Ice Chips: Sens G Ullmark starts, Pinto out vs. Panthers
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Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Ottawa Senators
Head coach Travis Green told the media that goalie Linus Ullmark will get the start between the pipes for Saturday's game against the Stanley Cup champion Panthers in Florida.
Ullmark played Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning after being sidelined since Dec. 22 with a back injury.
The 31-year-old native of Sweden has a 12-8-2 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage over 24 games with the Sens in 2024-25, his first season in the nation's capital.
Additionally, forward Shane Pinto will miss his second straight game after suffering an upper-body injury on Tuesday against the Lightning.
The 24-year-old American has 11 goals and 11 assists over 46 games this season.
Buffalo Sabres
Forward Tage Thompson, who's missed the past week with an upper-body injury, will be in the lineup on Saturday when the Sabres battle the Predators in Nashville.
The 27-year-old American has 26 goals and 22 assists over 47 games with the Sabres in 2024-25.
Tampa Bay Lightning
After missing one game with an upper-body injury, centre Anthony Cirelli returned to the lineup for Saturday afternoon's game against the Red Wings in Detroit.
Cirelli, a 27-year-old from Etobicoke, Ont., has 19 goals and 21 assists over 51 games with the Lightning in 2024-25 and his on pace for a career season.
Cirelli was named to Canada's Four Nations Face-Off team in December and appears ready to play in the tournament with his return to game action.
Carolina Hurricanes
With the 4 Nations Face-Off just around the corner, Team Finland received some concerning news on Saturday as it was revealed star Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen would miss the team's matinee against the visiting Utah Hockey Club with a lower-body injury.
Rantanen suffered the injury late in Thursday's loss to the Minnesota Wild when he took a shot off the knee.
The 28-year-old right winger has struggled during his short time with Canes after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche last month, scoring one goal and one assist over six games. Rantanen had 25 goals and 39 assists over 49 games with the Avs, his 10th season with the team, before being traded.
New York Rangers
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is expected to miss 1-2 weeks due to an upper-body injury, per The Athletic's Arthur Staple.
Shesterkin played the entirety of New York's 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, making 23 stops on 26 shots, but the injury came to light a day later.
Per Staple, the Rangers expect to have Shesterkin back by the end of the 4 Nations Face-off break, but Dylan Garand has been called up to back up Jonathan Quick on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Shesterkin, the one-time All-Star and 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner, has not been his regular self in action this year. He has a goals-against average of 2.87 (a career worst) and a save percentage of .906 in 39 starts.
His struggles have contributed to the overall struggles in New York, as the Rangers sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division entering play on Saturday at 26-24-4, outside of a playoff spot.
Utah Hockey Club
Defenceman Vladislav Kolyachonok has been placed on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the AHL.
The 23-year-old has two goals and three assists over 23 games with Utah.
Philadelphia Flyers
Forward Jacob Gaucher has been recalled from the American Hockey League while forward Anthony Richard has been loaned to the minors after clearing waivers.
San Jose Sharks
The team has assigned forward Colin White to the AHL.