NHL Player News

Holmstrom picked up two assists in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over Montreal.

The 24-year-old winger had a hand in the Islanders' final two goals of the night, including Jean-Gabriel Pageau's OT winner. Holmstrom has stepped up his production in a middle-six role since the calendar flipped to 2026, and over his last 16 games he's delivered five goals and 13 points.

Schaefer scored two goals, one on the power play, in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens.

With the Islanders down 2-0 midway through the second period, Schaefer took matters into his own hands to tie it up, scoring twice in 55 seconds before the second intermission. The teenage blueliner has lit the lamp five times in the last six games, and on the season the overwhelming Calder Trophy favorite has 18 goals and 41 points in his first 59 NHL contests -- setting a new Islanders record for goals in a season by a rookie defenseman in the process, and breaking the mark established in 1973-74 by Hall of Famer Denis Potvin.

Benson (upper body) will be a game-time decision in Florida on Friday, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.

While head coach Lindy Ruff hasn't ruled out Benson against the Panthers, it seems more likely that he will suit up Saturday in Tampa Bay. Benson has missed three games with the injury. He has seven goals and 19 assists in 42 appearances this season.

Sorokin turned aside 22 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens.

Montreal grabbed a 2-0 lead midway through the second period on a pair of tallies by Sorokin's former teammate Noah Dobson, but Matthew Schaefer stepped up and tied it before the second intermission, setting up a tense finish that was ended by an OT winner from Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Sorokin has won three straight starts and five of six sandwiched around the Olympic break, posting a 2.17 GAA and .923 save percentage over that stretch.

Arvidsson scored two goals in Thursday's 4-2 win over Columbus.

The veteran winger potted Boston's first and last goals of the night, but neither was exactly highlight-reel material. Arvidsson's first tally came when his centering attempt from near the blue line tipped home off the stick of Isac Lundestrom, while his second was an empty-netter. It was Arvidsson's first multi-goal performance of the season, but he's been lighting the lamp on a regular basis since the beginning of January, producing nine goals and 13 points in the last 17 games.

Korpisalo made 36 saves in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets.

The veteran netminder was busy -- Columbus outshot the home squad 40-23 on the night -- but Korpisalo was up to the task, even after briefly leaving the game in the second period to get checked out following a collision in the crease with Miles Wood. Michael DiPietro made two saves in Korpisalo's absence. Jeremy Swayman should be back to take over top duties between the pipes for Saturday's game against the Flyers, but Korpisalo has been locked in since the calendar flipped to 2026, going 5-0-2 over his last eight outings with a 2.20 GAA and .923 save percentage.

Marchment pocketed two assists in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Bruins.

The veteran winger helped set up tallies by Kirill Marchenko in the first period and Adam Fantilli in the third. Marchment has made an impact since returning from an upper-body injury in late January, and over his last seven games he's racked up four goals and eight points.

Fantilli produced a goal and an assist in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Bruins.

After helping to set up a Kirill Marchenko tally early in the first period, Fantilli snapped a shot from the slot past Joonas Korpisalo in the third. Fantilli broke out of a lengthy slump just before the Olympic break, and the time off doesn't seem to have cooled down the 21-year-old center. Over his last seven games, Fantilli has two goals and eight points.

Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Bruins, with Boston's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

The 31-year-old had won three straight outings and five of six prior to the Olympic break, but his first start after the break got off to an inauspicious start when Viktor Arvidsson flipped a seemingly harmless shot toward the net late in the first period, and it deflected past Merzlikins off Isac Lundestrom's stick. Merzlikins has still given up three goals or fewer in seven straight appearances dating back to Jan. 15, posting a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage over that stretch.

Carlson (lower body) has been ruled out against the Knights and Canadiens on Friday and Saturday, respectively, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.

Carlson was producing offensively prior to getting hurt, racking up 17 points in his last 17 games, including a trio of power-play assists. With the veteran blueliner unavailable, Jakob Chychrun will feature on the top power-play unit while Rasmus Sandin features with the No. 2 group. Given the length of his injury, Carlson could be a candidate for injured reserve to free up a roster spot for the Caps.