John Carlson Resting On Sunday
Source: Tom Gulitti
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (rest) will not be in action on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Washington has begun resting key personnel before the playoffs, and Carlson will have Sunday off after participating in all 79 games so far. Carlson has had a good campaign with 51 points (five goals, 46 assists) and 131 blocks. Dylan McIlrath will come into the lineup on Sunday, while the Capitals could also welcome back Jakob Chychrun (illness), who is considered a game-time call.Alex Ovechkin Will Play Sunday
Source: Tom Gulitti
Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin (rest) will return to the lineup on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was rested on Saturday when Columbus dismantled the Capitals 7-0. Ovechkin has grown his points tally in each of his last seven appearances, reaching 42 goals and 28 assists for the campaign with 62 games played. Ethen Frank will exit the lineup to make room for Ovechkin, who is projected to skate with Dylan Strome and Taylor Raddysh.Oliver Bjorkstrand Out Week-To-Week
Source: ESPN
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (lower body) has been labeled as week-to-week by head coach Jon Cooper. The veteran forward suffered a lower-body injury on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings and is set to miss the team's final three regular-season games as well as the start of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Bjorkstrand, a trade deadline acquisition from the Seattle Kraken, has notched nine points (five goals, four assists) in 18 games with the Lightning. Conor Geekie has been recalled from the minors and will replace Bjorkstrand in the lineup on Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 20-year-old has posted 12 points (six goals, six assists) through his first 49 NHL career games in 2024-25.Mikko Rantanen Delivers Two Assists In Losing Effort
Source: ESPN
Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen finished Saturday's 5-3 loss against the Utah Hockey Club with two assists. The Finnish star picked up an early power-play assist on a Wyatt Johnston goal and helped to set up Jason Robertson late in the second period. It was Rantanen's 18th appearance for Dallas. Following a slow start in Texas, he has rediscovered some of his best form and is averaging close to a point per game with the team, boasting five goals and 12 assists. Rantanen is among the most productive playoff performers of all time, averaging 1.25 points across 81 games, giving Stars fans plenty to look forward to as the regular season wraps up.Logan Cooley Tallies Three Points Against Stars
Source: ESPN
Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley had a three-point outing on Saturday against the Dallas Stars, piling up a goal and two assists in a 5-3 road win. The 20-year-old registered three-plus points in a game for a third time this season. Both of his assists came on the power play. This has been a prolific season for Cooley, and he is finishing the campaign with a scoring streak. He has found a way to the score sheet in three consecutive games, surpassing the 60-point mark for the year. Over 73 outings, Cooley has totaled 24 goals and 38 assists.Anthony Stolarz Shuts The Door On Canadiens
Source: ESPN
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz took his winning streak to seven games by defeating the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in overtime on Saturday night. He picked up his third shutout of the season with 15 saves. Stolarz has received the majority of the starts in recent weeks and looks to be in fine form ahead of the postseason. Across 32 starts this term, Stolarz has put together a 20-8-3 record, allowing 2.21 goals with a .923 save percentage. Joseph Woll will take over the crease for the second leg of a back-to-back on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes, but Stolarz should get at least one more opportunity to improve his numbers next week.Quinton Byfield Extends Goal Streak During Three-Point Effort
Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield recorded his fourth three-point game of the season on Saturday, finishing a 5-4 victory against the Colorado Avalanche with a goal and two assists. Byfield started the scoring for L.A. before helping Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere on the score sheet, with his first assist coming during a power-play situation. The former second-overall pick became the eighth player in franchise history to reach 50 career goals before turning 23. Of these goals, 22 have come this season from Byfield, who has established himself as one of the Kings' top forwards. He has managed 53 points in 79 games and is finishing the season on a high note, having scored in three consecutive games.Seth Jarvis Collects Three Points In Saturday's Win
Source: ESPN
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis notched a game-high three points as the team crushed the New York Rangers 7-3 on Saturday. The 23-year-old netted Carolina's second goal and delivered two assists. His first-period goal was Jarvis' 25th home goal of the year, tying him with Eric Staal for the most in a single season in Hurricanes team history. In total, Jarvis has struck 32 times, recording his second consecutive 30-goal campaign. Sitting on 66 points through 72 contests, Jarvis needs just two more to establish a new career high in scoring. Carolina has three more games remaining on the schedule, starting with Sunday's encounter with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Owen Power Unlikely To Play Sunday
Source: Lance Lysowski
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power (lower body) is set to miss Sunday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Power suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday's loss to the Florida Panthers, and Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said postgame that he is unlikely to play on Sunday. In recent games, Power has been quiet, but overall, it has been a decent season for him. The 22-year-old has notched 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 79 outings, firing off 139 shots on goal and blocking 109 attempts from the opposition. Jacob Bryson, who has recorded seven assists in 45 appearances, is likely to replace Power in the lineup against the Lightning.Nikolaj Ehlers Re-Aggravates Foot Injury
Source: Sportsnet
Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (foot) was limited to 9:01 of action in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Danish forward had to be helped off the ice after backing into an official in the second period, re-aggravating a foot injury. Ehlers returned from the injury only a couple of games ago. He was out for two games and could now miss additional time. Winnipeg returns to action on Sunday, facing the Edmonton Oilers on home ice. David Gustafsson figures to rejoin the lineup if Ehlers can't play. At the same time, Jets head coach Scott Arniel would have to shake up his second line.Brady Tkachuk Ruled Out For Sunday
Source: Bruce Garrioch
Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk (upper body) will remain out for Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Senators captain has resumed skating, but it appears that he could be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. Following Sunday's action, Ottawa will have two more games to come. Tkachuk has yet to play this month, sitting out six games. Despite the absence, Tkachuk has remained the team's top goal-scorer with 29 markers. He has also tallied 26 assists in 71 games. Fabian Zetterlund and David Perron have experienced first-line usage during Tkachuk's absence.Connor Hellebuyck Faces Blackhawks Saturday
Source: Mitchell Clinton
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be in the crease for Saturday's matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. This will be the first game in a back-to-back situation for the Jets, meaning we will likely see Eric Comrie between the sticks on Sunday versus the Edmonton Oilers. Hellebuyck has just broken his own franchise record with his 45th win of the season, becoming the seventh goalie in NHL history to rack up as many wins in a single campaign. He is on track to join Bernie Parent as the only goalies to put up 45 wins in a season with a sub-2.00 goals-against average. Hellebuyck has allowed 1.99 goals prior to Saturday's action, holding a 45-12-3 record with a .925 save percentage and eight shutouts.Anthony Stolarz Starts Against Canadiens
Source: Terry Koshan
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will start this weekend's first leg of a back-to-back on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. This will be his fourth start in five games. Stolarz has been hugely impressive lately, winning six starts on the bounce. His run of victories includes Stolarz's second shutout of the season. He has allowed 2.28 goals while going 19-8-3 with a .922 save percentage. To maintain his winning streak, Stolarz must contain a hot Canadiens team that has dropped only one of its last seven games. He experienced a 1-0 defeat in his only previous encounter with Montreal this season.Casey DeSmith In Stars Crease Saturday
Source: Bruce LeVine
Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith will guard the net in Saturday's matchup against the Utah Hockey Club. He will look to remain perfect in the matchup after beating Utah 2-1 and 3-2 earlier in the season. DeSmith has lost each of his last two starts, but he has been a very reliable backup for the Stars, sporting a 14-7-2 record for the campaign. The 33-year-old boasts two shutouts and has allowed 2.53 goals with a .916 save percentage. The bookmakers have DeSmith and the Stars as -133 favorites for Saturday's game, but Stars head coach Pete DeBoer has mentioned that a flu bug is circulating in the team's locker room, which may complicate matters against Utah.John Marino Remains Sidelined Saturday
Source: Owen Newkirk
Utah Hockey Club defenseman John Marino (upper body) will miss a third consecutive game on Saturday against the Dallas Stars. He may even be done for the rest of the campaign, as Marino has not joined the team for the start of a season-ending three-game road trip. The 27-year-old has not played since last Saturday, when he took a puck to the face in a victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Health issues have had a major impact on Marino's season, as he has made only 35 appearances, recording 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) and 46 blocks. Nick DeSimone will remain in the lineup in Marino's absence.