TSN.ca Staff
Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens’ leading-scorer Tyler Toffoli will not play Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks due to a lower-body he suffered late in last night’s game against the Canucks. Artturi Lehkonen will take his spot in the lineup. Defenceman Victor Mete will also re-join the lineup in place of Xavier Ouellet.
Calgary Flames
Goaltender David Rittich will likely be in net for the Calgary Flames tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 28-year-old has played well against the Leafs this season, stopping 71-of-73 shots en route to a 1-0-1 record and 0.99 goals against average.
In 11 games this season, Rittich is 3-5-1 with a 2.93 goals against average and .904 save percentage.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers’ forward Jujhar Khaira is leading the team stretch in Saturday’s morning skate, and will likely return to the lineup tonight on the third line. The 26-year-old has not played since March 15 against the Calgary Flames, when he was injured in a first period fight against Brett Ritchie.
Head coach Dave Tippett said that forward Kyler Yamamoto is currently day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Here are the lines from Saturday’s practice:
RNH-McDavid-Puljujarvi
Kahun-Draisaitl-Archibald
Ennis-Haas-Kassian
Shore-Khaira-Chiasson
Nurse-Barrie
Lagesson-Larsson
Russell-Bear
Jones-Bouchard
Smith
Koskinen
Vancouver Canucks
Veteran goaltender Braden Holtby will be in the Saturday for the second night of a back-to-back against the Montreal Canadiens. The red-hot Thatcher Demko (5-2, .950 save percentage in last five) will rest. Holtby will make his first start since March 2. He is 4-6-1 with a 3.56 goals against average and a .893 save percentage this season.
Head coach Travis Green said it was an easy decision to start Holtby in a back-to-back situation.
“Easy decision. Holts is a good goalie, we’ve got faith in him. Not a hard decision at all,” said Green Saturday morning. “Holts has great character. He understands the game. He also realizes that Demmer’s been playing very well. As bad as he wants to get in the net, I know he understands that part of it.
“We’re looking for a big game out of him tonight, and we’re confident that we’ll get one.”
Here are the Canucks’ lines for tonight’s game:
Hoglander-Horvat-Boeser
Vesey-Miller-Virtanen
Motte-Sutter-Hawryluk
Roussel-Gaudette-MacEwen
D:
Hughes-Hamonic
Edler-Schmidt
Benn-Myers
Holtby
Demko
Scratches: Chatfield, Michaelis
Injured: Pettersson, Pearson, Beagle
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets will go with the same lineup that skated in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Connor Hellebuyck will get the start.
New York Rangers
Rangers defenceman Jack Johnson has successful hernia surgery on Friday and is expected to make a full recovery by June or July.
The 34-year-old has one goal in 13 games this season. Johnson has recorded 303 points in 950 career NHL games.
Florida Panthers
Here are the Panthers lines at practice ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Nashville Predators.
Source: – TSN
