NHL Player News

Thompson made 24 saves in Friday's 3-2 win over the Golden Knights.

The 29-year-old netminder took a 3-0 lead into the third period before withstanding a furious comeback attempt from Vegas. Thompson has won three straight starts sandwiched around the Olympic break, allowing five goals on 79 shots during that span. He has gone 21-16-4 this season with a 2.40 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

Eriksson Ek (face) probably won't play against St. Louis on Sunday, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Eriksson Ek left Friday's 5-2 loss to Utah after receiving a high stick around his eye. The Wild should get a clearer picture of his timeline for a return following Saturday's visit with a doctor. Minnesota recalled Tyler Pitlick from AHL Iowa on Saturday to be an option for Sunday's contest. Eriksson Ek has 17 goals, 42 points, 150 shots on net and 78 hits across 54 appearances this season.

Pitlick was summoned from AHL Iowa on Saturday, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.

Pitlick had eight goals and three assists in 12 AHL games before his recall. The 34-year-old center has a pair of goals in 31 NHL games with Minnesota this season. Joel Eriksson Ek (face) isn't expected to play against the Blues on Sunday after receiving a high stick near his eye in  Friday's 5-2 loss to Utah.

Schmid turned aside 27 shots in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Capitals.

All three Washington goals came in the second period on 12 shots, as Vegas' defense got caught flat-footed on multiple occasions. Schmid has just one win in his last five starts dating back to Jan. 22, going 1-3-1 over that stretch with a 3.02 GAA and .885 save percentage.

Bennett was credited with an even-strength goal and added a power-play assist in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Sabres.

After helping to set up Matthew Tkachuk for Florida's first goal midway through the second period, Bennett fired a shot at Alex Lyon inside the final minute of the third with the Panthers' net empty. Lyon made the initial save, but the puck trickled through him into the crease, and Rasmus Dahlin's clearing attempt instead bounced off the goalie and into the net. It goes down as Bennett's 20th goal of the season, a mark he has reached in three straight campaigns and four of the last five. Over the last 15 games, he's delivered a tidy four goals and 12 points.

Tarasov stopped 36 of 38 shots in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Sabres, with Buffalo's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

With the game tied 1-1 midway through the third period, Beck Malenstyn put Buffalo in the lead with a shot from the blue line. However, Tarasov felt his glove was impeded by Mattias Samuelsson's stick, which prevented him from making the save. However, the Panthers lost the coach's challenge for goaltender interference. Tarasov had coughed up 10 total goals over his prior two outings, so even though it was a third straight loss, it was an encouraging performance from the 26-year-old netminder. On the season, Tarasov sports an 8-9-2 record with a 2.80 GAA and .903 save percentage.

Tuch scored a power-play goal and added an even-strength assist in Friday's 3-2 win over the Panthers.

The 29-year-old winger opened the scoring late in the first period, snapping a shot past Daniil Tarasov from the slot. Tuch ended a brief three-game point drought with the performance, but over his last nine games, he has racked up six goals and nine points. He has 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) on the season.

Lyon made 28 saves in Friday's 3-2 win over the Panthers.

Facing the team that helped him turn his career around in 2022-23, Lyon was locked in and couldn't be faulted for either of Florida's goals -- one came on a second-period power play for the Panthers, while the other came late in the third when Rasmus Dahlin tried to clear a puck out of the crease and instead banked it into the net off the back of Lyon's legs. The veteran netminder has won five of seven starts since returning from a lower-body injury in late January, going 5-2-0 with a 2.32 GAA and .930 save percentage.

Oettinger was the first goaltender off the ice at morning skate, Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine reports, and is slated to defend the home cage versus Nashville on Saturday.

Oettinger is on a six-game winning streak, despite his poor peripherals, as he has allowed 18 goals on 132 shots (.864 save percentage). Oettinger is 23-10-4 with a 2.73 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 37 appearances this season. The Predators are 21st in NHL scoring, averaging 2.93 goals per game.

Ullmark will defend the road net against Toronto on Saturday, per Julian McKenzie of The Athletic.

Ullmark is coming off an 18-save effort in Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to Detroit. He has a 16-8-6 record this campaign with a 2.82 GAA and an .884 save percentage through 31 appearances. Toronto is tied for 14th in the league this season with 3.22 goals per game.