 11 goals on 55 shots (.800 SV%). In his first start against the Oilers, Varlamov allowed one goal on 27 shots in a 4-1 win (Nov.11).
Anderson made 35 saves on 36 shots in the Senators win over the Penguins on Saturday. Anderson seems to either stand on his head or give up four-plus goals with no in between. He is an especially risky option against a Predators team that is 11-5-0 at Bridgestone Arena this season. Anderson is 2-6-1 with a 4.48 GAA and .885 SV% on the road.
Luongo allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Panthers loss to the Rangers on Saturday. Luongo posted a shutout over the Bruins last Tuesday but lost back-to-back games after—allowing a combined eight goals on 62 shots (.871 SV%). He comes into Tuesday’s game at 2-3-0 with a 3.64 GAA and .886 SV% on the road.
Ward gave up four goals on 29 shots in the Blackhawks loss in Nashville on December 1st. Ward has struggled mightily this season, ranking 55th of the 59 qualified netminders in GAA (3.91) and 52nd in SV% (.888). He simply can’t be relied upon, especially with a tough matchup in Winnipeg on tap.
