NHL News
Mikko Rantanen Tallies Two Helpers, Extends Point Streak On Friday
Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen tallied two assists during Friday evening's victory over the Anaheim Ducks to extend his point streak to eight games. Rantanen earned both his points in the final period. He tallied the secondary assist on Cale Makar's game-winning power-play tally in the opening minutes of the period. He would then earn the primary assist on Nathan MacKinnon's empty-netter. During this impressive eight-game point streak, Rantanen has tallied 15 total points (four goal, 11 assists). In addition, he has posted three multi-point showings and averaged two shots on goal per contest. He will look to extend this streak further on Sunday evening, facing the Seattle Kraken.
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Nathan MacKinnon Tallies Three Points On Friday
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied three points in their victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday evening. MacKinnon's first tally of the evening was a secondary assist on Valeri Nichushkin's tenth goal of the season. Then, MacKinnon dished out his second helper of the game, this time on a primary assist on Cale Makar's eventual game-winning power-play goal. MacKinnon would then score the empty-netter to clinch the victory. The 29-year-old superstar has tallied an impressive 14 points (five goals, nine helpers) over his previous six games. In total, the center sits with 55 points (14 goals, 41 assists) across 35 total games this season. He will look to stay hot on Sunday evening against the Seattle Kraken.
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Charlie Lindgren Sharp On Friday
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced during his victory over the Washington Capitals. The Capitals got out to three-goal lead by the end of the second frame. Carolina's lone tally came in the back-half of the third period off a Seth Jarvis wrist shot. Over his past four outings, Lindgren has allowed just one goal or fewer in three of them. During this span, he has carried a stellar 1.50 GAA and a .942% SV with a 3-1 record. Prior to this impressive stretch, he posted a 4.04 GAA in his previous three outings. Overall, the 31-year-old sits with a solid 10-6 record and a .903% SV and a 2.58 GAA. Fantasy managers should continue to expect him and Logan Thompson to share the crease at an almost 50/50 split.
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Igor Shesterkin Leads The Way On Friday
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 41 of the 42 shots in his victory over the Dallas Stars. This was a much-needed victory for the Rangers as they have lost five of their past six contests and fallen towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Rangers were heavily outshot but their franchise goaltender got them back in the win column. His lone blemish came in the opening two minutes on a snap shot by center Roope Hintz. This was also a much-needed bounce-back performance for Shesterkin who posted an underwhelming 3.27 GAA with a 1-3 record over his previous four starts. Even though the Rangers have struggled throughout December, Shesterkin should still be viewed as a high-end goaltender. He will look to continue his win streak on Sunday afternoon against the Carolina Hurricanes.
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William Nylander Tallies Three Points On Friday
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander enjoyed a three-point night during Friday's victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Nylander tallied his first point of the game, on a primary assist on Auston Matthew's power-play strike in the opening frame. Later in the second, he tallied another primary assist, this time on Max Pacioretty's fifth tally of the season. In the final minutes, Nylander scored the empty-netter to put the game out of reach. This performance extended his point streak to five games. During this span he has scored four goals and tallied four helpers, with three of them coming on the power-play. Playing in a potent Toronto top-6 and the top power-play unit, fantasy managers should always lock Nylander in their lineup and view him as a safe lineup anchor for DFS.
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Mason Marchment A Game-Time Decision Versus Rangers
Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision on Friday versus the Rangers. He made an early exit from Wednesday's contest against Toronto, but Marchment has escaped serious injury, as X-rays on his ailment have come back negative. Marchment provides both grit and skill for the Stars, having produced 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games with 41 hits. Jamie Benn or Evgenii Dadonov might play a larger role in Friday's game in Marchment's absence.
14 hours ago
Sam Bennett In Danger Of Missing Another Game
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (illness) might be absent for a second consecutive game on Friday versus St. Louis. "We will make a decision on Sam Bennett's energy level when he gets to the rink,'' Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Friday morning. Bennett played through an illness on Monday against Edmonton but exited the lineup on Wednesday versus Minnesota. Anton Lundell, who has notched three assists in the past two games, will continue to skate on the second line if Bennett remains out. Jesper Boqvist's (upper body) has already been ruled out, so Florida's center depth is currently getting tested.
14 hours ago
Philip Broberg A Game-Time Call Friday
St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg (illness) is a game-time decision on Friday versus Florida. He missed Thursday's 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay because of an illness. Tyler Tucker made his season debut on Thursday and will be expected to fill in for Broberg again if he can't play against the Panthers. The Swedish blue-liner has enjoyed a very good maiden campaign as a Blue, posting 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 21 outings with 23 shots, 27 hits, and 20 blocks. Broberg's return will likely bump Ryan Suter to the third defensive pairing.
15 hours ago
Rasmus Dahlin Returns From Seven-Game Absence
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (back) is ready to rejoin the action on Friday versus Toronto. He's been absent for seven games while dealing with back spasms. Dahlin went scoreless in four outings prior to his exit from the lineup, but he's been in good form overall this season. Through 25 appearances, the Sabres captain has registered 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) with 74 shots, 36 blocks, and 26 hits. On home ice, Dahlin has scored nearly a point per game, posting three goals and nine assists in 14 contests.
15 hours ago
Filip Gustavsson Sits Out At Least Two More Games
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (lower body) will miss the team's upcoming back-to-back set. He's been unavailable for a pair of games, and Wild head coach John Hynes has confirmed that he won't use Gustavsson on Friday against Utah nor in Saturday's matchup against Winnipeg. Marc-Andre Fleury will be between the sticks for Friday's game, with Jesper Wallstedt likely getting the nod on Saturday. Gustavsson, who's had a very successful season with a 14-5-3, will have his next chance to return on Monday when Minnesota hosts Chicago in its final game before the holiday break.
15 hours ago
Brock Faber Available Friday
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber (upper body) will play against Utah on Friday. He was injured in Wednesday's clash against Florida when a puck hit Faber in the neck near the end of the game. However, the talented blue-liner will not have to miss additional time. Faber averages over 25 minutes of action per game and is typically busy all over the ice. He has totaled 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 32 games with 41 shots and 42 blocks. Faber was on a three-game assist streak before the Panthers found a way to nullify his threat offensively.
15 hours ago
Artemi Panarin A Game-Time Decision Friday
New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (upper body) is considered a game-time decision for Friday's matchup against Dallas. He'll be hoping to return from a two-game absence. Panarin has gone pointless only once in his last seven appearances and leads the team with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 29 games. No other Ranger has managed more than 25 points this campaign, which shows just how important Panarin is for the team. The veteran star is expected to be reunited with Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck if he gets the green light to play.
15 hours ago
Anze Kopitar Strikes Twice In Victory
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar scored twice in their victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday evening. Kopitar tallied his first goal in the final minutes of the second frame on a backhand shot to beat goaltender Aleksei Kolosov. Later in the third period, Kopitar would extend the Los Angeles lead on a wrist shot. The veteran center is now riding a three-game point streak. During this span, he has posted two multi-point efforts. Since the start of December, Kopitar has been held off the scoresheet just once and has tallied eight total points across seven games. Overall, the 37-year-old has registered 37 points across 32 total games this season. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as a solid center option in standard formats as he continues to see heavy ice time on a nightly basis.
Yesterday
Andrei Vasilevskiy Stands Tall In Thursday's Victory
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy tallied his third straight victory in Thursday evening's 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. In this game, Vasilevskiy stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced. Tampa Bay was heavily out-shot in this contest, but the 30-year-old was able to lead the way. Over his previous six starts, Vasilevskiy has held a 5-1 record with a strong .924 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average. Overall, through 25 games, he sits with a 15-9-1 record and a .911 save percentage with a 2.38 goals-against average. Fantasy managers should continue to view Vasilevskiy as a high-end goaltender, not only given his elite production, but also heavy workload. He should be expected to get the starting nod on Sunday evening when the Lightning host the Florida Panthers.
Yesterday
Leon Draisaitl Tallies Three Helpers In Overtime Victory
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl tallied an assist on all three of Edmonton's goals during their 3-2 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. The Bruins got out to an early two-goal lead in the opening frame, but the Oilers took control of the game the rest of the way. Draisaitl logged his first helper on Zach Hyman's 11th tally of the season in the second period. Then in the third, Draisaitl tallied the secondary assist on Connor McDavid's game-tying strike. In overtime, Draisaitl would earn his third point of the evening on Connor McDavid's game-winner. This was his seventh straight multi-point showing. During this span, the 29-year-old has tallied 18 points (six goals, 12 assists). Draisaitl remains a high-end fantasy option in all formats and is a safe lineup anchor in DFS.
Yesterday
Bryan Rust Busy During Thursday's Victory
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust tallied four points (two goals and two assists) during Thursday's overtime victory over the Nashville Predators. Rust scored his first goal of the game in the opening frame on a backhand shot to beat Juuse Saros. In the second period, Rust tallied two secondary assists, one on the power-play, and the other in even-strength play. Then in overtime, Rust would play the hero and complete the Penguins comeback and secure the victory on a wrist shot. This was Rust's second four-point performance of the month. Over his previous six games, he has tallied 12 points (six goals, six assists) while registering 19 total shots and seven blocks. Given how well the top line in Pittsburgh has performed, Rust should remain locked into all lineups on Saturday evening when he travels to Newark to face the Devils.
Yesterday
Sidney Crosby Snaps Goal Drought, Posts Four-Point Night
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby snapped his 10-game goal drought and added three assists during Thursday's overtime victory over the Nashville Predators. Crosby's first assist came on Bryan Rust's first goal of the evening. Later in the second period, Crosby would snap his multi-week-long goal drought by scoring his ninth of the season on the power play. Later in the period, Crosby would register the secondary assist on Rickard Rakell's tally. Then in the third, Crosby would once again kickstart the offense with his third helper of the evening, this time on Erik Karlsson's game-tying strike. Even during his 10-game goal drought, Crosby still averaged a point per game. Over his previous 12 contests, he has been held off the scoresheet just twice and has registered three multi-point showings. He will look to stay hot on Saturday evening against the New Jersey Devils.
Yesterday
Nathan MacKinnon Tallies Two Power-Play Assists In Victory
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied two assists on the man advantage during Thursday's victory over the San Jose Sharks. MacKinnon's first helper of the evening was the secondary assist on Valeri Nichuskin's ninth tally of the season. Later in the final frame, MacKinnon tallied the primary assist on Mikko Rantanen's 19th goal of the season. Since the start of December, MacKinnon has tallied 16 total points (six goals, ten assists) with three of them coming on the power-play. Over his previous six games, he has been held off the scoresheet just twice and logged at least three shots on goal in each game. MacKinnon remains a high-end center in all formats and a top play in DFS in all matchups. He should be viewed as a high-upside option on Friday evening facing the Anaheim Ducks.
Yesterday
Petr Mrazek Activated From Injured Reserve
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek (groin) has been activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Thursday's contest against Seattle. He's set to rejoin the lineup following a five-game absence, although Arvid Soderblom will be the starter in the crease. Both netminders have played well for the Blackhawks this season, but the team's lethargic offense has made it tough for them to string together a run of wins. Mrazek carries a 7-11-1 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Chicago has assigned Drew Commesso to the AHL as a result of Mrazek's return.
Yesterday
Yanni Gourde Returns To Kraken Lineup Thursday
Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (lower body) is ready to return from a three-game absence on Thursday against Chicago. He's expected to grab a second-line role, working as the center between Jaden Schwartz and Brandon Tanev. Gourde's offensive output has been limited to five goals and nine assists in 29 games this season. However, his scoring rate has improved this month, as Gourde has averaged a point per game in four appearances. The Blackhawks share the league's worst record with Nashville and allow over three goals per game (3.16), so Gourde will be in a good position to continue his recent hot spell.
Yesterday
Mikko Rantanen
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Avalanche
