Tampa Bay Lightning News
Juuso Valimaki is expected to draw back into the Coyotes lineup on Wednesday as Moser will be out with an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old Moser has 15 points (3G / 12A) while averaging 19:38 time-on-ice through 33 games this season.
Vasilevskiy has been a mainstay between the pipes for Tampa Bay since making his season debut in late November and will start for the eighth straight game on Wednesday. After some initial struggles reaclimating himself to game-action after returning from off-season back surgery, Vasilevskiy has won seven of his last name contests (7-2-0), posting a tremendous .925 SV%. Tampa Bay is a slight -100 underdog against division rivals, the Florida Panthers, who are coming off a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Moser played 7:10 TOI before departing Saturday's game with an upper-body injury. Due to the Christmas break, there has been no update on Moser's status since leaving the game, so consider him questionable to play Wednesday vs. the Avalanche. Juuso Valimaki, who sat as a healthy scratch last game, will replace him in the lineup if he's unavailable.
Vasilevskiy had his shutout bid spoiled with just over four minutes remaining in Tuesday's 6-1 victory of the St. Louis Blues and will return to the crease for his sixth straight start on Thursday. The 29-year-old netminder has been slightly inconsistent since returning for off-season back surgery but has shown more good than bad lately, posting an impressive .925 SV% across his last seven games (5-2-0). Tampa Bay is a -113 home favourite on Thursday against a Vegas Golden Knights team that has lost two of three (1-2-0), allowing 4.7 goals per game.
Vasilevskiy had his shutout bid spoiled with just over four minutes remaining in Tuesday's 6-1 victory of the St. Louis Blues and will likely return to the crease for his sixth straight start on Thursday. The 29-year-old netminder has been slightly inconsistent since returning for off-season back surgery but has shown more good than bad lately, posting an impressive .925 SV% across his last seven games (5-2-0). Tampa Bay is a -113 home favourite on Thursday against a Vegas Golden Knights team that has lost two of three (1-2-0), allowing 4.7 goals per game.
Vasilevskiy has had an up-and-down season since making his season debut less than a month ago after returning from off-season back surgery but will start for the fifth straight game on Tuesday. Vasilevskiy has uncharacteristically allowed three or more goals in each of his last four outings (2-2-0), posting a .895 SV%, on par with his .897 SV% on the season. Vasilevskiy will look to get his season in order on Tuesday as Tampa Bay is a -169 home favourite against a St. Louis Blues club that has won two straight, coinciding with the firing of former head coach Craig Berube.
Sheary has missed the Oilers previous 17 games due to an upper body injury but was activated off the Injured Reserve Thursday and will draw back into the lineup for Tampa Bay in Edmonton. The 31-year-old had struggled offensively prior to his injury with a goal, two assists, 14 SOG, four PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in 13 games played.
Vasilevskiy fell back down to earth in Vancouver on Thursday, surrendering three goals on just 21 shots in the 4-1 defeat. It ended a three-game winning streak for Vasilevskiy, who finally looked to be rounding into form after an understandably slow start to his season. The 2020-21 Conn Smythe Trophy winner owns an uncharacteristically low .894 SV% on the season to go along with his 4-4-0 record. He draws another difficult assignment on Thursday against Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
Hedman left the Lightning's game Saturday vs. Seattle after just 13:40 TOI due to an upper-body injury and was and will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 32-year-old towering defenseman is back to his Norris Trophy form this season, with five goals, 22 assists, 55 SOG, 22 PIMs and -5 plus/minus in 29 games played.
Chaffee was reassigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, suggesting that Conor Sheary will likely be activated off of long-term injured reserve soon. Chaffee played his first game of the season on December 12th, recording a -1 plus/minus and two hits in 6:56 time-on-ice.
The 18-year-old Gauthier was the 37th overall pick of the Lightning in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He has remained in the QMJHL this season where he has scored 30 points (13G / 17A) in 28 games.
Chaffee has just two NHL games to his name, both of which came in the 2021-22 with the Minnesota Wild. He has impressed with Syracuse (AHL) this season, registering nine goals and ten assists in 21 games.
Hedman left the Lightning's game Saturday vs. Seattle after just 13:40 TOI due to an upper-body injury and was a game-time decision Tuesday in Vancouver. The 32-year-old towering defenseman is back to his Norris Trophy form this season, with five goals, 22 assists, 55 SOG, 22 PIMs and -5 plus/minus in 29 games played. His next chance to return to the lineup will be Thursday in Edmonton.