NHL News
Vitek Vanecek To Miss "At Least A Couple Of Weeks"
San Jose Sharks goaltender Vitek Vanecek (upper body) faces a multi-week absence. Per Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky has said Vanecek will be out for "at least a couple of weeks." Vanecek was injured in very unfortunate circumstances during Tuesday's encounter with Winnipeg, as he was hit in the head by a puck while he was sitting on the bench as the backup goalie. It's another setback for Vanecek during a frustrating campaign, which has seen him post a 3-8-1 record. The team has recalled Yaroslav Askarov from the AHL to compete for playing time with newly acquired Alexandar Georgiev, who has started life in San Jose with a 1-1-0 record.
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Thomas Harley A Game-Time Call Wednesday
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (illness) is in danger of missing a second consecutive game on Wednesday versus Toronto. The Stars are battling the flu bug, and head coach Peter DeBoer has said that a number of players are game-time decisions for Wednesday's game. Nils Lundkvist (illness) might also be missing from the Stars defense after exiting Monday's 3-1 win over Washington with flu-like symptoms. Alex Petrovic has been brought up from the minors for added defensive depth. In a corresponding move, Matt Dumba was placed on Injured Reserve, retroactive to Dec. 8
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Marco Kasper Ready To Rejoin Action Wednesday
Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (illness) is expected to be back in the lineup on Wednesday against Philadelphia. He was unavailable for Saturday's contest against Toronto due to an illness. Kasper has been in an offensive slump recently, going scoreless in nine of his past 11 appearances. The 20-year-old has picked up seven points (two goals, five assists) in 25 games during his rookie campaign. Jonatan Berggren will make way in the lineup for Kasper, who is projected to skate on the fourth line.
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Alex Lyon Returns To Work Wednesday
Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (lower body) will be back in action on Wednesday against Philadelphia. He has shaken off a lower-body injury, which has kept Lyon sidelined for the entire month so far. The 32-year-old finished November strongly with back-to-back wins and will enter Wednesday's action with a 4-4-0 record. He has registered a 2.75 goals-against average with a .911 save percentage and one shutout. The Red Wings have struggled offensively this season, which has impacted Lyon's numbers. However, the Flyers are also a low-scoring team, so Lyon should fancy his chances of making a winning return.
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Sam Bennett Sits Out Wednesday's Game
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (illness) will not play against Minnesota on Wednesday. According to Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, Bennett played through an illness on Monday versus Edmonton and still feels under the weather. Bennett centered the first line on Monday due to Aleksander Barkov's (illness) absence. Barkov is regarded as a game-time decision for Wednesday's action but appears to be on track to return versus the Wild. With Bennett out, Anton Lundell will continue to work as the second-line center. He had a two-assist outing in the role in Monday's 6-5 win, ending a six-game point drought.
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Aleksander Barkov A Game-Time Decision On Wednesday
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (illness) is a game-time decision for Wednesday's tilt against Minnesota. He was also a game-time call ahead of Monday's action versus Edmonton but ended up missing a second straight game. Barkov recently had a three-game goal streak and has been on fire for most of the season. Through 22 outings, the Panthers captain has produced nine goals and 29 points. Anton Lundell has enjoyed a larger role during Barkov's absence and looks set to maintain a top-six spot on Wednesday, as Sam Bennett (illness) won't be available.
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Nikolaj Ehlers Set To Return To Jets Lineup
Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body) is on track to return to the lineup on Wednesday versus Anaheim. He has been labeled as a game-time decision for the contest, but the team has activated Ehlers from Injured Reserve, indicating that he will be ready to play. Ehlers last saw action on Nov. 29, missing nine games. The Danish forward has had an outstanding campaign with the Jets, scoring nine goals and 25 points in 24 appearances. Nikita Chibrikov will have to give up his top-six spot with Ehlers' return.
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Linus Ullmark Remains On Winning Path With A Shutout
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark won a sixth consecutive start with a 30-save shutout on Tuesday against Seattle, backstopping his team to a 3-0 victory. This marks his second shutout in three games, and Ullmark boasts an eight-game point streak. It's the longest run without a regulation defeat by a Senators netminder since Andrew Hammond went 14-0-1 over a 15-game stretch in 2014-15. It took a while for Ullmark to live up to his reputation in Ottawa, but he's been brilliant recently, improving to 11-7-2 for the season. The Swedish netminder has tied a league-high with three shutouts and has a 2.39 goals-against average with a .915 save percentage.
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Jake Guentzel Pushes Goal Streak To Seven Games
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel had another successful night on Tuesday against Columbus, scoring in a seventh straight game and picking up an assist in a 5-3 win. Guentzel's even-strength tally gave Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead in the second period. His seven-game goal-scoring streak is the longest by any player in the NHL this season. In fact, Alex Ovechkin is the only active player to have a goal streak this long in the first season with a team. By grabbing an assist on Brayden Point's empty-net goal on Tuesday, Guentzel reached 33 points for the season. He's notched 18 goals and 15 assists in 29 games. In addition to his goal streak, Guentzel currently boasts a three-game run of multi-point outings.
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Juuse Saros Piles More Misery On Rangers With Shutout Performance
Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros registered a 25-save shutout against the New York Rangers in Tuesday's 2-0 win. With Saros sharp throughout the night, the Rangers suffered their 11th defeat in 14 games. Saros and the Predators have also had a rocky ride in 2024-25, and the Finnish netminder hadn't won any of his previous eight starts. It was the third shutout of the season for Saros, which ties a league-high, but his record stands at a disappointing 7-15-5. Saros has allowed 2.63 goals with a .911 save percentage. His lack of wins will frustrate fantasy managers, but Saros' numbers in other categories have remained top-notch during a challenging season.
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Pyotr Kochetkov Stops Islanders From Scoring
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov bagged his first shutout of the season in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Islanders. After losing four of his previous six starts, Kochetkov was back in form on Tuesday, stopping the opposition from scoring with 32 saves. With the impressive win, Kochetkov improved his record to 13-5-0. He has a mediocre .902 save percentage, but Carolina's strong defensive play has helped Kochetkov register a 2.47 goals-against average, which has him just outside the top 10 in the league among all netminders. Frederik Andersen (knee) isn't close to returning, so Kochetkov should get plenty of work to close out 2024, with Dustin Tokarski providing backup.
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Gabriel Vilardi Delivers Three Assists In Tuesday's Win
Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi racked up three assists as the team defeated San Jose 4-3 on Tuesday. Two helpers came on the power play for Vilardi, who recorded his third multi-point outing in four games. The 25-year-old continues to cash in next to Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor on the first line. With him on 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) through 33 games, Vilardi is on pace to shatter his current career high of 41 points. He could have another big night on Wednesday, with the Jets making a quick return to action against another weak team in Anaheim. The favorable matchup gives Vilardi a chance to register his second career three-game multi-point streak.
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Patrik Laine Nets 11th Career Hat Trick
Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine produced his 11th career hat trick in Tuesday's 6-1 win over Buffalo, netting all his goals on the power play. Laine's first goal of the night ended up as the game-winning marker. He's been impressive with his work in front of goal since making his season debut at the start of the month. Through seven appearances, Laine has lit the lamp six times while delivering one assist. The Finnish winger is averaging a point per game, but he certainly has room for improvement, as Laine has so far tallied only one even-strength point and carries a minus-five rating.
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Nick Foligno Available Tuesday
Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno (illness) is poised to return to action on Tuesday against Washington. He missed Sunday's 5-3 win over the Islanders because of an illness. The veteran winger is projected to skate in a first-line role on Tuesday. Foligno has registered assists in each of his last two appearances and has tallied 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 30 games for the season overall. The Blackhawks captain leads his team with 86 hits. Another productive outing on Tuesday would give Foligno his first three-game point streak since February.
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Taylor Hall A Game-Time Decision For Tuesday
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Taylor Hall (undisclosed) is in danger of missing Tuesday's contest against Washington. He is considered a game-time decision for the matchup. It would be very unfortunate for Hall if he has to sit on Tuesday because he's had his best stretch of the season lately. Over the past four games, Hall has produced two goals and two assists. The former MVP has struggled for most of the campaign, amassing seven goals and 14 points in 30 outings. Philipp Kurashev is projected to join Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi on the second line if Hall isn't available versus the Capitals.
Yesterday
Artemi Panarin To Remain Out On Tuesday
New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (upper body) will be absent for a second straight game on Tuesday against Nashville. The star winger had featured in all 29 games this season before exiting the lineup for Sunday's clash against St. Louis. Panarin has posted a team-high 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) and is one of only eight players in the league with at least 15 goals and 20 assists for the campaign. Kaapo Kakko is expected to re-enter the lineup on Tuesday after being a healthy scratch last time out, but Will Cuylle and Brett Berard should maintain top-six roles.
Yesterday
Bo Horvat A Game-Time Call Tuesday
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (lower body) might be back in action on Tuesday versus Carolina. He participated in the morning skate and has been labeled as a game-time decision. Horvat missed his first game of the season on Sunday versus Chicago due to a lower-body injury. He's been in top form recently, averaging a point per game for his last five outings. For the season overall, Horvat boasts 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 31 contests. If he's ready to return on Tuesday, Horvat is projected to skate with Simon Holmstrom and Kyle MacLean on the second line.
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Victor Hedman On Track To Return Tuesday
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (lower body) appears ready to rejoin the lineup for Tuesday's matchup against Columbus. Lightning insider Erik Erlendsson has reported that Hedman took part in Tuesday's morning skate and worked with the first power-play unit, which is a good indicator that he will be available for the game. The former Norris Trophy winner has been out for a couple of contests with a lower-body injury. Hedman is on track for a second consecutive 70-point campaign, sitting on four goals and 21 assists through 26 appearances. Nearly half of his points (11) have come on the power play. More could follow on Tuesday, as the Blue Jackets have one of the league's worst penalty-killing records at 72.9 percent.
Yesterday
Anthony Stolarz To Miss 4-6 Weeks Following Knee Surgery
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (knee) will miss 4-6 weeks of action. He has already been absent for a couple of games after getting hurt in a contest against Anaheim last week. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving revealed on Tuesday that an MRI showed no structural damage for Stolarz, but he has a "loose body" in his knee, which needs to be removed. Stolarz has landed on the shelf as the NHL's leader in save percentage with .927. He carries a 9-5-2 record with a 2.15 goals-against average and one shutout. We should see a lot of Joseph Woll in the Maple Leafs crease in the next few weeks, with Dennis Hildeby working as his backup.
Yesterday
Trevor Moore Remains Sidelined Tuesday
Los Angeles Kings winger Trevor Moore (upper body) will sit out a second consecutive contest on Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Moore, who posted an eight-game point streak at the start of November, had begun to heat up again before suffering an upper-body injury. He's recorded three goals and five points in his last five appearances. In 28 outings across the season, Moore has provided six goals and 12 assists with 60 shots and 25 hits. Alex Turcotte replaced Moore on the first line in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Rangers, contributing one goal and one assist. He's poised to continue in the role on Tuesday, with the Kings working with seven defensemen during Moore's absence.
Yesterday
Vitek Vanecek
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Sharks
