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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Oliver Bjorkstrand was high-sticked by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann in the third period of Monday's contest, an incident that resulted in a one-game suspension for McMann. Despite the high-sticking, Bjorkstrand played three shifts after the incident and was back in action on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens, showing no lingering effects from the play.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann has been suspended one game for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning winger Oliver Bjorkstrand in Monday's contest. McMann will miss Thursday's game against the Sharks, forfeiting $7,031.25 in salary, and is eligible to return Saturday versus the Oilers. The NHL's Department of Player Safety cited him bringing a raised stick downward from a dangerous height. This is McMann's first supplemental discipline in 169 NHL games; he has 14 points in 29 games this season.
Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (undisclosed) is expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday's game against St. Louis after missing the last five games. He will slot into a third-line role and is anticipated to skate on the first power-play unit. This season, Pastrnak has accumulated 11 goals, 29 points, 86 shots on net, and 37 hits across 25 appearances, making his return a significant boost for the Bruins.
Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal (upper body) is traveling with the team on their current five-game road trip, which commenced Tuesday in Pittsburgh. His participation in Tuesday's morning skate suggests his return to action could be imminent. While a clearer timeline is awaited from the team, his activation from injured reserve at any point during the road trip would be the strongest indicator of his readiness to play.
Anaheim Ducks goalie Ville Husso will start in goal on the road versus the Penguins on Tuesday. He continues to see heavy usage with the Ducks' two primary netminders currently sidelined. Husso won his last start, stopping 19 of 20 shots against the Blackhawks on Sunday. He faces a Penguins team that has scored 21 goals over their last six games, though they will be without Evgeni Malkin (upper body).
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson will guard the road goal versus the Canadiens on Tuesday, marking his second consecutive start in a back-to-back. He stopped 22 of 23 shots in Monday's 2-0 loss to the Maple Leafs, with that light workload likely contributing to the decision to start him again over Brandon Halverson. Johansson faces a Canadiens team that has scored just 15 goals over their last six games, holding a 3-3-0 record.
Vegas Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart suffered his first loss in three starts since returning to the NHL, as Emil Heineman beat him in the shootout to secure a 5-4 win for the Islanders. Hart finished Tuesday's game with 23 saves. Prior to this, he had a 2-0-0 record this season, allowing only five goals on 53 shots, including a 22-save performance in Sunday's 3-2 overtime win over the Rangers. Hart was one of five 2018 Canada world junior players acquitted of sexual assault in July.
New Jersey Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom stopped 35 shots, including several crucial saves in the final minutes, to secure a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. This win snapped his personal three-game losing streak, during which he had allowed 10 goals on 84 shots. Earlier in the game, a controversial goal by Drake Batherson deflected off Markstrom and into the net but was ultimately disallowed for a 'distinct kicking motion'.
San Jose Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov (illness) will not suit up for Tuesday's game against the Flyers. Alex Nedeljkovic was already slated to start in goal. Askarov will now aim to recover in time to be healthy enough to play on Thursday when the Sharks face the Maple Leafs, with his status for that contest yet to be determined.
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini continues his excellent scoring pace, accumulating 15 goals and 43 points in 30 contests, placing him second in league scoring. He leads his team in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, overtime goals, and power-play goals, factoring into over half of the Sharks' 85 goals. Celebrini is tied with Connor McDavid for the league lead in assists and created a dangerous scoring chance in Tuesday's game against the Flyers.
Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard continues to be a consistent performer, driving his team's offense and leading them to within one point of a playoff spot. He has accumulated 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points this season, factoring into about 47 percent of the team's 86 goals. Bedard leads the Blackhawks in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, and game-winning goals, showcasing his immense value and carrying the offensive load for the team.
Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Zucker (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, leading to the recall of Isak Rosen from AHL Rochester. Zucker will miss a minimum of the next three games, starting with Tuesday's matchup against Edmonton, and could potentially be sidelined for a longer duration. This season, he has contributed 9 goals, 18 points, 49 shots on net, and 22 hits across 21 appearances for the Sabres.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko announced he expects to be back in the lineup for Thursday's matchup against Buffalo. Although not yet officially activated from injured reserve or named the starter, his return is highly anticipated for the home game against the Sabres. Demko is expected to shoulder the majority of the goaltending workload for the remainder of the season, marking a significant boost for the Canucks.
The Winnipeg Jets have loaned defenseman Elias Salomonsson back to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, following Haydn Fleury's return to practice. Salomonsson appeared in four games for the Jets this season, finishing without a point and registering a -4 plus-minus rating. The 21-year-old, drafted 55th overall in 2022, has six assists in 17 AHL games this season and was named both Best Defenseman and Rookie of the Year for the 2024–25 AHL season, also representing the Moose at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.
Jeremy Swayman is set to defend the road cage for the Boston Bruins against St. Louis on Tuesday. He boasts a strong recent record with a 9-3-0 mark, 2.26 GAA, and .928 save percentage since November. Swayman has allowed two or fewer goals in five of his last six games, including a 29-save performance in a recent win. Notably, he has never lost in St. Louis during his career (3-0-0).
Joel Hofer will start in goal for the St. Louis Blues at home against Boston on Tuesday. He is coming off a strong 41-save performance in a recent win. Hofer's season stats include a 4-5-2 record, two shutouts, a 3.11 GAA, and an .893 save percentage over 14 games. Boston averages 3.13 goals per game this season.
Brandon Bussi is expected to start in net for the Carolina Hurricanes at home against Columbus on Tuesday. He has won his last six appearances, allowing 13 goals on 127 shots. Bussi holds an 8-1-0 record through nine games this season. Columbus ranks tied for 18th in the league with 2.97 goals per game.
Mackenzie Blackwood is scheduled to start in goal for the Colorado Avalanche in Nashville on Tuesday. He has been strong recently, going 6-1-0 with a 1.70 GAA and .941 save percentage in his last seven games, allowing two or fewer goals in six of those. Nashville averages 2.61 goals per game. Blackwood had a 35-save shutout in Nashville on Nov. 22.
Matt Rempe practiced in a non-contact jersey for the New York Rangers for the first time since an upper-body injury on Oct. 23. He will travel with the team to Chicago but will not play Wednesday. Rempe has been sidelined for 22 games and is making significant progress. He has been on long-term injured reserve.
Adam Fox of the New York Rangers has resumed on-ice activity, skating twice on his own, though he has not yet practiced with the team. He was placed on LTIR after a shoulder injury on Nov. 29 and is expected to miss multiple weeks, with re-evaluation around Christmas. Fox has 14 goals and 39 points in 29 games this season.
