Apr 5, 2017
Ice Chips: Pens 'optimistic' Malkin will be ready for playoffs
Keep updated on all the injury news and roster moves from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
TSN.ca Staff

Keep updated on all the injury news and roster moves from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Head coach Mike Sullivan is "optimistic" superstar Evgeni Malkin will be ready to suit up for the playoffs. The 30-year-old has missed the last 10 games with a shoulder injury suffered on Mar. 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Malkin has scored 33 goals and added 39 assists over 62 games with Pittsburgh this season. The Penguins are crossing their fingers that he'll return for the playoffs as they found out Wednesday that All-Star defenceman Kris Letang will be lost for the season due to a herniated disk in his neck.
Calgary Flames
Goaltender Chad Johnson has been returned to Calgary for further evaluation on his lower-body injury.
The team has recalled goaltender Jon Gillies from the AHL's Stockton Heat on emergency conditions.
The Flames play the L.A. Kings on Thursday.
Montreal Canadiens
Projected Lines vs. Sabres
Forwards
Pacioretty-Danault-Radulov
Byron-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Shaw-Lehkonen
King-Mitchell-Flynn
Defence
Markov-Petry
Beaulieu-Emelin
Davidson-Nesterov
Goalies
Price
Lindgren
Winnipeg Jets
The team recalled AHL goaltender Eric Comrie from the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday and he will get the start between the pipes Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 21-year-old owns a 17-25-2 record with a 2.98 goals-against average and .906 save percentage with a pair of shutouts over 47 AHL games in 2016-17. Comrie, a 2013 second-round pick, has never played in a NHL game.
San Jose Sharks
Sharks centre Joe Thornton was back on the ice Wednesday after missing the team's last game with a lower-body injury. The veteran sounded pretty confident that he'll be ready to go for the playoffs. - Kevin Kurz, NBC
Anaheim Ducks
Sami Vatanen, who's missed the last two contests with an upper-body injury, said he'll be ready to play Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks while fellow defenceman Cam Fowler is out day-to-day with a lower body injury. In other news, defenceman Korbinian Holzer has left the team and returned to his home country of Germany for personal reasons. Also, defenceman Clayton Stoner, who's been out since mid-November following abdominal surgery, has still yet to receive the thumbs up to play. - Team Tweet/Eric Stephens, Orange County Register
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers have loaned defenceman Sam Morin and forward Colin McDonald to the American Hockey League. Morin, a 2013 first-round pick, played in his first NHL game Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, recording nearly 18 minutes of ice time with a couple shots on goal. - Team Tweet
Florida Panthers
Veteran forward Jussi Jokinen could be done for the season with an undisclosed injury. Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad and Roberto Luongo won't play in any of the remaining games either. - Craig Davis, Sun Sentinel
St. Louis Blues
Defenceman Carl Gunnarsson skated with the team on Wednesday after missing Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury. Head coach Mike Yeo said "he looked good today and we'll see how he feels tomorrow," after the skate. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Buffalo Sabres
Forward Kyle Okposo will likely be sidelined for the last three games of the season due to an illness. - John Vogl, Buffalo News
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago recalled defenceman Gustav Forsling from the AHL on Wednesday. The 20-year-old has two goals and three helpers over 36 games with Chicago this season. - Team Tweet
Game Notes
Canadiens (101P) at Sabres (76P) - 730PM
MTL is 2-0-1 vs BUF this season. 1-0-0 in BUF. MTL has won 2 straight in BUF, 3GA
BUF (ROW-30):
lost 3 straight, 5GF, 1/7 on PP
Eichel (1G) last 3GP
MTL (ROW-101):
won 5 straight, outscoring opponent 19-6, 11/11 on PK
Pacioretty (2G, 5A) 5 game PT streak
Rangers (100P) at Capitals (114P) - 8PM
NYR are 2-1-0 vs WSH this season. 1-0-0 in WSH. NYR have won 4 of past 5 in WSH
WSH (ROW-51):
8-1-0 past 9GP, 34GF, 11/25 on PP
Ovechkin (1A) last 4GP
NYR (ROW-44):
2-2-3 past 7GP, 23GA, 16/21 on PK
Zuccarello (1G, 7A) last 6GP