Ekblad left Thursday's game with a lower-body injury and is questionable to play Saturday in Edmonton. Head coach Paul Maurice said that Ekblad's injury isn't serious and that they "don't even know if it's day-to-day" and added that they "think they got ahead of it." It sounds like Ekblad is more likely to play than miss Saturday's game, but monitor his status during the afternoon.
Balinskis had a goal, two points, 18 SOG, and six PIMs in 18 games played with the Panthers but has been reassigned to Charlotte (AHL) on Friday. The 27-year-old Latvian first-year player has appeared in only one game for Charlotte in his career and scored one goal but will make a welcome sign to the team with his physical presence.
Boqvist is expected to draw into the Bruins lineup for the first time since October 26th as Matthew Poitras (load management) will not play on Friday. In 24 games with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, Boqvist has 14 points (5G / 9A) this season.
Entwistle was not present at the Blackhawks' morning skate and was a game-time decision Thursday vs. Seattle due to illness. The 24-year-old right-winger has made the most of his bottom-six minutes this season, with two goals, three assists, 10 PIMs, 25 SOG and a -6 plus/minus in 21 games played.
Bjornfot failed to pick up a point in nine games with Ontario (AHL) but has been recalled to Los Angeles for the second time this season. The 22-year-old appeared in one game earlier for the Kings on October 11th and played 10:12 TOI before being sent down to Ontario.
Entwistle was not present at the Blackhawks' morning skate and will be a game-time decision Thursday vs. Seattle due to illness. The 24-year-old right-winger has made the most of his bottom-six minutes this season, with two goals, three assists, 10 PIMs, 25 SOG and a -6 plus/minus in 21 games played.
Gadjovich had been a healthy scratch for the Panthers' previous two games but will draw back into the lineup for Anton Lundell (illness) Thursday vs. Vancouver. The 25-year-old bruising left-winger has yet to score in 2023-24, but has an assist, 10 SOG, 43 PIMs and a -2 plus/minus in nine games played so far.
Lundell is battling an illness and will not play on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. Lundell has 12 points (2G / 10A) in 22 games this season and played the last game on a line with Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen.
Bobrovsky will start for the second consecutive game on Thursday when the Panthers face off against the Vancouver Canucks. Bobrovsky allowed three goals on 22 shots (.864 SV) in his last game, a 4-0 loss to the Seattle Kraken, but won four straight beforehand, allowing more than one goal only once, posting a .941 SV% in the process. The Panthers are slight -115 road favourites against a Canucks team that has won three straight, outscoring their opposition 10-4.
Balinskis had been in the Panthers' lineup for the last two games after recalled from the minors earlier in the week but will be a healthy scratch Thursday at Vancouver as Dmitry Kulikov takes his place. The 27-year-old defensemen is in his first NHL season and first North American season after spending his early career in the Czechia league and the KHL. He has a goal and an assists to go along with six PIMs in 17 games played with Florida in 2023-24.
Kulikov will re-enter the Panthers' lineup for the first time since December 8th as Uvis Balinskis will be a healthy scratch. Kulikov has eight points (0G / 8A) in 25 games this season and will likely skate on the third defensive pair next to Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Bobrovsky will start for the third time in the last four games and search for his fifth straight victory on Tuesday. During his four-game winning streak, Bobrovsky has allowed more than one goal only once and has a .941 SV%. Bobrovsky and the Panthers are -160 road favourites against a Seattle Kraken team that is reeling, losing eight straight (0-6-2) and being held to three goals or fewer in each contest.
Logan Stanley will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Schmidt to return to the lineup for the first time since November 30th. Schmidt is expected to skate on the third defensive pair alongside Dylan Samberg.
Boqvist is no stranger to the NHL level, amassing 190 games and scoring 55 points (28G / 27A) in the process. However, he has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, tallying 14 points (5G / 9A) in 24 games. His call-up is a potential sign that Pavel Zacha (upper-body) might not be ready to return to the Bruins' lineup.
Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz have split starts over the last four games for the Panthers, but Bobrovsky will start consecutive games for the first time in nearly two weeks on Friday. On Wednesday, Bobrovsky held on, saving 29 of 33 shots (.879 SV%) in a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars, giving him three straight wins and posting a stellar .933 SV% in the process. The Panthers are sizeable -157 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has lost three straight (0-1-2), scoring only five goals in that span.
