8 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas collected two points in Monday's 4-1 victory over the Rangers. He helped Jordan Martinook get the team's third goal and finished off the scoring himself with the net empty. Facing elimination for a second time in the series, Carolina exploded for four third-period goals. Necas had gone three games without any points before getting back on track Monday night. Despite the recent drought, Necas has remained among Carolina's top scorers in the postseason, producing eight points (three goals, five assists) across 10 outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
8 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded the game-winning marker as the team fought off elimination for a second time with a 4-1 victory over the Rangers on Monday. He potted his fourth goal of the postseason 6:39 into the third period. Kuznetsov appears to enjoy the high-pressure environment, as he was also among the goal-scorers in Game 4. The Russian centerman has begun to build a goal streak after being a healthy scratch in the second game of the series. He's managed six points (four goals, two assists) across nine playoff games this year, skating on the fourth line and the second power-play unit.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
8 hours agoDallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took his scoring streak to four games with a three-point outing in Monday's 5-1 win over Colorado. He registered a goal and two assists, setting a new franchise record among blue-liners with his fourth three-point game in the playoffs. The big effort also made Heiskanen Dallas' top scorer in the 2024 postseason. With 11 games played, he's tallied 12 points (four goals, eight assists). Edmonton's Evan Bouchard (13) is the lone defenseman with more points than him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
8 hours agoDallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston had a dominant performance against Colorado in Game 4 on Monday, finishing a 5-1 road victory with three points. He gave the Stars a 2-0 lead with a short-handed goal and a power-play marker before wrapping things up with an assist in an empty-net situation near the end of the game. Johnstone became only the fourth player in franchise history to register a three-point game in the playoffs before age 21. There had previously been only 10 players in NHL history with at least two multi-goal performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The youngster from Toronto has had a great postseason campaign, as Johnston sits among the top goal-scorers with seven markers and is averaging a point per game through 11 contests.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
8 hours agoColorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews was unable to play in Monday's Game 4 against Dallas due to an illness. He was a late scratch for the contest. Toews has been a key cog in Colorado's success, and the defense clearly struggled without him as the Stars coasted to a 5-1 victory. Through eight appearances this postseason, Toews boasts six points (one goal, five assists) with 13 hits and eight blocks. He's been eating up nearly 24 minutes a night as one of the Avalanche's top rearguards. Sean Walker took Toews' spot on the first defensive pairing on Monday. He had a rough night, going minus-two in 19:28 of action with two blocks and three hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Colorado Avalanche
9 hours agoColorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended for six months without pay. The news was announced right before the team's playoff clash with Dallas on Monday. Nichushkin will enter Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program, which carries an automatic six-month suspension. Losing Nichushkin is a bitter blow for Colorado. He's tied for most goals in the 2024 postseason with nine markers in eight games. Artturi Lehkonen replaced the Russian winger on the first line in Monday's Game 4.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
23 hours agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov has been fined $5,000 for cross-checking Connor McDavid in Sunday's Game 3 of the second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers. It's the maximum allowable fine under the collective bargaining agreement. Zadorov cross-checked McDavid from behind after the final buzzer. Vancouver will be happy to know Zadorov escaped the incident without a suspension, unlike fellow blue-liner Carson Soucy, who will be forced to sit out Game 4 for his involvement in Sunday's end-of-the-game scrum. Zadorov has been a huge force for the Canuck at both ends of the ice this postseason, posting seven points (four goals, three assists) with 14 blocks and 30 hits in nine appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL Player Safety
23 hours agoBoston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (upper body) was on the ice Monday morning and will travel with the team to Florida for Game 5 against the Panthers, but he remains day-to-day ahead of Tuesday's Game 5 of the fiery series. Marchand missed the end of Game 3 and was out for Sunday's Game 4 after getting injured in a collision with Florida forward Sam Bennett. He was replaced in the lineup by Danton Heinen, who returned from an undisclosed injury, logging a scoreless 17:18 of action with three shots on goal. Despite dropping out of the lineup, Marchand remains Boston's top scorer in the postseason with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
24 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is projected to get the nod for Monday's Game 5 against the Rangers. After opening the series with two defeats, Andersen was taken out of the firing line in Game 3, but he made a winning return to the crease at the weekend in Game 4 and appears ready for another battle. The Danish netminder carries a 5-3 record in these playoffs with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. His numbers have dropped to 3.67 and .874 in the series against the Rangers.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Chip Alexander
24 hours agoNew York Rangers center Filip Chytil (illness) isn't expected to feature in Game 5 against Carolina on Monday. After missing Game 4 with an illness, Chytil was back on the ice Monday morning, but he didn't skate on any lines and stayed on late with the likely scratches for the game. Jonny Brodzinski entered the lineup for his 2024 postseason debut in Game 4. He logged 8:49 on the fourth line, finishing with two blocks. Brodzinski is expected to play again on Monday, although Matt Rempe is also an option as the Rangers try to finish off Carolina at Madison Square Garden.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Vince Z. Mercogliano
24 hours agoColorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev has been confirmed as the team's starter in the crease on Monday against Dallas. He will look to avoid a third consecutive defeat in Game 4 of the second-round series. Georgiev has dropped a pair of decisions after enjoying a five-game winning streak with the team. He's sporting a 5-3 record for the postseason and has allowed 2.97 goals with a .893 save percentage. The Avalanche have suffered a couple of disappointing results lately, but the team hasn't lost three consecutive playoff games since 2021, putting Georgiev in a good bounce-back spot on Monday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Montano
1 day agoColorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin (lower body) is expected to return to the lineup for Game 4 against Dallas on Monday. He worked on the top power-play unit Monday morning and should slot into a top-six role if he's good to go. Drouin hasn't yet seen any playoff action this year after suffering a lower-body injury in the regular-season finale. Following a disappointing spell in Montreal, the former top-three draft pick came alive in Denver this season, recording a career-high 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) in 79 appearances. Drouin's return will likely push Zach Parise to the third line.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Montano
1 day agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy has been suspended for one playoff game. The 29-year-old will be forced to miss Game 4 of the second-round series against Edmonton after cross-checking Oilers captain Connor McDavid to the face during a scrum at the end of Game 3 on Sunday. Vancouver loses a big presence at the back, with Soucy boasting 27 hits through nine postseason appearances. He's also occasionally helped out on the offensive end, delivering four assists.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL Player Safety
1 day agoEdmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner had another shocker in Sunday's 4-3 loss to Vancouver. He managed to save only 11 of 15 shots while spending 40:11 on the ice. Skinner was pulled for Calvin Pickard after two periods and saw a bit more action near the end of the third. The Oilers No. 1 was beaten three times in the first period, and Vancouver scored twice against him on the power play. With three games played in the series and the Canucks now 2-1 up, Skinner boasts an abysmal 0.793 save percentage. The Oilers face a big goaltending decision ahead of Game 4. Pickard had a 12-7-1 record during the regular season and stopped all three shots he faced on Sunday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes recorded his third multi-point postseason game of the year on Sunday, helping the team get past Edmonton 4-3. Hughes dished out a pair of power-play assists to Elias Lindholm. The star defenseman has been inconsistent with his offensive production in the playoffs but is close to averaging a point per game, with eight assists registered across nine outings. Five of the helpers have come with the man advantage. Following Sunday night, Hughes has had points in back-to-back games for the first time in these playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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