Anderson Starts, Kreider Returns, Bergeron Questionable & More News

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Senators’ Anderson to Start

Craig Anderon will be the starting goaltender for the Ottawa Senators when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Anderson and the Senators will be returning to play in the Canadian Tire Centre for the first time since the star goaltender learned that his wife, Nicholle, was diagnosed with cancer. He was given a leave of absence from the team for an undisclosed personal reason on Oct. 27, before his wife’s condition became public knowledge.

He was urged to return to the Senators by his wife, just days after her diagnosis, and put on one of the best performances of his career in a 37-save 2-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. It was an emotional victory for Anderson and his teammates and demonstrated the closeness of the hockey community.

Anderson received the number one star of the game and was given a standing ovation from fans in Edmonton, as well as Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot, who stood near the ice and clapped as the Senators goaltender took to the ice. It was the sort of moment where players, coaches and fans set aside differences to show support for Anderson and his wife as they take on the challenges that lie ahead for their family off the ice.

He was named the NHL’s first star of the week on Monday and has posted a 5-1 record with a 2.46 goals against average and a .921 save percentage with two shutouts this season.

The Senators are 5-3-0 and third in the Atlantic Division and meet the Hurricanes for the first time in 2016-17. The Hurricanes enter the game with a 2-4-2 record and sitting eight in the Metropolitan Division.

Kreider Returns to Rangers

Chris Kreider (Andy Martin, Jr.)
Chris Kreider (Andy Martin, Jr.)

The New York Rangers will be taking to the ice with Chris Kreider for the first in four games, the team announced on Tuesday.

Kreider missed the games because of neck spasms and is returning to a Rangers team that has gone 3-1 in his absence. The 25-year-old forward registered three goals and four assists in seven games to open 2016-17 before he was injured.

The Rangers are 6-3-0 and second in the Metropolitan Division despite battling some injuries early on in the season.

Head coach Alain Vigneault announced on Oct. 27 that forward Josh Jooris would miss three to four weeks as he recovered from a separated shoulder injury. The team was also without rookie forward Pavel Buchnevich for five games earlier this season due to back spasms. Buchnevich has since recovered and returned to the lineup.

The Rangers are coming off a dominant 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday — a game where Michael Grabner registered a hat trick and the Blueshirts were able to score four goals in the second period.

Kreider is expected to slot back into the roster on a line with Mats Zuccarello and Mike Zibanejad.

Bruins’ Bergeron a Game-Time Decision

Patrice Bergeron is a game-time decision for the Boston Bruins in Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, according to Caryn Switaj with the Bruins.

Patrice Bergeron, NHL, Boston Bruins, Fantasy Hockey, Fantasy
Patrice Bergeron (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Bergeron did not participate in Tuesday’s morning skate at the BB&T Center in Sunrise and head coach Claude Julien addressed the star center’s absence afterwards.

“He’s got some maintenance going on today and we’ll have to probably make that decision tonight,” Julien said, according to Switaj. “It happened after (Monday’s) practice.”

Bergeron missed the first three games of the season with a lower-body injury, but has since returned to play the team’s last five games. He has registered one goal and two penalty minutes in 2016-17. There were concerns that whatever makes him a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game may be related to the injury that kept him out of the lineup earlier this season, but Julien addressed that.

“Not an old issue, it’s a new one,” he said.

The Bruins and the Panthers will faceoff at 7:30 pm ET — the final game of forward David Pastrnak ‘s two-game suspension.

Odds and Ends

— The Detroit Red Wings have claimed forward Martin Frk off of waivers from the Hurricanes on Tuesday. It’s an interesting turn of events for the 23-year-old after Red Wings waived him on Oct. 8.

— Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi has been reassigned to the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign just a day removed from being recalled from the same team.

— Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October after registering 11 points in nine games to start 2016-17. The NHL also named Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber and Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Marchessault the league’s three stars for the month of October.

— The Anaheim Ducks recalled goaltender Dustin Tokarski from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. It has been an up and down year for the 27-year-old netminder (literally), as he started the season with the Gulls, was called up briefly to the Ducks on Oct. 26 and was reassigned to the Gulls before today’s news.

— The Maple Leafs will host the Oilers on Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre. The matchup marks the first time star forwards Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews will play each other in the NHL. McDavid and Matthews won’t be the only stars in building. Pictured below at the morning skate, from left to right, are Kevin Lowe, Paul Coffey, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

— Alexander Ovechkin spoke to reporters in Winnipeg on Tuesday morning before the Jets host the Washington Capitals and talked about who his favorite NHL team was when he grew up in Russia. His answer may surprise you!