Merzlikins stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Blue Jackets shutout win in Vegas on Saturday. Merzlikins closed out their four-game road-trip at 3-1-0 with a 2.03 GAA, .942 SV% and one shutout. Now he returns to Columbus to face the Bruins for the second time this month. He stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 OT win in Boston in the first get-together.
Merzlikins allowed three goals on 33 shots in the Blue Jackets loss in San Jose on Thursday. It was another solid performance for Merzlikins, who is now 4-2-1 with a 2.20 GAA and. 935 SV% since taking over as the No.1 netminder. As good as he has been, playing in Vegas is never easy. The Golden Knights are 7-3-0 while averaging 4.10 goals in their last 10 home games.
With Ron Hainsey's return looming, the Senators return a defenseman to Belleville and summon a forward (Filip Chlapik) with that roster spot.
Merzlikins stopped 37 of 40 shots in the Blue Jackets win in Anaheim on Tuesday. Merzlikins has been sensational since taking over for Joonas Korpisalo on New Year's Eve. Merzlikins is 4-1-0 with a 2.01 GAA and .940 SV% in five starts and draws a great matchup against a Sharks team that is now missing Logan Couture.
Marchment has been in the lineup for the last three games but will be replaced by Dmytro Timashov on Wednesday.
Merzlikins allowed three goals on 28 shots in the Blue Jackets loss to the Sharks on Saturday. Since taking over the No.1 job, Merzlikinsn has gone 2-1-0 while stopping 86 of the 91 shots (.945 SV%) that he has faced. So far so good and tonight he faces a Kings team that has gone 2-4-1 with 2.29 goals per game in their last seven. B
Merzlikins stopped 36 of 37 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Panthers on Tuesday. It was an outstanding effort from Merzlikins in his first game as the Blue Jackets new No.1 netminder. It was Merzlikins first career NHL win but his second may have to wait a little longer. The Bruins are 14-1-8 while scoring 3.43 goals per game in Boston this year.
Marchment has two goals and two assists in 11 games with the Marlies (AHL) this season and was called up on Wednesday. The 24-year-old winger is 6-foot-4, 220 lbs. and will replace Dmytro Timashov and is expected to skate on the fourth line in his debut.
Marchment was an undrafted winger who has been with the Marlies since 2015-16 and has scored two goals with two assists (four points) in 11 games this season.
Heinen has been held pointless in his last five games and has just one goal and one assist in his last 12 games. David Backes will draw back into the lineup to replace Heinen.
Merzlikins was handed the loss after replacing Joonas Korpisalo in the shootout on Sunday. With Korpisalo out for at least one month, this will be a huge test for the 25-year-old Merzlikins. Tonight will be his first career start on home-ice and hopefully it goes better than his first eight road outings--0-4-4 with a 3.41 GAA and .889 SV%.
Rangers head coach David Quinn said that he's seen some "slippage" in Smith's play lately, so he will be replaced by Michael Haley against the Maple Leafs.
With only five healthy defensemen on the roster, Jaros comes back up from Belleville and will play on the third pair on Sunday. Jaros has one goal and nine assists (10 points) in 21 AHL games this season and one goal and nine assists (10 points) in 64 career NHL games.
Provorov missed the Flyers' morning skate due to an illness and will be a game-time decision vs. the Rangers. Provorov has not missed a game in his NHL career, so don't expect him to sit tonight.
