3 months agoAccording to Gabby Shirley of the Tampa Bay Lightning, defenseman Erik Cernak (undisclosed) exited early during Thursday's contest against the Anaheim Ducks. The 27-year-old logged just one shift before leaving the game. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to their next game on Saturday against the Red Wings. If Cernak is unable to play, the Lightning would have to promote a defenseman from the AHL. Through 41 games this season, Cernak has tallied ten points (all helpers) with a +11 rating, 23 penalty minutes, 92 hits, and 23 blocked shots.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Gabby Shirley
4 months agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Edmonton. The big blue-liner suffered an unspecified injury in Sunday's matchup against Vancouver, taking only one shift in the third period. Cernak will miss his first game of the season. The 27-year-old has upped his scoring rate a bit in 2024-25 and boasts seven assists through 25 outings, but Cernak's main value comes out in the defensive zone. He leads Tampa Bay with 48 hits and has amassed 33 blocks. With Cernak out for Tuesday's game, Nick Perbix gets a chance to rejoin the action. Meanwhile, Darren Raddysh and Janis Moser will pick up additional work in the Lightning defense.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Gabby Shirley
5 months agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak appeared to have suffered an arm injury in Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss to Philadelphia. He left the game after blocking a shot with his right arm. Cernak saw 9:02 of action in the contest, registering one block and two hits. The Slovakian blue-liner has totaled four assists, 10 shots, 19 blocks, and 21 hits in 14 appearances this season. Nick Perbix will be set for a larger role in the Lightning defense if Cernak is forced to miss any games. He will get some extra time off to recover, as Tampa Bay's next game won't come until Thursday when the dominant Winnipeg Jets visit the Amalie Arena.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Eduardo A. Encina
5 months agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (upper body) will play in Friday's contest against Minnesota. Cernak was forced to make an early exit due to an upper-body injury against Colorado on Wednesday, but he won't miss any additional time. The 27-year-old skates on the second defensive pairing and mostly does the dirty work. Cernak has recorded 15 blocks and 16 hits in 10 outings this season. Offensively, he has contributed three assists. Tampa's defense faces a major test on Friday against an in-form team that averages close to four goals per game (3.78), spearheaded by the red-hot Kirill Kaprizov.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Gabby Shirley
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