Hagel was a sixth-round pick of the Sabres in 2016 but signed with the Blackhawks in 2018. The 21-year-old winger has scored 19 goals with 11 assists (30 points) in 55 AHL games this season and could be set to make his NHL debut on Saturday.
Cernak was hurt Saturday but it was minor, so he'll play tonight vs. the Maple Leafs. Cernak has been held pointless in his last nine games but will continue to skate on the top-pair with Victor Hedman.
Vasilevskiy gave up seven goals on 41 shots in the Lightning’s loss in Arizona on Saturday. Vasilevskiy has started struggling out of the blue, giving up 12 goals on the last 74 shots (.838 SV%) that he’s faced. In his first start vs. the Maple Leafs, Vasilevskiy stopped 25 of 28 shots in a 7-3 win in early-October.
Cernak suffered a lower-body injury in Arizona on Saturday but head coach Jon Cooper said he could play as soon as Tuesday. Monitor his status during the morning skate but the Lightning can't afford to have him miss a pivotal game while they're already without Ryan McDonagh and Jan Rutta.
Johansson allowed three goals on 28 shots in the Sabres loss to the Ducks on February 9th. Carter Hutton started the last five games, including yesterday, so Johansson will start today vs. the Jets. Johansson has gone 0-1-1 with a 2.78 GAA and .889 SV% in his first three career NHL games (two starts) and will face a Winnipeg team that is 6-3-0 with 3.67 goals per game in their last nine games.
Kucherov got tangled up with Jack Johnson late in the second period and limped to the bench and down the tunnel. Kucherov did not return for the third period and head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update post-game. Consider Kucherov day-to-day with a lower-body injury until they release more information.
Cirelli blocked a shot from Evgeni Malkin on a late-first-period penalty kill and never returned. head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update post-game, so consider Cirelli day-to-day with a lower-body injury until they release more information.
Vasilevskiy stopped 17 of 18 shots in the Lightning's win over the Islanders on Saturday. Vasilevskiy is riding a five-game winning streak, posting a 2.00 GAA and .928 SV%. Tonight he faces the Penguins for the second time in less than a week--he stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh last Thursday.
Johansson allowed three goals on 21 shots in the Sabres shootout loss to the Red Wings on Thursday. With Carter Hutton out with a personal matter, Johansson will make his second career NHL start vs. the Ducks. Today he'll face a Ducks team that is 2-0-2 while scoring 3.00 goals per game in the first four games of their road-trip.
Head coach Jon Cooper updated McDonagh's status following Saturday's morning skate and it wasn't good. Cooper said that McDonagh is "more than day-to-day" and that they will "circle back in a couple of weeks to see how much progress" he makes.
