Matt Benning will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Vlasic to return to the lineup for only his second game since November 14th. Vlasic has zero points and -8 plus/minus in 14 games this season and is expected to play on the Sharks' second defensive pair alongside Calen Addison.
The Avalanche will hand the reigns back over to Georgiev on Sunday after Ivan Prosvetov got the start in Anaheim on Saturday. Georgiev took the loss in his last start in Thursday's game in Arizona, allowing four goals on 32 shots in the 4-3 overtime defeat. He's struggled to find his form this season, posting an .897 SV% across a league leading 19 appearances. He has a difficult task ahead of him on Sunday with the Avs being slight road underdogs (+115) in Los Angeles.
Poturalski will return to the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL where he has seven points (2G / 5A) in 11 games this season. Poturalski played two games with the Kraken and was held without the point, averaging 6:53 time-on-ice. The Kraken recalled Max McCormick in a corresponding move.
Georgiev has won six of his last seven starts and will likely start on Thursday as the Avalanche, who have won four straight, visit the Arizona Coyotes. Georgiev has been somewhat inconsistent this season but has been tremendous his last three games (3-0-0), saving 84 of 89 shots (.944 SV%) in that stretch. The Avalanche will look to win for the eighth time in their last nine games as they are sizeable -186 road favourites against a Coyotes team that has fared well recently as well, outscoring their opposition 5-1 during a two-game winning streak.
Georgiev has won six of his last seven starts and will likely start on Thursday as the Avalanche, who have won four straight, visit the Arizona Coyotes. Georgiev has been somewhat inconsistent this season but has been tremendous his last three games (3-0-0), saving 84 of 89 shots (.944 SV%) in that stretch. The Avalanche will look to win for the eighth time in their last nine games as they are sizeable -186 road favourites against a Coyotes team that has fared well recently as well, outscoring their opposition 5-1 during a two-game winning streak.
Dellandrea has been struggling in 2023-24 with only an assist, 11 SOG, two PIMs and a -4 plus/minus in 12 games and will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Winnipeg. The four-year veteran will be replaced by Craig Smith on the Stars' fourth line.
Poturalski has four NHL games to his name since the 2016-17 season, scoring two points (2G / 0A), but the 29-year-old is a known AHL commodity who will make his Kraken debut on Tuesday. In his past two seasons with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL, Poturalski has 49 points (13G / 36A) in 49 games.
Georgiev has started 17 games this season, most in the league, and will start for the 18th time on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a horrendous stretch in late October where he posted a .832 SV% in five games (1-4-0), Georgiev has rebounded nicely, allowing three or fewer goals in five of his last six games (5-1-0), posting a .903 SV%. The Avalanche rank third-best in the league in terms of shot suppression (27.7 SA / GP), so Georgiev's unspectacular save percentage is likely par for the course going forward. That said, Georgiev should continue to pile up victories, starting Monday as the Avalanche are -141 home favourites against the Lightning.
The veteran defenceman played in the Sharks most recent game on Saturday, his first game since November 14th, but will return to being a healthy scratch on Monday when they take on the Washington Capitals. Nikita Okhotyuk will draw back into the Sharks lineup on their third defensive pair.
Georgiev has started 17 games this season, most in the league, and is likely to start for the 18th time on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a horrendous stretch in late October where he posted a .832 SV% in five games (1-4-0), Georgiev has rebounded nicely, allowing three or fewer goals in five of his last six games (5-1-0), posting a .903 SV%. The Avalanche rank third-best in the league in terms of shot suppression (27.7 SA / GP), so Georgiev's unspectacular save percentage is likely par for the course going forward. That said, Georgiev should continue to pile up victories, starting Monday as the Avalanche are -141 home favourites against the Lightning.
Poturalski has seven points (2G / 5A) in 11 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL this season and could be an option to replace Brandon Tanev (lower-body). The 29-year-old Poturalski has played four NHL games, registering two points (0G / 2A) and a -4 plus/minus.
Rutta logged just 4:17 TOI in the Sharks' previous game Wednesday after leaving due to an undisclosed injury and is considered week-to-week along with being placed on the injured reserve Friday. The 33-year-old stay-at-home defender was acquired in a three-team trade in the offseason and has yet to score with one assist, 15 SOG, eight PIMs and a -11 plus/minus in 19 games prior to his injury.
Georgiev will start the front end of a back-to-back for the Avalanche on Friday when they visit the Minnesota Wild. Georgiev has been wildly inconsistent of late but has managed to post an 11-5-0 record despite a 3.01 GAA and .898 SV%. His inconsistencies have been especially present through November, allowing 28 goals in eight games and posting a .865 SV% while salvaging a 5-3-0 record. The Avalanche are -124 road favourites against a Wild team that has lost five straight contests (0-3-2).
Rutta logged just 4:17 TOI before leaving Wednesday's game. If he's unavailable for Friday's game vs. Montreal, expect Marc-Edouard Vlasic to play for the first time since November 14th.
Poturalski did not appear in a game for the Kraken and has been reassigned to Coachella Valley (AHL) Thursday. The 29-year-old returns to the Firebirds where he had two goals, seven points, and a +2 plus/minus in 10 games prior to his original promotion.
