NHL News
Connor McDavid Extends Point Streak With Three Assists
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid took his point streak to six games with three assists in Monday's 6-5 loss to Florida. McDavid's playmaking helped his team get a 4-2 lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals rematch, but the Oilers defense let them down in the final frame as Florida turned the game on its head. The Oilers captain reached 30 assists for the season on Monday and now has 44 points through 28 games. Only Tampa Bay star Nikita Kucherov has averaged more points than McDavid, who will look to extend his point streak next on Thursday against Boston.
1 hour ago
Carter Verhaeghe Nets Game-Winner In High-Scoring Finals Rematch
Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winning goal in Monday's entertaining 6-5 win against Edmonton. The two teams went back and forth in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals rematch before Verhaeghe popped up with the decisive goal 13:05 into the third period. He also picked up a power-play assist in the contest to record his fifth multi-point game of the season. It's been a strange campaign for Verhaeghe. The 29-year-old has been scoring at a good rate, registering 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 32 appearances, but he's minus-18 for the season. Only three skaters in the league have a worse plus/minus rating.
1 hour ago
Jake Oettinger Rock-Solid Versus Capitals
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger collected win No. 16 with 25 saves in Monday's 3-1 victory over Washington. An effort from Dylan Strome got past Oettinger near the end of the first period, but he frustrated the Capitals for the rest of the way, becoming the second-winningest goalie in the league this season. Oettinger carries a 16-7-0 record, putting him behind only Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck in wins. He has allowed 2.33 goals while recording a .913 save percentage and one shutout. Three of Oettinger's seven defeats this season have come in December. But he appears to have started to pick up form again, winning back-to-back starts and allowing just one goal in each contest.
1 hour ago
Roope Hintz Hits Two Goals In Monday's Win
Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz took care of two goals in Monday's 3-1 victory over Washington. His power-play goal in the second period tied the game at one, and Hintz made the game safe with another goal at the 14:58 mark in the third. Hintz celebrated his first multi-goal outing of the season Monday night, although he has been busy in front of the net all season. He's tied with Matt Duchene for most goals on the team, having found the back of the net 13 times in 29 appearances. However, points-wise, Hintz is behind four teammates because he's recorded only six assists this term. Hintz has provided 35-plus helpers in three consecutive campaigns, so his playmaking has not been up to par in 2024-25.
1 hour ago
Valeri Nichushkin Pots Lone Avalanche Goal In Monday's Defeat
Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin was the team's lone goal-scorer in Monday's 3-1 defeat against Vancouver. He grabbed a late consolation goal with 46 seconds left in regulation. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar picked up the assists. Nichushkin already has five goals for the month and has been providing steady offense since making his season debut a month ago. He's bagged eight goals in total and sits on 12 points through 16 appearances. The Russian forward skates on the second line with Ross Colton and Casey Mittelstadt and has landed a job on the first power-play unit.
1 hour ago
Kiefer Sherwood Celebrates First Career Hat Trick Against Avalanche
Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood was an unexpected hat-trick hero on Monday versus Colorado, lifting his team to a 3-1 win. The 29-year-old scored all of the game's first three goals to record his first career hat trick. Sherwood's career night included a short-handed goal. The American forward isn't known as a major threat up front, but Sherwood has been chipping in offensively throughout the campaign. He's tied for second on the team with 11 goals and boasts 17 points with 30 games played. Sherwood's physicality adds a lot to his fantasy value, as he leads the league in the category with 184. Nobody else has managed even 130 hits.
1 hour ago
Stuart Skinner Looks To Extend Winning Streak In Stanley Cup Finals Rematch
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner heads out for his fourth consecutive victory in Monday's Stanley Cup Finals rematch against Florida. Skinner has defeated St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Vegas on the bounce, allowing only six goals across the three contests. He's improved to 11-7-2 for the season and is sporting a 2.82 goals-against average with a .897 save percentage and one shutout. The Oilers netminder is enjoying his best stretch of the season, and the bookmakers believe Skinner is well-placed to keep his winning streak going on Monday, rating Edmonton as a -130 favorite for the game.
16 hours ago
Mackenzie Blackwood Makes Second Avalanche Start Monday
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will be the starter for Monday's matchup against Vancouver. Blackwood is fresh off his team debut, having defeated Nashville 5-2 at the weekend with 37 saves. This is the second time this season Blackwood faces the Canucks. He was handed a 3-2 loss as a member of the Sharks on Nov. 2. Vancouver is 5-7-4 on home ice and has won only two of its last six games, so Blackwood is in a good position to pick up consecutive wins for only the third time this season.
16 hours ago
Thatcher Demko Starting Against Avalanche Monday
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko will make his third start of the season on Monday against Colorado. He faces the league's top scorer, Nathan MacKinnon, and his crew after going winless in his first couple of appearances. Demko has a 0-1-1 record with a 4.47 goals-against average and a .830 save percentage. He's had a difficult time, but the Canucks go with Demko again on Monday as Kevin Lankinen (illness) remains unavailable. Arturs Silovs will dress as the backup. This is another difficult matchup for Demko, as the Avalanche can score for fun and have averaged 3.31 goals for the campaign.
16 hours ago
Marcus Pettersson Considered Week-To-Week
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson (lower body) is considered week-to-week. He was hurt in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa and must spend some time on the sidelines after so far featuring in all 32 games. Pettersson is valued for his two-way ability and has done a little bit of everything for the Penguins. The 28-year-old boasts 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) and has recorded 32 shots, 56 blocks, and 36 hits. Matt Grzelcyk is slated to play a larger role in the Penguins defense with Pettersson out of commission. In Monday's practice, he skated with Erik Karlsson on the second defensive pairing. Pittsburgh returns to game action on Tuesday versus Los Angeles.
16 hours ago
Thomas Harley A Game-Time Decision For Monday
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (illness) is a game-time decision for Monday's meeting with Washington. He appears to be the latest victim of a flu bug that has recently spread in the Stars locker room. Harley's absence would be a massive loss for the team, as the young blue-liner eats up over 22 minutes of ice time on a nightly basis and contributes at both ends of the ice. In 29 appearances, Harley has notched 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) with 66 shots and 35 blocks. He leads the team with a plus-15 rating. Nils Lundkvist (illness) is expected back on Monday and looks to be Harley's replacement in the lineup if the latter does not feel well enough to play.
16 hours ago
Jakub Vrana Rejoins Capitals Lineup
Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana will re-enter the lineup for Monday's tilt against Dallas. The 28-year-old has been a healthy scratch for the last 10 games. Vrana was sent to the press box for an extended period after he had seven points (four goals, three assists) in 16 games across the season. Considering he's averaged barely 10 minutes of ice time, these are fairly decent numbers, but it looks like the team wants to see more from Vrana. He will skate on the third line against the Stars, replacing Hendrix Lapierre in the lineup.
16 hours ago
Aleksander Barkov A Game-Time Call Monday
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (illness) is considered a game-time decision for Monday's matchup against Edmonton. There's a chance Barkov will return to the lineup after missing the previous game due to illness, but we won't know for sure until closer to puck drop. The Panthers captain didn't take part in Monday's optional morning skate. Sam Bennett worked as the first-line center in Saturday's 3-0 loss to Calgary, with Anton Lundell moving to the second line. Both players will have additional fantasy value if Barkov remains out on Monday.
16 hours ago
John Tavares Scores Natural Hat Trick Against Sabres
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares had a fun night against the Sabres on Sunday, logging a hat trick in a 5-3 victory. He posted his first natural hat trick as a member of the Maple Leafs, turning a 3-2 deficit into a win for the team. Tavares began his heroics with a power-play goal 12:41 into the second period. He then potted an even-strength goal 1:10 later and went on to complete his hat trick with an empty-net goal with 2:12 remaining in regulation. Tavares' 14th career hat trick took him to 28 points for the season. He's had 15 goals and 13 assists across 30 outings. The veteran star has been fairly inconsistent with his offensive output this month, but Tavares is on track for a good bounce-back year after settling for 65 points in 2023-24.
23 hours ago
Teuvo Teravainen Ends Slump With Three-Point Outing
Chicago Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen collected three points as the team defeated the Islanders 5-3 on home ice on Sunday. He kicked things off with a couple of even-strength assists in the first period and potted a power-play goal in the second. Teravainen recorded as many points as he had across his previous 10 outings. Chicago's offense has been horrible for most of the year, and Teravainen has been limited to 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 31 games. A lot more is expected from the Finnish forward, who averaged close to 0.70 points only a season ago.
23 hours ago
Mats Zuccarello Records Two Assists In Losing Effort
Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello finished Sunday's 3-2 loss to Vegas with two assists. Kirill Kaprizov scored both goals for the Wild. Zuccarello has been an impactful sidekick for Kaprizov on the first line all season, logging 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 18 appearances. He bagged three assists in two games over the weekend after returning from a 13-game absence. Minnesota's offense didn't appear to have been affected much by Zuccarello's absence, but his return definitely adds quality to the team's attack. He should continue to have success on the top line next to Kaprizov and Marco Rossi.
23 hours ago
Victor Olofsson Pots Two Goals In Sunday's Win
Vegas Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson stole the headlines with a two-goal performance in Sunday's 3-2 win over Minnesota. He potted a power-play goal in the first period to tie the game at one and delivered the game-winning tally in an even-strength situation early in the third. Olofsson has heated up recently, scoring in three consecutive games for the first time since January 2022. Due to a lower-body injury, Olofsson has been limited to 11 appearances this season. But he's had a good scoring rate when healthy, producing seven goals and nine points. Four of the goals have come on the power-play.
Yesterday
Ivan Barbashev Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev (upper body) failed to finish Sunday's contest against Minnesota. He was limited to seven shifts and 5:00 of ice time due to an upper-body injury. Barbashev has been a key cog for the Golden Knights, posting 15 goals and 30 points in 31 games on the first line. He's been particularly effective during five-on-five play, sitting fifth in the league with 29 even-strength points. Barbashev must recover by Thursday to avoid missing additional time. Victor Olofsson or Tanner Pearson might join the top six if Barbashev isn't available for the next game against Vancouver.
Yesterday
Anton Forsberg Misses Road Trip
Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (undisclosed) will not be with the squad as the team begins a nine-game road trip with Tuesday's visit to Seattle. Forberg was scheduled to start Saturday's matchup against Pittsburgh, but he tweaked something prior to the game and is forced to miss some time. The 32-year-old has managed two shutouts in 11 starts this season but carries a losing record. He has gone 4-6-0 with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. Ottawa has called up Leevi Merilainen from the minors to work as Linus Ullmark's backup during Forsberg's absence.
Yesterday
Jesper Wallstedt Starts For Wild Sunday
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt will guard the crease in Sunday's tilt against Vegas. Minnesota finishes a back-to-back set, and with Filip Gustavsson (undisclosed) unavailable, Wallstedt will log his fourth start of the campaign. After getting lit up by Dallas in his NHL debut, Wallstedt has won two consecutive starts against Chicago and San Jose. He shut out the Blackhawks with 24 saves and stopped 27 of 29 shots in the matchup versus the Sharks. Vegas has much more quality than these two teams but also comes out with its backup in Ilya Samsonov, which should improve Wallstedt's chances of recording a win.
Yesterday
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