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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Petr Mrazek was placed on injured reserve Wednesday due to a lower-body injury. Having already missed Tuesday's game, he will be out for at least two more games, though the Ducks have not provided a specific timeline, suggesting it could be longer. Lukas Dostal remains Anaheim's No. 1 goalie, with Ville Husso added to the NHL roster to serve as backup during Mrazek's absence.
Jesper Wallstedt is slated to start on the road against Seattle on Thursday. Despite an impressive 11-2-4 record, 2.30 GAA, and .926 save percentage in 17 outings this season, Wallstedt is currently experiencing a rough patch, having allowed 14 goals on 133 shots (.895 save percentage) across his last four appearances. He will face a Seattle team that ranks 25th in goals per game.
Darcy Kuemper is expected to start in net for the LA Kings' home game against San Jose on Wednesday. Since returning from an upper-body injury, Kuemper holds a 2-1-0 record with a 3.26 GAA in three appearances. The 35-year-old netminder has 12 victories through 26 outings this season and is at risk of missing the 30-win mark he achieved last year.
Anze Kopitar (lower body) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Sharks. The Kings' captain suffered the injury during Monday's game against the Wild and is considered day-to-day, not facing a long-term absence. He will miss at least one game, with his next opportunity to suit up Friday in Winnipeg, though his availability for that matchup is currently unclear.
Jordan Binnington will start Wednesday's road game against Chicago. The Blues netminder is coming off his first shutout win of the season Saturday against the Canadiens, where he stopped all 26 shots in a 2-0 victory. This performance followed a slump where he posted an 0-3-1 record with a 4.86 GAA and .845 save percentage over his prior four starts. He faces a Blackhawks team tied for the sixth-worst scoring in the NHL.
Dallas Stars goalie Casey DeSmith will start Wednesday's road game against Washington. He returned to action Tuesday in relief, stopping 16 of 17 shots (.941 SV%) after missing Sunday's game due to a personal matter. Since December, DeSmith holds a 3-1-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and .905 SV% across seven appearances, drawing the start in the second half of a back-to-back set.
Karel Vejmelka was the first goalie off the ice Wednesday, signaling he will tend the twine at home versus the Senators. Since December, Vejmelka has posted solid numbers, going 8-4-0 with a .905 save percentage in 13 outings. With 18 wins in 32 appearances this season, the Czech netminder is on track to surpass his 26 victories from last year.
Mason Marchment (upper body) has been placed on injured reserve by the Columbus Blue Jackets, meaning he will miss the team's next three road games. Marchment has recorded nine goals and 20 points in 36 appearances this season between Seattle and Columbus. The Blue Jackets recalled Mikael Pyyhtia from AHL Cleveland in a corresponding roster move to provide flexibility during Marchment's absence.
Alex Lyon (lower body) is expected to miss approximately 7-10 days due to his injury, as reported by Bill Hoppe. Prior to getting hurt, Lyon was on an impressive seven-game winning streak, during which he registered a 2.22 GAA. Once he receives medical clearance, the 33-year-old goaltender is anticipated to either split the workload with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or potentially reclaim the No. 1 job for the Buffalo Sabres.
J.T. Miller (upper body) is hoping to play Thursday against Buffalo, though his return from injured reserve isn't yet official. The New York Rangers forward's potential return would help offset the possible absence of Alexis Lafreniere (illness). Miller has recorded 10 goals and 22 points in 35 appearances this season.
Spencer Knight will be the starting goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks at home against St. Louis on Wednesday. Despite a recent 3-6-1 record with a 2.92 GAA and .890 save percentage over his last 10 outings, the 24-year-old netminder is looking to secure his first career 20-win season. He is also expected to feature in one of the upcoming back-to-back games against the Capitals or Predators.
Dustin Wolf is slated to start on the road against Montreal on Wednesday. The Calgary Flames goaltender will be looking to rebound after allowing four goals in each of his past two starts. For the 2025-26 season, Wolf holds a 14-16-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and an .899 save percentage across 33 appearances. Montreal, his upcoming opponent, currently ranks seventh in the league with 3.31 goals per game.
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Harrison Brunicke has been reassigned to his junior team, the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Brunicke played in nine NHL games this season, scoring one goal, and also tallied two assists in seven World Juniors games. His entry-level contract for this season did not activate due to playing under 10 NHL games.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson is second in the NHL for percentage of time on ice with the puck (12.40%), showcasing his exceptional possession skills. After a slow start, his play improved significantly post-contract negotiation, putting him on pace for an 82-point season with 7 points in his last 5 games and a plus-13 rating in 42 games. His 8-year, $8.85M AAV contract is proving to be a team-friendly deal.
Cutter Gauthier played his third game against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, in the Anaheim Ducks' 5-2 loss. Gauthier was part of the Ducks' 11/7 lineup, playing on a line with McTavish and Sennecke. The game was marked by numerous penalties and injuries for the Ducks, who were hoping to snap a six-game winless streak against the Flyers.
Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson (lower body) will not be in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Stars. However, he is expected to join the team for their upcoming two-game road trip, indicating a potential return soon. Prior to his injury, Wilson was highly productive, recording five goals and three assists in his last four outings. Brett Leason is expected to fill a fourth-line role in his absence.
Trevor Zegras delivered a standout performance in Tuesday's 5-2 victory over Anaheim, scoring two goals, including one on the power play. The former Duck, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, erased an early deficit with a pair of first-period one-timers against Lukas Dostal. This marked Zegras' fourth multi-goal game of the season, highlighting a breakout campaign in his first year with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he has accumulated 17 goals and 41 points in 41 contests.
Mathew Barzal registered an assist on the New York Islanders' opening goal just 62 seconds into their dominant 9-0 rout of the New Jersey Devils. The goal was one of the first two shots faced by Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The Islanders secured their second consecutive win and fifth in seven games, keeping pace with the Metropolitan Division leaders.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom had a difficult outing, allowing goals on the first two shots he faced from Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair, and three on five shots overall. He finished the game having given up nine goals on 24 shots as the Islanders routed the Devils 9-0. This marked the Devils' second consecutive defeat and sixth loss in their last eight games.
Anthony Duclair recorded his fourth career NHL hat trick and added two assists for a five-point performance in the New York Islanders' dominant 9-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Duclair scored three consecutive goals from 4:01 in the first period to 3:29 in the second, marking his first hat trick since December 2019. He was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games.
