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Edmonton Oilers News
Smith is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Flames avoided disaster as an MRI revealed that Smith’s injury is not as serious as originally feared. What looked like a groin injury turned out not to be groin related. However, the lower-body ailment will keep him out of at least the next two games and he will be re-evaluated after that.

Mike Smith
Smith was forced to leave Sunday’s game with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated on Monday.

Smith almost escaped Sunday’s game in Brooklyn healthy and with a win, but he went down while flexing out his right pad with less than three seconds left. Smith had to be helped off of the ice after suffering what looked like a groin injury. This would be a massive blow to the Flames playoff hopes—they are locked in a battle in the tight Western Conference. Expect an update from the Flames over the next 24 hours.

Mike Smith
Smith will start Friday in New York.

Smith allowed two goals on 36 shots in the Flames win in Chicago on Tuesday. David Rittich started last night, giving Smith an extra day of rest prior to tonight’s game in New York. Smith ended a five-game winning streak by winning his last two starts with a 2.48 GAA and .922 SV%. Even with the back-to-back, he is a must-start against a Rangers team that is in complete free-fall mode—they’ve lost four in a row and seven of their last eight.

Mike Smith
Demers (upper-body) is expected to return to the Coyotes lineup on Thursday.

Demers has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury, but is ready to go in Minnesota. Demers has had a solid season, posting numbers similar to what he had with the Stars and Panthers. The 29-year-old is also playing a career-high 21:46 TOI/GM in his first year with the Coyotes.

Jason Demers
Smith will start Tuesday in Chicago.

Smith allowed three goals on 28 shots in the Flames win over the Blackhawks on Saturday. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Smith, who will make his 45th start tonight in Chicago. Smith has gone 2-0-0 with a 2.95 GAA and .908 SV% in two starts against the Blackhawks this season.

Mike Smith
Smith will start Thursday vs. the Lightning.

Smith allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Flames loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday. The losing streak extended to four games for Smith, who has posted an impressive 1.91 GAA and .938 SV% in the process. He has a terrible matchup with the Lightning in town, but he stopped 33 of 34 shots in a 5-1 win in Tampa Bay in mid-January.

Mike Smith