Cizikas is eligible to return at any time after being placed on the Injured Reserve with a lower-body injury retroactive to January 9th on Wednesday but frees up an open roster spot on the Islanders in the meantime. The 32-year-old is producing at a similar rate to his previous seasons with 11 points (5G/6A) in 39 games played prior to his injury.
Sharks head coach David Quinn alluded to potential lineup changes ahead of Tuesday's game due to injury/illness, and it appears Duclair is the change he was referring to. Duclair has eight goals and eight assists in 40 games this season.
Oliver Wahlstrom will re-enter the lineup on Tuesday in Engvall's place. Engvall has five goals and nine assists in 41 games this season.
Sorokin will get the nod again on Tuesday after being pulled in Tuesday's loss to the Wild, marking the first time this season that the Islanders' starting netminder will start both ends of a back-to-back. Sorokin wasn't particularly poor on Monday, allowing three goals on 32 shots through two periods, as the move to pull him was likely done with more of an eye on tonight's game in Winnipeg as the Islanders were trailing the Wild by three goals heading into the third. Sorokin owns a 13-10-8 record on the season to go along with a .909 SV% and a 3.18 GAA.
Rittich will start for the Kings on Monday afternoon as they look to snap out of a miserable eight-game losing streak. Rittich entered Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings and faced only three shots but saved all of them. In four games this season (2-0-1), he has a 1.49 GAA and .930 SV%.
Heineman has yet to pick up a point in any of the four games he's appeared in in 2023-24 but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. San Jose as Rafeal Harvey-Pinard returns from injury. The 22-year-old has averaged only 9:57 TOI in the games he has appeared in, picking up a +2 plus/minus while playing a complimentary role.
Cizikas exited the Islanders' Tuesday night contest against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period with a lower-body injury after playing only 3:54 time-on-ice. Before his injury, Cizikas had been limited to only one point (0G / 1A) in his last 11 games while registering 25 hits.
Sorokin will continue his hold on the Islanders' crease on Thursday, marking appearances in eight straight games as Semyon Varlamov remains out of the lineup due to an injury. However, his increased workload has not resulted in improved play. In his last seven games (2-4-1), Sorokin has allowed four or more goals four times, posting a subpar .888 SV%. Sorokin and the Islanders are +115 home underdogs on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite defeating them 4-3 less than a month ago when Sorkin saved 37 of 40 shots (.925 SV%).
Samuel Bolduc is expected to come out of the lineup for the Islanders on Tuesday with Pelech expected to make his return. This will mark his first game since November 24th, a 20-game absence. Before his injury, Pelech had three points (0G / 3A), 28 blocks, and 15 hits in 16 games.
Varlamov left last Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche late in the first period due to an injury with the score being 1-1. He was replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who has started every game while Varlamov has been unavailable. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury but has been placed on IR retroactive to January 2nd.
With Semyon Varlamov still sidelined with no definitive return timeline, Sorokin will start for the seventh time in the last eight games, his busiest stretch of play this season. That said, the increased workload hasn't been beneficial to Sorokin. In his last seven appearances (3-3-1), he has allowed four or more goals four times, posting a subpar .892 SV% in the process. Things won't get easier for Sorokin and the Islanders as they face off against a high-flying Vancouver Canucks team that defeated the New York Rangers last night by a score of 6-3.
With Semyon Varlamov still sidelined with no definitive return timeline, Sorokin will likely start for the seventh time in the last eight games, his busiest stretch of play this season. That said, the increased workload hasn't been beneficial to Sorokin. In his last seven appearances (3-3-1), he has allowed four or more goals four times, posting a subpar .892 SV% in the process. Things won't get easier for Sorokin and the Islanders as they face off against a high-flying Vancouver Canucks team that defeated the New York Rangers last night by a score of 6-3.
Samuel Bolduc is expected to come out of the lineup for the Islanders on Tuesday if Pelech can make his return. If Pelech plays on Tuesday, it would make his first game since November 24th, a 20-game absence. Before his injury, Pelech had three points (0G / 3A), 28 blocks, and 15 hits in 16 games.
