Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Philadelphia Flyers
Carter Hart started for the Flyers at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
The goalie missed a 5-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday because of an illness. Felix Sandstrom replaced him and made 27 saves for his first NHL win.
“I’m feeling a little better,” Hart said Wednesday. “Feel a lot better than I did yesterday that’s for sure.”
Hart is 6-0-2 in eight games this season. His .946 save percentage is second in the NHL (Jake OettingerDallas Stars, .952), and his 1.97 goals-against average is third among goalies to play at least five games. — Adam Kimelman
St. Louis Blues
Robert Bortuzzo was placed on injured reserve by the Blues because of an upper-body injury.
The defenseman was injured in a 5-1 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday, playing 9:08.
Bortuzzo has no points in 10 games this season and is averaging 12:03 of ice time per game.
St. Louis recalled defenseman Tyler Tucker from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Thursday. He has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 11 AHL games.
The Blues, who have lost eight straight games, hosted the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Carolina Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen is out for the Hurricanes with a lower-body injury, and his return is unclear.
“I’m not going to say week to week because I don’t know,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday. “He’s not coming back tomorrow.”
Andersen, who was injured in practice Tuesday, is 5-3-0 with a 2.72 GAA and an .891 save percentage in eight games. He made 18 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
“He’s just a little off. He tweaked something at practice (Tuesday),” Brind’Amour said. “Goalies are weird. If you’re not feeling 100 percent, it’s tough to go.”
Andersen suffered a torn MCL on April 16 and missed the remainder of last season, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Hurricanes lost to the New York Rangers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Brind’Amour said he was not sure if Andersen would travel for a two-game road trip which begins at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
Pyotr Kochetkov started in goal against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and Antti Raanta served as the backup.
Kotchetkov was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and backed up Raanta in a 3-0 loss at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
Raanta is 3-1-1 in five starts this season with a 2.36 GAA and a .915 save percentage. Kochetkov was 3-0-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .902 save percentage in three NHL games last season. — Kurt Dusterberg
Vancouver Canucks
Tanner Pearson will be out 4-6 weeks after having hand surgery, the Canucks announced Thursday.
The forward, who was placed on injured reserve, did not play in the third period of a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
Pearson has five points (one goal, four assists) in 14 games this season, averaging 13:30 of ice time.
Forward Sheldon Dries was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. He has one assist in four games with the Canucks this season.
The Canucks next play at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Florida Panthers
Aaron Ekblad is expected to return for the Panthers against the Oilers on Saturday.
The defenseman, who was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury on Oct. 19, missed his 11th straight game Wednesday, a 3-0 win against the Hurricanes.
Ekblad left in the second period of a 5-3 loss at Boston on Oct. 17. He has one goal in three games this season and 292 points (98 goals, 194 assists) in 557 regular-season games since Florida chose him with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.
.