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Florida Panthers News
Tomas Nosek (lower body) has been activated from the injured reserve and is expected to play Friday vs. Washington.

Nosek missed the Devils' previous 10 games due to a lower-body injury but has been activated from the injured reserve and is expected to play Friday vs. Washington. The 31-year-old failed to pick up a point in his two games played so far in 2023-24 but had 18 points (11G/7A) last season with Boston.

Tomas Nosek
Kaapo Kahkonen will start Friday in Vegas.

Kahkonen has become the clear second-choice in San Jose, slated to start for only the second time in the teams' last seven games. Without a win (0-4-0) and a ghastly 4.30 GAA and .876 SV%, Kahkonen's outlook is not promising as the San Jose Sharks, playing the back end of a back-to-back, visit the Western-Conference leading Vegas Golden Knights. The last-place Sharks are currently on a two-game winning streak but, even so, are ginormous +426 road underdogs against the Golden Knights.

Kaapo Kahkonen
Sam Bennett is a game-time decision to return Sunday vs. Chicago.

Bennett's availability for Sunday's game is still to be determined but his impending return is welcome news for him and the Panthers after he was injured, playing just 7:54 in his season debut. Bennett had 16 goals, 24 assists, 193 SOG, 54 PIMs and, a +5 plus/minus in 63 games played in 2022-23.

Sam Bennett
Tomas Nosek (lower body) skated Friday and is expected to return Friday vs. Washington.

Nosek has missed the last 10 games with a lower-body injury and is slated to make his return on Friday. In two games this season, Nosek was held without a point, averaging 12:10 time-on-ice. He is expected to play on a line with Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar.

Tomas Nosek
Sergei Bobrovsky will start Friday vs. Carolina.

As has been the case most of the season, Bobrovsky has had difficulty with consistency between the pipes. That said, his Panthers teammates have done a formidable job of generating offence and providing him with goal support of late. Despite three sub-.900 SV% efforts, Bobrovsky has not lost in regulation in his last five games (4-0-1), saving 120 of 132 shots in the process (.909 SV%). On Friday, Bobrovsky and the Panthers are +119 home underdogs against a Carolina Hurricanes squad that has won five of their last six (5-1-0).

Sergei Bobrovsky
Vitek Vanecek is in the starter's crease at the Devils' morning skate.

Vanecek allowed five goals on 31 shots on Tuesday in a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche but will look to rebound as the likely starter on Friday. Before that most recent loss, Vanecek had won four consecutive games, saving 108 of 120 shots faced (.900 SV%). Lindy Ruff's high-tempo offensive structure isn't particularly conducive to low-scoring affairs, but Vanecek should continue to garner a healthy amount of victories throughout the season. On Friday, the Devils are -170 home favourites against a Washington Capitals team that ranks second-worst in the league offensively (2.00 GF / GP).

Vitek Vanecek
Sergei Bobrovsky will start Wednesday in Washington.

Bobrovsky has followed up on each of his four sub-.900 SV% appearances this season with strong performances and will look to do the same in his 10th start of the season on Wednesday. On Monday, Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 22 shots in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets, preceded by a 22-save shutout the previous Thursday. Bobrovsky has had an up-and-down season, but all signs point to a promising performance on Wednesday as the Panthers visit a Washington Capitals team that ranks 31st in the league offensively (1.90 GF / GP). The Panthers are -130 road favourites and will look to build on their current 4-1-1 run.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Vanecek will start in Colorado on Tuesday.

Vanecek has seemingly secured the Devils' starting gig as he will be the starter for the fifth time in their last six games. Vanecek has been far from perfect but has done enough to give the high-scoring Devils (3.91 GF / GP) a chance to win on most nights, posting a 3.05 GAA and .900 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Devils, without Jack Hughes, are +160 road underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, who will be desperate for a victory after being shut out in three of their last four contests (1-3-0).

Vitek Vanecek
Vitek Vanecek was in the starter's crease at Tuesday's morning skate.

Vanecek has seemingly secured the Devils' starting gig as he appears to be the starter for the fifth time in their last six games. Vanecek has been far from perfect but has done enough to give the high-scoring Devils (3.91 GF / GP) a chance to win on most nights, posting a 3.05 GAA and .900 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Devils, without Jack Hughes, are +160 road underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, who will be desperate for a victory after being shut out in three of their last four contests (1-3-0).

Vitek Vanecek
Jonah Gadjovich has been loaned to Charlotte (AHL) on conditioning purposes.

Gadjovich signed with the Panthers in the offseason but, after serving as a healthy scratch for the team's first 11 games, is being loaned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL for a conditioning assignment. Last season, Gadjovich had seven points (3G / 4A), 57 penalty minutes, and 92 hits in 35 games with the San Jose Sharks.

Jonah Gadjovich
Sergei Bobrovsky will start Monday vs. Columbus.

Bobrovsky will return to the crease on Monday to face his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his most recent game, Bobrovsky saved all 22 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and is in the midst of a six-game run (4-1-1) that has seen him post a 2.16 GAA and .925 SV%. The Panthers are heavy -219 home favourites on Monday as the Blue Jackets have lost five of their last six games (1-3-2) and have been very poor offensively all season, averaging only 2.55 goals per game.

Sergei Bobrovsky
Ekblad (shoulder) is expected to miss at least two more weeks.

Panthers' head coach Paul Maurice said that there's a chance Ekblad returns after the Panthers' upcoming road trip to California, which runs from Nov. 14 to Nov.17. This puts Ekblad on track to play somewhere around Nov.20 when they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Aaron Ekblad
Uvis Balinskis is expected to be a healthy scratch Monday vs. Columbus.

Balinskis has played all 10 games for the Panthers this season, this first of his career, registering zero points, eight shots, and a -2 plus/minus while averaging 14:07 time-on-ice. The Latvian defender will be a healthy scratch on Monday to make room for Mike Reilly to make his season debut.

Uvis Balinskis
Vanecek led the Devils onto the ice for warmups.

Vanecek allowed three goals on 25 shots in the Devils' win in Minnesota on Thursday. Vanecek was given a night off on Friday but will be back in the crease Sunday in Chicago. Vanecek comes in riding a three-game winning streak despite allowing a combined 10 goals on 86 shots (.884 SV%). Vanecek and the Devils are late -205 favourites, so he makes for a great start even with the Devils missing Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

Vitek Vanecek