NHL News
Anze Kopitar Leads Los Angeles To Comeback Victory Over Philadelphia
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar tallied two goals to lead Los Angeles to a come from behind victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday evening. The Kings were trailing heading into the third period but Kopitar struck twice to put them on top. Kopitar's first tally of the final frame came on a deflection which tied the contest. Kopitar would then score the game-winner on a power-play tip-in which beat Aleksei Kolosov. Kopitar entered this game carrying a three-game scoreless drought but was able to snap in that big way. Since the start of December, Kopitar has tallied ten points (four goals, six helpers) across 11 contests. The 37-year-old should continue to produce near point-per-game production playing on the top unit alongside Alex Turcotte and Adrian Kempe.
3 hours ago
Jamie Benn Tallies Three Points On Sunday
Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn tallied a goal and two assists in their victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday evening. Benn found the back of the net in the final minutes of the opening frame on a wrist shot. He then tallied the primary assist on Jason Robertson's power-play goal in the second period. To cap off his evening, Benn added the primary assist on Wyatt Johnston's goal in the final period. The 35-year-old is now riding a three-game point streak and has only been held off the scoresheet once over his previous nine contests. During this span, he has tallied two goals with eight helpers. Given his strong Benn, should continue to slot in on the left wing of the second line alongside Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston.
3 hours ago
Leevi Merilainen Stands Tall In Sunday's Victory
Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen stopped 30 of the 31 shots he faced in his victory over one of the top clubs in the sport, the Minnesota Wild. Merilainen's lone blemish came in the opening frame as Frederick Gaudreau scored on a tip-in. However, Merilainen was able to shut Minnesota down the rest of the way. Merilainen was promoted from the AHL due to Linus Ullmark (back) and Anton Forsberg (undisclosed) both sidelined. Over his first three starts of the season, he has posted a 2-1 record with a .900% SV and a 2.68 GAA. Merilainen should continue to split time with Mads Sogaard for the foreseeable future and may end up taking the majority of the starts if he has another strong showing in his next start. For now, he should only be started in deeper formats.
3 hours ago
Leon Draisaitl Scores Twice In Sunday's Loss
Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl found the back of the net twice during their loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Draisaitl scored the game's opening goal on the power-play on a snap shot that beat Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal. Then in the second, Draisaitl struck again on the power-play, this time on a slap shot. Center Connor McDavid tallied the primary assist on both of his goals. Draisaitl finished the game with four shots on goal and a -2 rating. Draisaitl is on an impressive run tallying at least one point in each of his previous 11 contests. Over this span, he has scored nine goals and added 14 helpers, with nine of those points coming on the man advantage. He remains a must-start player in all formats and one of the safest lineup anchors in DFS.
3 hours ago
Ilya Samsonov Posts 31 Save Shutout On Sunday
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov stopped all 31 shots he faced en route to shutting out the Calgary Flames on Sunday evening. The Knights claimed the lead in the second frame and Samsonov was able to keep the door shut throughout. The backup goaltender is now riding a four-game win streak. Over this impressive stretch he has posted a stellar .948% SV with a 1.25 GAA. Before this span, Samsonov allowed 16 goals over his previous four starts and carried a 3.96 GAA. While the 27-year-old will continue to operate as the No.2 option behind Adin Hill, he may eventually begin to carve out a larger role given his strong play over the past month. For now, fantasy managers in standard formats should consider streaming Samsonov in favorable matchups.
3 hours ago
Sidney Crosby Sets Franchise Record In Victory
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby set the Penguins assist record in their victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday evening. Crosby made history in the second frame by tallying the primary assist on Michael Bunting's power-play tally. This assist put him above Mario Lemieux for the most assists in Penguins history. Crosby finished this game with three shots on goal, three hits, and a -2 rating. Over his past eight contests, the captain has been held off the scoresheet in two contests but has still managed to tally 13 total points over this span. Overall, the 37-year-old sits with ten goals and 30 helpers (12 power-play points) through 38 games this season. He remains a must-start player in all formats and safe DFS play in all matchups.
3 hours ago
Elias Pettersson To Sit Out Road Trip
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (undisclosed) will not be available for the team's upcoming two-game road trip. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has announced Pettersson is "a week away" from returning. This might mean he also won't be available for Friday's home game against Nashville. An undisclosed injury sidelined Pettersson for Saturday's game against Seattle. Pius Suter filled a top-six role versus the Kraken with Pettersson absent. He will have extra fantasy value until Pettersson returns, although Suter has struggled to produce offense lately. He has gone scoreless seven times in his past nine outings, with zero goals to show for his efforts.
14 hours ago
Quinn Hughes Labeled As Week-To-Week
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (undisclosed) is week-to-week, according to head coach Rick Tocchet. The Canucks captain exited the lineup on Saturday versus Seattle, and it looks like he will miss a few more games. Hughes sat out Sunday's practice and won't join the team for a brief two-game road trip next week. His absence on Saturday elevated Erik Brannstrom to a bigger role. He even ended up leading the Canucks blue line in power-play time with 1:31. Brannstrom will be in a good position to improve his production if he can hang on to his spot on the first power-play unit. In 27 appearances, the 25-year-old has so far contributed three goals and four assists on the offensive end.
15 hours ago
Joel Eriksson Ek Returns To Action Sunday
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) will return to the lineup on Sunday against Ottawa. He will end an 11-game absence. Eriksson Ek will skate on the second line, flanked by Ryan Hartman and Marcus Johansson. The latter has been his regular partner this season with Matt Boldy, but Boldy will remain on the first line for now, with Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) still a bit away from returning. Eriksson Ek has averaged a point per game across his past four appearances and is sporting five goals and eight assists in 22 contests for the season.
15 hours ago
Mason Marchment Listed As Week-To-Week
Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (face) is considered week-to-week. He's set to miss multiple games after getting hit in the face by a puck on Friday versus Minnesota. His absence will start on Sunday against Chicago, with Justin Hryckowian called up from the AHL to replace Marchment in the lineup. Hryckowian has been on fire in the minors, posting 12 goals and 26 points in 27 outings. He will join the third line on Sunday, allowing Jamie Benn to move to the second. Benn has already enjoyed a prolific run recently, and he will have even more fantasy value in a top-six role, with Dallas' top scorer Matt Duchene playing next to him.
15 hours ago
Kris Letang Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has landed on the shelf with a lower-body injury. After logging 25:04 of ice time against the Islanders in Saturday's 6-3 loss, Letang exited the lineup for Sunday's rematch. Nate Clurman hopped into action as his replacement. Ryan Graves moved up in the lineup to partner Pierre-Olivier Joseph on the second defensive pairing. Letang has struggled for most of the year, and the injury adds to his woes. The six-time All-Star has posted 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 34 outings, with 10 of the points coming during Letang's recent nine-game hot spell.
15 hours ago
Jake Guentzel Considered Day-To-Day
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel (upper body) is considered day-to-day. The prolific winger exited Saturday's game against the Rangers in the third period with an upper-body injury. Guentzel was initially expected to play in Sunday's matchup versus Montreal, but he didn't hit the ice. Cam Atkinson started the contest on the first line, with Michael Eyssimont (lower body) filling the open spot in the lineup after missing Saturday's action with a minor injury. Following Sunday, Tampa Bay will be off until Thursday, giving Guentzel some good time to heal, and his absence might be limited to only one game. Guentzel has crushed it with the Lightning this season, notching 20 goals and 37 points in 33 games.
15 hours ago
Jack Roslovic Tallies Three Points On Saturday
Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jack Roslovic scored twice and added an assist during Saturday's victory over the New Jersey Devils. Roslovic tallied his assist on Sebastian Aho's third period strike which tied the game. Later in the final frame, Roslovic would score on a snap shot which extended their lead and would then score the empty-netter to put the game out of reach. Roslovic has seen his offensive production improve significantly since moving up to the top line. Over his past seven games, he has tallied seven points (three goals, four helpers). Overall, he has scored 24 points over 36 total games this season and is on pace to set a new career-high in goals. The 27-year-old remains a strong value play in DFS on a nightly basis.
Yesterday
Jeremy Swayman Posts Second Shutout Of The Season
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped all 18 shots he faced en route to earning his second shutout of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Bruins had a sizeable advantage in the shot category but Swayman was able to answer the call when challenged. Since allowing a season-high eight goals on December 10, Swayman has gone on to win four of his past five and post a strong .918% SV and a 1.57 GAA over this stretch. Overall, the 26-year-old sits with a .890% SV and a 2.93 GAA across 26 games in his first campaign as a true No.1 netminder. He will look to continue this play on Tuesday evening when he faces the Washington Capitals.
Yesterday
Brock Boeser Strikes Twice Against Seattle
Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser scored twice in their overtime loss against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Boeser opened the scoring by striking on the power-play in the first period on a rebound shot. Boeser would post his second tally of the game in the second period on a snap shot which gave Vancouver a two-goal lead at the time. The 27-year-old has now scored at least one goal in each of his past three games. Prior to this hot stretch, Boeser scored just one goal over his past seven games. Overall, Boeser has scored 13 goals and tallied 11 assists across 28 games. Boeser should continue to post near point-per-game production playing on the top line in Vancouver.
Yesterday
Jonathan Huberdeau Scores Twice On Saturday
Calgary Flames left wing Jonathan Huberdeau found the back of the net twice during their victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening. Huberdeau opened the scoring with a tip-in goal in the first period which beat Yaroslav Askarov. Huberdeau would then score his second tally of the evening with an empty-netter to clinch the victory. This performance extended Huberdeau's goal streak to three games and point streak to four games. Huberdeau has only been held off the scoresheet once over his past 11 games. During this impressive stretch, he has tallied 15 points (seven goals, eight helpers). He remains a solid winger and should be started in all formats playing top minutes in the Calgary offense.
Yesterday
Jake Guentzel Leaves Saturday's Game Early, Not Expected To Miss Time
According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel (undisclosed) left early during Saturday's game against the Rangers but is not expected to miss any time. Head coach Jon Cooper noted that, "If we don't have to play them, we don't play them so he should be good tomorrow." Before exiting, Guentzel tallied a goal and an assist during their 6-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Guentzel scored his 20th goal of the season on the power play and tallied his assist on the man advantage as well. Over his past 11 contests, Guentzel has found the back of the net 11 times, including five times on the power play. He remains a must-start forward in all formats heading into his matchup on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Yesterday
Joel Eriksson Ek Might Return To Action Sunday
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) might return to action on Sunday against Ottawa. Kevin Gorg of the FanDuel Sports Network reports that Wild head coach John Hynes believes Eriksson Ek is a possibility for the game. The Swedish forward is regarded as day-to-day. Eriksson Ek missed an 11th straight contest on Friday versus Dallas. He has notched 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 22 appearances this term. Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) is also nearing his return, so the Wild attack will soon receive a big boost.
Yesterday
Juuso Parssinen Joins Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have acquired center Juuso Parssinen in a trade with the Nashville Predators. Colorado sent out a third-round draft pick and minor-league forward Ondrej Pavel in exchange for Parssinen and a seventh-round pick. Parssinen has only been a bit-part player for the Predators this season, logging five points (two goals, three assists in 15 games. However, he tallied 25 points in 45 outings a couple of campaigns back and has shown offensive upside in the AHL. Parssinen will likely play more regularly with the Avalanche but will be limited to a bottom-six role.
Yesterday
Vitek Vanecek Week-To-Week With Fractured Cheekbone
San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek is considered week-to-week with a fractured cheekbone. He suffered the injury on Dec. 17 against Winnipeg when an errant puck hit him in the face while Vanecek was sitting on the bench. The Czech netminder landed on Injured Reserve on Friday, with forward Klim Kostin activated from Injured Reserve in a corresponding move. Yaroslav Askarov and Alexandar Georgiev have shared starts during Vanecek's absence. Following Georgiev's 30-save effort in Friday's 6-3 loss to Vegas, Askarov is scheduled to start in Saturday's matchup against Calgary.
Yesterday
Anze Kopitar
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