Dallas Stars
Roope Hintz and Chris Tanev's statuses are unknown for the Stars, who play the Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).
"Tanev looked like he was fine today when I saw him. Roope is going to have some tests done and I guess those would be the two guys," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said Tuesday. "We'll have a lot more information tomorrow."
Hintz, a forward, left late in the first period with an upper-body injury sustained after blocking a shot in the Stars' 5-1 win in Game 4 on Monday. Tanev, a defenseman, logged his last shift with just under four minutes remaining in the third.
Hintz has six points (two goals, four assists) and is averaging 17:13 of ice time per game in the playoffs. Tanev has one assist, leads the Stars with 41 blocked shots, and is fourth on the team averaging 23:12 of ice time per game.
Dallas leads the best-of-7 series 3-1.
"That's playoff hockey. Everyone's dealing with this," DeBoer said. "You have someone go down, someone else has to step in. We played with a short bench for portions of that game (on Monday), the guys got the job done. It's just that time of year where you have to rely on all kinds of people and your depth and the next man up." -- Tracey Myers
Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews could play for the Avalanche against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).
"He's traveling and then we'll see tomorrow," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of Toews, who missed a 5-1 loss in Game 4 on Monday due to illness. "He's definitely feeling better than yesterday, though."
Bednar said Toews' illness is not related to the hit he took from Jamie Benn in Game 1 of the series.
Toews, part of the top defense pair with Cale Makar, has six points (one goal, five assists) in eight playoff games and is averaging 23:46 of ice time per game, second on the team to Makar (25:46).
"[Toews is] just such an impactful player for our team and he plays in all situations and he's really good defending," Bednar said. "He's really good at helping our team on the offensive side of things. Just the all-around game and minutes he plays and the impact he brings.
"Clearly, it's harder to fill some of those roles. So, hopefully he's good to go for tomorrow, come back in and help us."
The Avalanche trail the best-of-7 series 3-1. -- Tracey Myers
New York Rangers
Blake Wheeler (lower body) has been cleared for contact and participated in the Rangers' morning skate in a regular jersey, but the forward did not play Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
New York leads the best-of-7 series 3-2 after a 4-1 loss.
The 37-year-old had been skating with the team in a noncontact jersey. He has not played since Feb. 15, when he was injured during the first period of a 7-4 win against the Montreal Canadiens. Wheeler was placed on long-term injured reserve the following day.
He had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 54 regular-season games.
Wheeler traveled with the Rangers to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Games 3 and 4 to continue skating with them. He was banging on the glass in the corner of the rink where his teammates were celebrating Artemi Panarin's overtime goal in Game 3 last Thursday.
"It's really good," New York coach Peter Laviolette said. "That's a long road and sometimes it's a lonely road too. We're going about our business and he's off in a different room doing his thing at different times.
“You saw his enthusiasm the other night there on the OT goal; he just wants to get back on the inside and be a part of that. It's nice to have him out there and available and good to go full."
Filip Chytil also was back on the ice for the Rangers’ morning skate Monday after missing Game 4 because of an illness. Laviolette said Sunday that Chytil was feeling better, but the forward was unavailable for Game 5.
Chytil played in Game 3, his first time in the lineup since Nov. 2, when he sustained an upper-body injury in a 2-1 win against the Hurricanes.
Jonny Brodzinski replaced Chytil in the lineup for Game 4. -- Dan Rosen
Vancouver Canucks
Thatcher Demko could return at some point during the Western Conference Second Round against the Edmonton Oilers.
The goalie was injured April 21, during Game 1 of Vancouver's six-game series victory against the Nashville Predators in the first round.
"The progress is getting better and better," Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said Sunday. "He took a few shots. That's a good sign. That's the way you've got to look at it.
"Like I've said, these things, some days you wake up and you might be 20 percent. I don't know, but he's definitely progressed."
Demko is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the top goalie in the NHL, after he was 35-14-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and five shutouts despite missing five weeks late in the regular season because of a knee injury. Tocchet said after Game 1 against Nashville that Demko's current injury was not related to the previous knee injury.
Goalie Arturs Silovs has started every game for the Canucks since Game 4 of the first round and made an NHL career-high 42 saves in a 4-3 win in Game 3 on Sunday.
Vancouver leads the best-of-7 series 2-1. -- Kevin Woodley
