NHL Player News

Bussi made 19 saves in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Predators.

Carolina took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission and the outcome was never really in doubt, but Bussi's final numbers were a little disappointing after he took a shutout into the third period. The 27-year-old netminder has started three of the last four games while Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body) is on the shelf, and Bussi hasn't lost a start since Oct. 30, going 6-0-0 over that stretch with a 2.15 GAA and .898 save percentage.

Nedeljkovic will get the start Sunday against the Hurricanes, Max Miller of NHL.com reports.

Nedeljkovic has served as more of a backup lately with the impressive run that Yaroslav Askarov has been on, but the former will get a chance to start Sunday. The 29-year-old Nedeljkovic is seeking his first win since Nov. 7, as he has lost his last three starts. He carries a 3-5-2 record, 3.19 GAA and .894 save percentage into this game against the Hurricanes, who are fifth in the NHL with 3.41 goals per game.

Annunen stopped the only two shots he faced after replacing Juuse Saros midway through the third period of Saturday's 6-3 loss to Carolina.

Saros getting the hook had far more to do with the Predators' lackadaisical defensive effort than it did his own performance, and Nashville was down 6-1 when Annunen took the crease. The 25-year-old backup netminder has just one win in his nine appearances this season, going 1-4-1 with a rough 3.83 GAA and .846 save percentage.

Saros stopped 32 of 38 shots before being replaced by Justus Annunen midway through the third period of Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes.

Shoddy defensive effort in the first 8:12 of the final frame led to the final two goals against Saros and a 6-1 deficit for the Predators, forcing coach Andrew Brunette to make a desperation switch in the crease. The six goals allowed were a season worst for Saros, snapping a three-start win streak in which he'd given up a total of five goals on 86 shots. On the season, the veteran netminder is 9-10-3 in 22 outings with a 3.04 GAA and .893 save percentage.

Wolf made 27 saves in Saturday's 2-0 win over Utah.

The 24-year-old netminder continues to turn his season around. The shutout was Wolf's second of the season, and he has allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his last 12 outings, going 6-4-1 over that stretch with a dazzling 2.21 GAA and .918 save percentage.

Vanecek turned aside 21 of 22 shots in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Flames, with Calgary's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

Yegor Sharangovich banged home a rebound just 16 seconds into the first period, and while it proved to be the only goal Vanecek would allow, the Mammoth were never able to solve Dustin Wolf in the other crease. Vanecek's best performance of the season went to waste, continuing a futile stretch for the 29-year-old netminder. He hasn't won a game since Oct. 26, going 0-5-1 over his last six starts with a 3.33 GAA and .860 save percentage.

Thompson will patrol the home crease against Columbus on Sunday, per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News.

Thompson's four-game winning streak ended in a 4-3 shootout loss to Anaheim on Friday. However, he performed well in the defeat while making 35 saves on 38 shots. Thompson has a 12-6-2 record this season with a 2.06 GAA and a .919 save percentage through 20 appearances. Columbus is tied for 12th in the league with 3.07 goals per game this campaign.

Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots in Saturday's 7-6 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.

The Panthers fell behind 4-1 midway through the second period and 6-4 early in the third, but they came back each time, and Bobrovsky made five big stops in OT before Sam Bennett found the winner with just four seconds left in the extra frame. It was Bobrovsky's first win in five outings, snapping a 0-3-1 stretch, but it was also the fourth time this season that he has given up five or more goals. His 2.98 GAA and .881 save percentage through 20 appearances are well below the 37-year-old netminder's usual standards.

Merzlikins made 33 saves in Saturday's 7-6 overtime loss to the Panthers.

The Blue Jackets held a 4-1 lead midway through the second period and a 6-4 lead early in the third, but both times Merzlikins let it slip away before Sam Bennett put a puck past him with just four seconds left in the extra frame. The seven goals allowed were a season worst for Merzlikins, but the 31-year-old netminder has been brutal of late overall, giving up at least five goals in four of his last five starts while going 2-2-1 with a 4.87 GAA and .850 save percentage. Jet Greaves has yet to get a start in December after three straight OTLs to close out November, but the younger goalie should be back between the pipes Sunday against the Capitals and still seems like the preferred fantasy option in the Columbus crease.

Stevenson has been recalled from AHL Hershey by the Capitals, the team announced Sunday.

A busy day of roster moves saw the placement of Charlie Lindgren (upper body) on injured reserve and Stevenson called up to take his place on the roster. The 26-year-old has put up good numbers with AHL Hershey on the year, going 7-4-0 with a 2.54 GAA and a .913 save percentage. Logan Thompson is Washington's starter and is playing great, so with no back-to-back games being played in the next week, it seems unlikely that Stevenson will get into a game if Lindgren's injury isn't long term.