39 mins agoVegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel picked up two points in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Dallas, becoming the fastest U.S.-born player in NHL history to reach 30 career postseason points. Eichel skated in his 23rd Stanley Cup Playoffs game and helped out offensively with an assist and an empty-net goal. He was also tied for most shots on goal in the contest with five. Dating back to last season, Eichel has now gone for multiple points in four of his last six playoff appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
48 mins agoBoston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand tallied three points as the team defeated Toronto 4-2 in Game 3 of the first-round series on Wednesday. He did all of his work in the third period, setting up Jake DeBrusk for a power-play goal with 1:07 played and scoring twice. Marchand put the Bruins 3-2 up at the 11:53 mark before notching an empty-netter inside the final minute. The savvy veteran now boasts the third-most three-point efforts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in franchise history (11). Marchand is flying in the series, having averaged two points per game across three contests. He's sitting on two goals and four assists ahead of Saturday's Game 4.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 hour agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl couldn't score with eight attempts on goal but had two assists in Wednesday's dramatic 5-4 overtime loss to the Kings. Draisaitl's contributions helped the Oilers work back from a 2-0 deficit, with his second assist coming in a power-play situation. The German superstar now boasts four points (one goal, three assists) through two games in the playoffs, although the series is still tied at one despite his sensational form. The battle between the two teams continues on Friday in Los Angeles, where Draisaitl posted only one point in two games during the regular season.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 hour agoLos Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar had a big performance in Game 2 against the Oilers on Wednesday, scoring the game-winning goal and bagging two assists in a 5-4 overtime victory. Playing in his 94th Stanley Cup Playoffs game, which ties a franchise record, Kopitar set up a pair of Adrian Kempe goals in the first period and popped up with the game-winner 2:07 into overtime. At 36 years and 244 days, Kopitar became the oldest player in Kings history with an overtime goal in the playoffs. Wednesday's prolific outing came after Edmonton had nullified Kopitar in Game 1.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 hour agoDallas Stars center winger Mason Marchment left Wednesday's Game 2 against the Golden Knights early due to an undisclosed injury. The 28-year-old, who bagged a career-high 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) during the regular season, recorded a game-high eight hits before being forced off after logging 10:22 of ice time. There were no updates on Marchment postgame, leaving him in doubt for Saturday's Game 3. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer will need to change up his second line if Marchment isn't healthy enough to play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
1 hour agoDallas Stars center Radek Faksa couldn't complete Wednesday's Game 2 against Vegas due to an undisclosed injury. He was hurt in the third period, exiting after soaking in 8:41 of action on the fourth line. Faksa didn't contribute offensively in the contest and finished with a minus-one rating, but he won four of five faceoffs and delivered six hits. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer didn't have an update on Faksa postgame. Craig Smith should join the lineup in Saturday's Game 3 if Faksa can't play.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Lia Assimakopoulos
18 hours agoFlorida Panthers winger Ryan Lomberg (illness) could be available again for Thursday's Game 3 against Tampa Bay. He missed Game 2 on Tuesday with an illness, but Panthers head coach Paul Maurice believes that Lomberg might be an option on Thursday. Steve Lorentz skated in Lomberg's place on the fourth line on Tuesday, logging 6:06 of action and registering two shots on goal with four hits. Lomberg produced similar numbers in Game 1 and shouldn't be expected to contribute offensively when he returns.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jameson Olive
18 hours agoLos Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot is the team's confirmed starter for Wednesday's Game 2 against Edmonton. Talbot remains between the sticks against his former team despite struggling in Game 1. The veteran netminder gave up six goals in Monday's 7-4 loss to the Oilers. He finished the contest with 38 saves. Talbot has lost two consecutive starts only twice since the start of March, which should be an encouraging sign for the Kings as they try to even the first-round series on Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Dennis Bernstein
18 hours agoVegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson will look to post a fourth consecutive win in Wednesday's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars. After closing out the regular season with back-to-back victories, Thompson saved 26 of 29 shots in Game 1 against the Stars, helping Vegas to a sweet 4-3 road win. This was Thompson's first career postseason appearance in the NHL after he missed the Golden Knights' cup run in 2022-23 with a lower-body injury. Dallas lost back-to-back home games only three times during the regular season, meaning another winning effort on Wednesday would be a remarkable feat by Thompson.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Jesse Granger
18 hours agoDallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger will aim to bounce back in Wednesday's Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights. He had a very rough start to the series, allowing three first-period goals in Game 1. The team eventually lost 4-3 on home ice, with Oettinger producing only 11 saves. The result dropped Oettinger's career postseason record to 13-14. Dallas will need a much better performance from him on Wednesday to keep pace with the defending champions. Oettinger has lost back-to-back starts just twice in 2024.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Bruce LeVine
19 hours agoDallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (lower body) will remain sidelined for Game 2 against the Golden Knights on Wednesday. He hasn't seen any game action since March 16, missing 14 consecutive games. Hakanpaa finished the regular season with 12 (two goals, 10 assists) points, 123 blocks, and a team-high 196 hits in 64 games. Despite struggling at the back and giving up four goals to Vegas in Game 1, the Stars won't make any lineup changes on Wednesday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Brien Rea
19 hours agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers missed Tuesday's Game 2 against Nashville with the flu. Myers finished the regular season by averaging a point per game across his last five appearances and also performed well in Game 1. He finished as a plus-one for the contest across 19:08 of action, recording two shots, three blocks, and five hits. Noah Juulsen replaced him in the lineup for Game 2. He will likely play again in Friday's Game 3 if Myers can't shake off the flu bug.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Alex Daugherty
22 hours agoVegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicholas Hague is out for Wednesday's Game 2 of the team's first-round series against the Dallas Stars, according to head coach Bruce Cassidy. No specific reason was given and Hague is listed as day-to-day. The hulking 6-foot-6 defender doesn't contribute much on offense with two goals and 12 points across 73 games this season but is physical with 153 hits and 43 penalty minutes while he also blocked 111 shots on the campaign. It appears Alec Martinez will jump in and make his series debut on Wednesday. He notched four goals and 17 points with 165 blocked shots across 55 games this season.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
22 hours agoBoston Bruins winger James van Riemsdyk will make his series debut in Wednesday's Game 3 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The veteran was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series but will replace forward Jakub Lauko to likely skate on the team's fourth line. The 34-year-old tallied 11 goals and 38 points on 142 shots on goal across 71 games this season, his 15th in the NHL. Defensemen Mason Lohrei and Parker Wotherspoon will also join the lineup while defenseman Matt Grzelcyk comes out. Fellow defender Andrew Peeke is listed as week to week with a finger injury suffered in Game 2 on Monday.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Fluto Shinzawa
22 hours agoFlorida Panthers forward Sam Bennett is set to miss significant time due to an upper-body injury suffered during the second period of Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win. Bennett was struck on the hand my a point shot in the second period and left the game. He briefly returned to the bench but went back to the dressing room without taking another shift. Bennett had tallied a goal and an assist prior to exiting. The gritty center tallied 20 goals and 41 points in 69 games this season but he also provided 173 hits, 100 penalty minutes, 171 shots on goal, and a plus-17 rating on the campaign, providing excellent cross-category production for fantasy managers.
--Brenton Kemp - RotoBallerSource: Andy Slater
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