Vanecek has not played an NHL game since suffering an upper-body injury on December 14th but will likely return to the crease on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. In a brief conditioning stint with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), Vanecek posted a 2.00 GAA and .917 SV% in one game (1-0-0). He has a 3.84 GAA and .885 SV% in 14 appearances with the Sharks this season (3-8-1). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as +182 home underdogs against a Canucks squad coming off an impressive 3-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

Samoskevich has not played the previous few games for the Panthers but he will re-enter the lineup on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year-old Samoskevich is averaging 11:48 time-on-ice and has 16 points (7G / 9A) in 47 games this season.

Puljujarvi played 11:51 time-on-ice on January 29th in a 3-2 win over the Utah Hockey Club but was a healthy scratch in the following two games and has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 26-year-old Puljujarvi has nine points (3G / 6A) in 26 games with Pittsburgh this season.

The Panthers have outscored their opposition 14-4 in their last three games (3-0-0) and will turn to Bobrovsky between the pipes on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. After an uncharacteristically average first half of the season, Bobrovsky has been outstanding lately and allowed only five combined goals in his last four games (4-0-0) while posting a stellar .953 SV%. The Panthers enter Tuesday's contest as -116 road favorites against a Capitals team that defeated them 4-1 on November 25th.

The Panthers have outscored their opposition 14-4 in their last three games (3-0-0) and will likely turn to Bobrovsky between the pipes on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. After an uncharacteristically average first half of the season, Bobrovsky has been outstanding lately and allowed only five combined goals in his last four games (4-0-0) while posting a stellar .953 SV%. The Panthers enter Tuesday's contest as -116 road favorites against a Capitals team that defeated them 4-1 on November 25th.

The Panthers are coming off a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings when Bobrovsky saved all 29 shots he faced for his second shutout. The 36-year-old Bobrovsky returns to the crease on Saturday and will look to build on his 2.72 GAA and .901 SV% through 34 games (21-11-2). He has played much better lately, posting a .919 SV% in his last 13 games (7-5-1).

Vanecek has not played since suffering an upper-body injury on December 14th and will spend some time in the AHL on a conditioning stint with the San Jose Barracuda. Before his injury, the 29-year-old Czech netminder was sporting a 3.84 GAA and .885 SV% in 14 appearances (3-8-1).

Bobrovsky has only started three of the previous seven games for the Panthers but will return to the crease on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 36-year-old Bobrovsky has been inconsistent this season, posting a 2.80 GAA and .898 SV% in 33 games (20-11-2). That said, he has been better lately, posting a .912 SV% in his last 12 (6-5-1). The Panthers enter Wednesday's contest as -150 home favorites against a Kings squad that has lost four of their last five (1-3-1).

With Evgeni Malkin (lower body) being placed Injured Reserve, Puljujarvi has been recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). The 26-year-old Puljujarvi is averaging 11:35 time-on-ice and has nine points (3G / 6A) in 25 games with Pittsburgh this season.

Jones was a surprise scratch on Friday with the team not announcing his absence prior to warmups.

Ekblad has not played since January 8th, missing seven straight games, but returned to practice on Friday. The 28-year-old Ekblad is averaging 23:32 time-on-ice, his highest total in four seasons, recording 20 points (2G / 18A), 55 blocks, and 59 hits in 41 games this season.

Sturm missed three games earlier this month with a lower-body injury, returned to the lineup for five games, and is once again sidelined. The 29-year-old Sturm is averaging 9:51 time-on-ice and has 11 points (5G / 6A) in 41 games this season.

Sturm missed three games earlier this month with a lower-body injury, returned to the lineup for five games, and is once again sidelined. He is not eligible to return to the lineup until, at earliest, January 27th against the Pittsburgh Penguins.