Ice Chips: Guenther returns to Coyotes lineup days after World Juniors gold-medal goal
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Arizona Coyotes
Arizona Coyotes forward and World Juniors gold medalist Dylan Guenther will play tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to Craig Morgan.
The 19-year-old scored seven goals and three assists for 10 total points at the World Juniors Championship, including the game-winner in overtime in the 3-2 win over Czechia that brought the gold medal to Canada for the second consecutive time.
Drafted ninth overall by the Coyotes in 2021, Guenther has 21 games in his debut season, scoring three goals and eight assists for 11 total points.
Morgan also reported that Karel Vejmelka will be the starting goaltender. The 26-year-old has a 3.33 GAA on a .903 save percentage.
Washington Capitals
Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom will return to the Washington Capitals lineup on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir.
Wilson suffered an ACL tear in Game 1 of the series against the Florida Panthers in last year's postseason.
Backstrom is coming back from offseason hip resurface surgery, only the second player to do so after Ed Jovanovski did so in 2014.
El-Bashir also reported that forwards Anthony Mantha and Nicolas Aube-Kubel are going to be healthy scratches.
Mantha has nine goals and 14 assists in 42 games this season for the Cap, while Aube-Kubel added two goals and our assists in 20 appearances.
Despite missing Wilson and Backstrom, the Capitals have been able to put together a good campaign so far, with a 22-14-6 record in 42 games, only seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for first place.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane will miss a second consecutive game according to The Athletic's Scott Powers.
The 34-year-old last played in the Blackhawks' 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Kane has 7 goals and 20 assists in 37 games this season.
The Blackhawks are currently last in the Central Division with a record of 8-25-4 and are 11 points behind the seventh-place Coyotes.
Florida Panthers
Head Coach Paul Maurice said on Sunday that goaltender Spencer Knight will start against the Dallas Stars.
The 22-year-old has started 17 games for the Panthers this season with a 3.0 GAA on a .908 save percentage.