Bjugstad left Tuesday’s game early and practiced in a non-contact sweater on Wednesday. Despite all of that, it looks like Bjugstad will play vs. the Avalanche. Bjugstad has just 10 points (4G / 6A) in 26 games this season.
Bjugstad was on the ice for Wednesday’s practice in a non-contact sweater after leaving Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Bob Boughner said Bjugstad was feeling “surprisingly decent” and listed him as a game-time decision for tonight’s game vs. the Avalanche. Juho Lammikko centred the third line with Bjugstad limited in practice.
Pesce was activated from IR on Saturday but was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s game. In total, he has sat out for the last nine games but returns tonight with two goals, one assist and 27 shots in 17 games this season.
Meier has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury but will play tonight vs. the Hurricanes. Meier will skate on a line with Joe Thornton and Marcus Sorensen and re-enters the lineup with 13 goals and 10 assists (23 points) in 25 games.
Allen allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Blues win in Colorado last Friday. Dating back to early-November, Allen has gone 3-5-0 with a 2.52 GAA and .918 SV% in eight starts and one relief appearance. Tonight he faces an Oilers team that is 4-2-1 while averaging just 2.00 goals per game under Ken Hitchcock.
Meier has missed the last three games but skated with Joe Thornton and Marcus Sorensen in Tuesday’s practice, suggesting he’ll be back on Wednesday. Monitor his status when the Sharks hit the ice for tomorrow’s morning skate.
Bratt missed the Devils morning skate on Monday and is listed as a game-time decision for tonight's game vs. the Lightning. Stefan Noesen skated in Bratt's spot on the second line, so look for him to get top-6 minutes tonight if Bratt is unavailable.
Pesce has missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury but is expected to play Sunday in Los Angeles. Pesce has just two goals and one assist in 17 games this season.
Noesen was in the lineup for the last two games, scoring his second goal of the season on Sunday. Noesen will come out of the lineup to allow Michael McLeod to make his NHL debut.
Markstrom allowed two goals on 25 shots in the Canucks overtime loss to the Kings on Tuesday. In his last eight starts, Markstrom has gone 1-5-2 with a 3.26 GAA and .900 SV%. Things don’t get any easier with the Golden Knights in town. Vegas is heating up and come in having won four in a row while averaging 4.75 goals for per game.
Allen stopped nine of 11 shots after replacing Chad Johnson in the Blues 8-4 loss to the Jets on Saturday. Allen has had some struggles this season but has been much better as of late. In his last five starts, Allen has gone 2-3-0 despite posting an impressive 1.62 GAA and .942 SV%. Detroit caught fire for a bit but come into Wednesday having lost three in a row.
Noesen has missed the last two games, but will replace Jean-Sebastian Dea in the lineup on Sunday. Noesen, who has played a mostly limited role, has three points (1G / 2A) in 15 games this season.
Having lost his last six starts, Markstrom is looking for his first win since November 8th. He allowed four goals on 37 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Ducks on Wednesday. His SV% has dipped to .896 on the season and his GAA has ballooned to 3.42. Fortunately for Markstrom, he has a good chance of getting back on track tonight against the lowly Kings.
Siegenthaler has been a healthy scratch for the last two games, but will play in his third career NHL game on Saturday. Siegenthaler has no points while averaging 11:37 TOI/gm in his first two.
Pesce has been out since November 10th and was moved to IR to open up a roster spot to call-up Trevor Carrick. Pesce remains day-ro-day, so it’s unclear when he’ll be back on the Hurricanes blueline.
