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San Jose Sharks News
Alexandar Georgiev is expected to start Thursday vs. Ottawa.

Georgiev allowed three goals on 22 shots (.864 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday but will likely return to the crease for his third straight start on Thursday. Georgiev has a below-.500 rating over his last seven outings (2-3-1), posting an unimpressive .889 SV%. The 27-year-old netminder's quality of play has significantly worsened from his stellar 2022-23 campaign when he finished the season with a 2.53 GAA and .918 SV% in 62 games (40-16-6). That said, the Avalanche are sizeable -160 home favourites against the Ottawa Senators, who are losers of five straight.

Alexandar Georgiev
Ty Dellandrea will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Vancouver.

Dellandrea centred the fourth line on Monday but will be a healthy scratch on Thursday as Radek Faksa will return to the lineup. Dellandrea has one point (1G / 0A) , three hits, and four penalty minutes in his last two games.

Ty Dellandrea
Vanecek will start against the Flyers on Tuesday.

Akira Schmid started each of the last two games for the Devils, a back-to-back set, as Vanecek was unable to play due to an illness. That said, he was in the starter's crease at Tuesday's morning skate, indicating he will return to net against the Philadelphia Flyers. Vanecek has struggled with consistency this season but is amid his best two-game stretch (2-0-0), allowing only three goals on a combined 49 shots (.939 SV%). The Devils are coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and are -159 home favourites against a Flyers team with points in eight straight contests (6-0-2).

Vitek Vanecek
Logan Couture (lower body) took part in San Jose's morning skate Tuesday for the first time since October.

Couture returned to Sharks' practice for the first time since early October as he is weeks away from returning from game action due to a lower-body injury. The 34-year-old was originally only expected to miss a few games to start the season but badly reaggrivated his injury and has missed the Sharks' first 31 games because of it. He is coming off a 67 point (27G/40A) season in 2022-23 and hasn't played less than 48 games in a since since 2009-10.

Logan Couture
Jan Rutta (illness) will be a game-time decision Tuesday vs. Los Angeles.

Rutta will be a game-time decision on Tuesday due to an illness, allowing Marc-Edouard Vlasic to return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for four games. Rutta has five points (0G / 5A) in 26 games while averaging 18:56 time-on-ice.

Jan Rutta
Alexandar Georgiev will start Tuesday in Chicago.

Georgiev served as the backup for the Avalanche in two straight games last week but will return to the crease after a strong performance in their last game, saving 25 of 27 shots (.926 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Georgiev has an unimpressive 2.96 GAA and .897 SV% through 24 games this season (15-7-1) but has a favourable matchup on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, whom he saved 18 shots against on October 19th for his only shutout of the season.

Alexandar Georgiev
Alexandar Georgiev is expected to start Tuesday vs. Chicago.

Georgiev served as the backup for the Avalanche in two straight games last week but will likely return to the crease after a strong performance in their last game, saving 25 of 27 shots (.926 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Georgiev has an unimpressive 2.96 GAA and .897 SV% through 24 games this season (15-7-1) but has a favourable matchup on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, whom he saved 18 shots against on October 19th for his only shutout of the season.

Alexandar Georgiev
Klim Kostin (upper body) has been placed on Injured Reserve and will be out week-to-week.

Kostin suffered an upper-body injury in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and did not return after playing 6:30 time-on-ice. Kostin has battled several injuries lately, playing only two of the last six games for the Red Wings. Austin Czarnik has been recalled from the Grand Rapid Griffins (AHL) in the interim while Kostin recovers week-to-week.

Klim Kostin
Vanecek (illness) was in the starter's crease at Tuesday's morning skate.

Akira Schmid started each of the last two games for the Devils, a back-to-back set, as Vanecek was unable to play due to an illness. That said, he was in the starter's crease at Tuesday's morning skate, indicating he will likely return to net against the Philadelphia Flyers. Vanecek has struggled with consistency this season but is amid his best two-game stretch (2-0-0), allowing only three goals on a combined 49 shots (.939 SV%). The Devils are coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and are -159 home favourites against a Flyers team with points in eight straight contests (6-0-2).

Vitek Vanecek
Oskar Lindblom (lower body) has been reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).

Lindblom has been out due to injury since November 10th and was reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) Monday now that he is healthy. The 27-year-old was only able to appear in one game for the Sharks prior to his injury but will return to the minor, where he had two points (1G/1A) in eight games earlier in the season.

Oskar Lindblom
Klim Kostin (undisclosed) was taken off the Injured Reserve and is expected to return to the Red Wings lineup Saturday.

Kostin was expected to re-enter the Red Wings lineup after Dylan Larkin was injured last Saturday but instead instead joined Larkin on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury but has been activated a week later. After missing four straight games, Kostin will likely return to the lineup on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored in his last game but has only one point (1G / 0A) in his last nine contests.

Klim Kostin
Sturm (mid-body) was placed on injured reserve on Friday.

Sturm suffered a mid-body injury on Tuesday that limited him to only 8:44 time-on-ice. The 28-year-old German has only registered on the score sheet once in the last nine games, a two-goal performance on December 7th against the Detroit Red Wings.

Nico Sturm