The Florida Panthers are sticking with their hot goaltender for Monday’s key home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters Alex Lyon will make his seventh consecutive start in net.
The Panthers are on a six-game win streak with Lyon, who has taken over between the pipes since Sergei Bobrovsky was felled by an illness.
With two games left, the Panthers are tied with the New York Islanders for the two wild-card spots in the East — one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Watch the Panthers-Leafs game on Monday at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or SN NOW.
Montreal Canadiens
First-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky says he will not play for Slovakia next month at the World Hockey Championship.
Slafkovsky has been out since Jan. 15 with a lower-body injury.
He has four goals and six assists in 39 games for the Canadiens.
Slafkovsky told reporters Monday will be his first day on the ice since the injury.
Winnipeg Jets
Jets coach Rick Bowness says one of Nikolaj Ehlers or Kyle Connor will be a game-time decision Monday against the San Jose Sharks.
Neither forward participated in an optional morning skate.
Connor leads the team with 79 points in 79 games this season, while Ehlers has 37 points in 43 games.
Minnesota Wild
Defenceman Brock Faber will be making his NHL debut for the Wild on Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
Faber signed an entry-level deal with the Wild on Sunday, one day after his University of Minnesota team lost in the NCAA Frozen Four final.
With the Wild unlikely to move up from third in the Central Division, Russo says the team is planning to rest several key players against the Blackhawks, including Kirill Kaprizov, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Mats Zuccarello.
Buffalo Sabres
It looks like rookie goaltender Devon Levi will make his fourth consecutive start for the Sabres on Monday in New York against the Rangers.
Levi was in the starter’s net at the morning skate.
Signed last month after his college season ended at Northeastern, Levi is 3-1 with a 3.17 goals-against average and .904 save percentage for the Sabres — helping keep Buffalo’s playoff hopes alive.
Washington Capitals
Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin (upper-body injury) and defenceman T.J. Oshie (upper-body injury) didn’t take part in morning skate ahead of the team’s home game against the New York Islanders.
Capitals coach Peter Laviolette told reporters that Oshie is being shut down for the season.
The Capitals are out of playoff contention.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks have sent forward Lukas Reichel and defenceman Alex Vlasic down to AHL Rockford to help their top minor-league affiliate make a playoff push.
Reichel, 20, has six goals and six assists in 19 consecutive games for the Blackhawks since being recalled in early March.
The Blackhawks have recalled forward Buddy Robinson.