NHL Playoffs Buzz: Vilardi to return for Jets against Blues in Game 5

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Winnipeg Jets

Gabriel Vilardi will be in the Jets lineup against the St. Louis Blues for Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN, FDSNMW).

The forward hasn't played since sustaining an upper-body injury March 23.

He skated in a regular jersey for the fourth straight day during practice Tuesday, on the top line with center Mark Scheifele and left wing Kyle Connor, as well as on the first power-play unit.

"I mean, it's going to be an adjustment, and I've got to be prepared for that right away," Vilardi said Tuesday. "There’s no working back into it. Every play matters right now, as you guys are seeing."

Vilardi set NHL career highs during the regular season in goals (27), assists (34) and points (61) in 71 games.

Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said he won’t have to monitor Vilardi's shifts or ice time.

"That's all part of that yellow jersey," he said. "He got practice in St. Louis the other day, got the game-time skate (prior to Game 4). It's green light now. There's no holding back. This is playoff hockey. There's no weeding his way in. You've got to go."

Forward Nikolaj Ehlers has skated on his own several times and will join the Jets for the morning skate Wednesday in a noncontact jersey.

He sustained a lower-body injury during a 4-0 win at the Vegas Golden Knights on April 3 after he took pucks off his foot as well as the inside of his leg on two separate plays. He missed two games and then aggravated it April 12, his second game back.

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2. -- Tracey Myers

Washington Capitals

Aliaksei Protas could play for the Capitals in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ESPN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS, CBC) after being a full participant in practice Tuesday.

The forward has not played since April 4 because of a skate cut on his left foot.

Washington coach Spencer Carbery would not commit to Protas playing in Game 5, but said he believes Protas will be able to get up to speed quickly when he does return.

"When he gets back in, you're hoping, and usually it's different for every player, you're hoping that they pick it up as quickly as possible," Carbery said. "It takes maybe a period, a couple of shifts to get acclimated to the pace of play and physicality and the things that are required in playoff hockey."

Protas was third on the Capitals with 30 goals and tied Pierre-Luc Dubois for third with 66 points in 76 regular-season games. His return could help particularly on the penalty kill, which has allowed five goals on 13 times short-handed in the series. Protas led Washington with three short-handed goals and tied Tom Wilson for third among Capitals forwards in averaging 1:35 of ice time on the penalty kill during the regular season.

"He's a big part of our penalty kill," Carbery said. "So, if and when he gets back in, he'll help that group significantly."

Alex Ovechkin did not practice Tuesday after the Capitals had the day off Monday, but Carbery said it was "just a maintenance day," and he had no concern about the forward's availability for Game 5. --Tom Gulitti

Montreal Canadiens

Patrik Laine practiced Tuesday after missing the past two games because of an undisclosed injury.

Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said the forward and defenseman Alexandre Carrier will travel with the team but did not say whether Laine will be able to return for Game 5 at Washington on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ESPN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS, CBC). Montreal trails 3-1 in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round series.

"He's still day to day," St. Louis said.

Carrier, who did not practice, is day to day after he was injured on a hit by Wilson in Game 4 on Sunday. Carrier left the game with 6:35 remaining in the third period. Jayden Struble is expected to replace him in the lineup.

"I don't think you replace a player like [Carrier] with just another player, it's a collective effort," St. Louis said. "But we'll see tomorrow."

St. Louis was unsure whether Sam Montembeault would travel after the goalie did not practice because of an undisclosed injury that forced him to leave midway through Montreal's 6-3 win in Game 3 on Friday. He is day to day

Jakub Dobes will start and Cayden Primeau will be the backup goalie for a second straight game.

Forwards Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher and defenseman David Savard each took a maintenance day and did not practice, but all three are expected to play. -- Sean Farrell

St. Louis Blues

Tyler Tucker is day to day with a lower-body injury and will not play against the Jets in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN, FDSNMW).

The defenseman was injured with 4:17 left in the third period of the Blues' 5-1 win in Game 4 on Sunday when he toe-picked on the ice in the right corner of the defensive zone and landed awkwardly on both legs while trying to check Jets forward Brandon Tanev.

Tucker, who scored the eventual game-winning goal, needed to be helped off the ice and was favoring his right leg. He did not practice Tuesday.

Ryan Suter, who played all 82 regular-season games this season and Games 1 and 2 of the series before being a healthy scratch for Games 3 and 4, will return on a defense pair with Nick Leddy.

"He is going back in. I've got to give him credit," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Suter. "I've got to say it was hard to do when you respect the player so much and what he's done in the League for years and how much he's helped us this year. You make a decision and you live with it. But that day I told him, that practice, he was unbelievable. He's a pro, and I know he's going to be good for us. It was just a gut feel, and putting him back in, we're getting our No. 1 penalty-killing defenseman back in."

Forwards Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn each did not practice Tuesday, but Montgomery said they will play Game 5.

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2. -- Lou Korac