Amid a seven-game losing skid, the Sharks hope to return to the win column on New Year's Eve with Georgiev between the pipes. Georgiev has allowed four or more goals in three straight (0-3-0), posting an ugly .869 SV%. The Sharks enter Tuesday's contest as +150 home underdogs against a Philadelphia Flyers club that defeated them 4-3 in a shootout on November 11th.
Eklund exited last Monday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:39 time-on-ice and has not played since. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 19:43 time-on-ice and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 36 games this season. In a corresponding move, the Sharks recalled Collin Graf from the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).
Graf made his NHL debut last season, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in seven games with the Sharks. The undrafted 22-year-old, a product of Quinnipiac University, has 26 points (6G / 20A) in 29 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this season.
Andrei Kuzmenko will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, allowing Duehr to re-enter the lineup. The 27-year-old Duehr is averaging 9:07 time-on-ice and has one points (0G / 1A) in 10 games this season.
Kovalenko was a healthy scratch in Saturday's game vs. the Flames, but he'll replace Carl Grundstrom (undisclosed) in Tuesday's lineup. Since joining the Sharks, Kovalenko has picked up five assists and four shots in eight games.
Grundstrom exited Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames after only 1:34 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury. The 27-year-old forward has five points (1G / 4A) in 30 games this season.
Kostin has not played since December 12th and will miss a sixth consecutive game on Friday. The 25-year-old Kostin is averaging 10:12 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 20 games this season.
Eklund exited Monday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:39 time-on-ice and will not play on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 19:43 time-on-ice and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 36 games this season.
Georgiev did not play the last two games for San Jose but will return to the crease on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 28-year-old Georgiev has an ugly 3.75 GAA and .869 SV% in three games since joining the Sharks (1-2-0). The Sharks have lost five straight and enter Friday's contest as significant +210 home underdogs against a Golden Knights club riding a four-game winning streak.
Ostapchuk has been a lineup-regular for Ottawa lately, but regularly been a part of paper transactions, sending him down tot Belleville (AHL) for salary cap reasons. The 21-year-old Ostapchuk has played 14 consecutive games for Ottawa, recording two points (0G / 2A).
Askarov was tremendous in a 3-2 overtime loss on Saturday, saving 39 of 42 shots (.929 SV%), and will return to the crease on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 22-year-old Askarov has been excellent in a small sample size at the NHL level this season, posting a 2.30 GAA and .928 SV% in three games (1-0-2). That said, the Sharks enter Monday's contest as significant +214 road underdogs against a Canucks club amid a three-game losing skid (0-1-2).
Askarov was tremendous in a 3-2 overtime loss on Saturday, saving 39 of 42 shots (.929 SV%), and will likely return to the crease on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 22-year-old Askarov has been excellent in a small sample size at the NHL level this season, posting a 2.30 GAA and .928 SV% in three games (1-0-2). That said, the Sharks enter Monday's contest as significant +214 road underdogs against a Canucks club amid a three-game losing skid (0-1-2).
The Sharks will turn to Georgiev between the pipes for the third time in four games since joining the team. The 28-year-old Georgiev has a 3.52 GAA and .868 SV% in two games with the Sharks (1-1-0), mirroring his totals with the Colorado Avalanche when he had a 3.38 GAA and .874 SV% in 18 appearances (8-7-0). The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as major +220 home underdogs against Georgiev's old team, the Avalanche.
Timothy Liljegren will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche, allowing Thrun to play his first game since December 10th. The 23-year-old Thrun is averaging 16:04 time-on-ice and has eight points (0G / 8A) in 27 games this season.
