1 day agoToronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was on the ice for Saturday's morning skate ahead of Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. The superstar didn't practice Friday due to maintenance but will play in a pivot Game 4 on Saturday. Matthews led the charge with a game-winning goal and two assists in a Game 2 win on Monday but has been held off the scoresheet in two of the first three games of this series. The 26-year-old enjoyed a historical regular season that included 69 goals and 107 points on 369 shots on goal across 81 games. The Maple Leafs trail the Bruins 2-1 in the series entering Saturday's action.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: David Alter
1 day agoNashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has been fined 2K for interference on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith. The 29-year-old put a shoulder into the netminder behind the net while DeSmith was playing the puck at 12:25 of the first period on Friday. McCarron was handed a two-minute minor for interference on the play. McCarron enjoyed by far the best season of his career in the 2023-24 campaign, setting career highs across the board with 12 goals, 10 assists, 94 shots, 142 hits, and 100 penalty minutes. If he can continue to ascend while providing that type of physicality, there's a chance he could become fantasy-relevant for leagues that count hits next season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoWashington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk has been ruled out for Game 4 of the team's first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers on Sunday. The blueliner took a questionable hit from Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe during the first period of Friday's 3-1 Game 3 loss and did not return to the game. Rempe was issued a two-minute minor for interference on the play. The veteran has averaged 15:53 of ice time so far in these playoff games but also played just 3:27 on Friday while skating at least 20:25 across the first two games of the series. The Capitals are also without defensemen Rasmus Sandin, Nick Jensen, and Vincent Lorio but all three haven't been ruled out for Sunday. The Capitals will need a win to avoid a four-game sweep.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoDallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque could make his NHL postseason debut on Saturday when the Stars travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. The 22-year-old could be a replacement for either Mason Marchment or Radek Faksa who are both listed as game-time decisions on Saturday. The Stars selected Bourque with the 30th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft but he has appeared in just one NHL game so far. His lone NHL contest came this season but Bourque notched 26 goals and 77 points across 71 games with the AHL's Texas Stars this season, pacing the league in scoring in the process.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoNashville Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney is out week to week due to an upper-body injury suffered during the second period of Friday's Game 3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The 24-year-old has appeared in all three postseason games for the Preds so far and has averaged 10:59 of ice time but it appears he is done for at least the first round of the postseason. Stastney appeared in 20 regular-season games for the Preds, notching two goals and four points while he also appeared in 44 games with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, tallying five goals and 20 points in that time. Dante Fabbro and Tyson Barrie are options to replace the blueliner for Sunday's Game 4 in Nashville.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoNew York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin shut down the Washington Capitals again in Game 3 on Friday, leading the team to a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Shesterkin has won all three games so far, posting a .933 SV% and 1.67 GAA. The Rangers haven't needed much help from Shesterkin to dispose of the Capitals, but he's been steady anyway. If he continues his solid play, the Rangers could be in for a long playoff run.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad continued his strong start to the postseason on Friday, posting two more assists in Game 3 against the Washington Capitals, helping the team take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Zibanejad had a bit of a down year, by his standards, with 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) in 81 games, which was his lowest points-per-game since 2017-18. He looks fine now though, with five points in just three playoff games. He will be a key part of the Rangers playoff run and will need to continue producing at a high rate, especially once the competition stiffens.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoWashington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) left Game 3 against the New York Rangers on Friday after taking a massive hit from Matt Rempe. The hit was called for interference but was only given a two-minute penalty. It seemed to be a grey area hit, with fans of the Rangers arguing that it was clean while Capitals fans thought it deserved more than just a two-minute call. Either way, van Riemsdyk appears to be in danger of missing Game 4, which could be the last game of the Capitals season if things don't turn around.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
1 day agoWinnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon (hand) suffered an injury after the final whistle in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. The two teams got into a massive scrum after the Avs beat the Jets 6-2 to go up 2-1 in the series, and Dillon appeared to cut his hand badly during the fracas. Head coach Rick Bowness didn't have an update on the veteran defender after the game, but if he unable to go in Game 4 it would not be a surprise.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Mitchell Clinton
1 day agoBoston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman appears to be the starting goalie for Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Swayman has been brilliant so far, winning both his starts while posting a .955 SV% and 1.51 GAA. Although the Bruins went with Linus Ullmark in Game 2 and head coach Jim Montgomery implied they were going with a rotation, it appears that the organization has changed its approach after seeing the results of the first three games.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Fluto Shinzawa
2 days agoToronto Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie will make his 2024 playoff debut on Saturday in Game 4 of the team's first-round series against the Boston Bruins. Brodie had been a healthy scratch in each of the team's first three games, but head coach Sheldon Keefe has decided to bring the veteran defender in after going down 2-1 in the series. Brodie should be able to help out the team's penalty kill, which has been brutal so far. Timothy Liljegren will be the odd man out on Saturday and Brodie will take his spot on a pairing with Joel Edmundson.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
2 days agoToronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (undisclosed) is expected to play in Game 4 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Nylander missed the first three games of the series with an undisclosed injury that has been widely speculated on, but the team hasn't confirmed what the injury was. Willy will slot back into the third line and first powerplay unit and the team will hope that he can provide an offensive spark. Connor Dewar will be healthy scratched if Nylander does end up playing.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: Jonas Siegel
2 days agoVegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague (lower body) will miss Saturday's Game 3 against the Stars. He suffered a lower-body injury in the series opener on Monday. Hague had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 73 games during the regular season, with 111 blocks and 153 hits. He led the Vegas blue line with four hits in Game 1. Alec Martinez replaced him in the lineup for Game 2 and figures to remain on the third defensive pairing on Saturday after the Golden Knights produced an outstanding defensive performance in a 3-1 win on Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Danny Webster
2 days agoColorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen (illness) is ready to back up Alexandar Georgiev on Friday against Winnipeg. He missed the first two games of the first-round series with an illness. The 24-year-old performed well during the regular season, going 8-4-1 with two shutouts. He allowed 2.25 goals with a .928 save percentage. Annunen could soon see some playoff action, as Georgiev has so far mustered a lowly .830 save percentage in the postseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Murat Ates
2 days agoWashington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper body) will be a game-time decision for Friday's encounter with the Rangers. After missing seven games with an upper-body injury, Sandin skated in a regular jersey Friday morning, signaling that he could be ready to return to action. The Swedish blue-liner would add quality for Washington at both ends of the ice. He totaled 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 68 regular-season appearances and had 106 blocks with 75 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sammi Silber
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