(Post-publishing update; 4:30 p.m. – Rod Brind’Amour confirmed pre-game that Gostisbehere will play tonight. Kochetkov will not. Frederik Andersen starts in net.)
Gostisbehere (lower-body injury) “tweaked something” in the team’s win over Los Angeles on Oct. 18 and was sent home from the team’s road trip. He returned to practice in a regular sweater on Monday, and Rod Brind’Amour said his status for tonight’s tilt just depends on his level of comfort with only one skate back with the team.
If Gostisbehere can’t go just yet, Domenick Fensore, recalled Sunday night from Chicago (AHL) would be the next man up.
“He’s been playing great. Lights out,” Brind’Amour said of Fensore on Monday. “We’ve always liked him, so you give him an opportunity. We’ve seen Charles (Alexis Legault) and his game, what he can do, and what kind of player he is. We gave him a few games, now maybe we give Dom a few games, because, obviously, we’re in this situation.”
Along similar lines, Brind’Amour said that a Kochetkov (lower-body injury) return is expected “very, very soon.” The young netminder has been sidelined since going down with an injury in practice on Oct. 6. If he does not return tonight, Thursday against New York may also be an option.
Whether or not Kochetkov would start remains to be seen. Brandon Bussi started on Saturday in Dallas, which would point to tonight being Frederik Andersen’s turn in the rotation, but if Kochetkov is available, the team may want to get him back between the pipes as soon as possible.
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Tonight’s Projected Lineup…
Forwards
Ehlers – Aho – Jarvis
Hall – Stankoven – Blake
Svechnikov – Staal – Martinook
Jankowski – Kotkaniemi – Nadeau
Defense
Reilly – Walker
Gostisbehere – Chatfield
Nikishin – Fensore/Nystrom
Starting Goaltender
Andersen
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Injuries
William Carrier (Lower-Body Injury | “Out For An Extended Period” as of Oct. 23)
Shayne Gostisbehere (Lower-Body Injury | Day-To-Day)
Pyotr Kochetkov (Lower-Body Injury | Day-To-Day)
K’Andre Miller (Lower-Body Injury | Return “Around The Corner” as of Oct. 27)
Eric Robinson (Upper-Body Injury | “Out For An Extended Period” as of Oct. 23)
Jaccob Slavin (Lower-Body Injury | “Out For A While” as of Oct. 14)
Scratches
N/A
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PP1: Aho, Ehlers, Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
PP2: Blake, Hall, Nadeau, and Stankoven with Walker