NHL Player News
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Alexei Protas C | WAS
Capitals' Aliaksei Protas: Not playing Monday
Protas (lower body) isn't in the lineup for Monday's home matchup versus Anaheim, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com.
Protas will miss his second straight contest Monday after being deemed a game-time call earlier in the day. Tom Wilson (lower body) also isn't available against the Ducks, so the Capitals are forced to roll with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Protas' next chance to suit up will be at home Wednesday versus Dallas.
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Benjamin Kindel C | PIT
Penguins' Ben Kindel: Supplies two helpers
Kindel logged two assists, including one on the power play, and two shots on goal in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.
Kindel set up Ville Koivunen's opening goal 1:50 into the game and Thomas Novak's power-play tally in the third period. This was Kindel's first multi-point effort since Dec. 14 versus the Mammoth. He's warming up again with four helpers (two on the power play) over his last five outings. For the season, the 18-year-old rookie has contributed 18 points, 79 shots on net, 36 blocked shots, 16 hits and a minus-11 rating through 38 appearances, mainly in a third-line role with power-play time.
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Noel Acciari C | PIT
Penguins' Noel Acciari: Tallies in win Sunday
Acciari scored a goal on three shots and added two hits in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.
Acciari has scored three times over his last seven games, which is decent production for a bottom-six forward. He remains on the fourth line and is more valued for his defensive skills, so steady offense shouldn't be expected. The 34-year-old is up to nine points, 33 shots, 35 hits, 22 blocked shots and 17 PIM across 28 appearances.
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Phillip Danault C | MON
Canadiens' Phillip Danault: Earns two helpers
Danault logged two assists, two shots on goal and two PIM in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Stars.
Danault picked up his first two points in six games since he was traded to Montreal from Los Angeles. He has slotted into a third-line role since the deal, taking over for Jake Evans (lower body), who is expected to miss most or all of January. Danault has seven helpers, 49 shots on net, 30 hits, 13 blocked shots and a plus-1 rating over 36 total appearances between the two teams this season.
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Cole Schwindt RW | FLA
Panthers' Cole Schwindt: Sheds non-contact jersey
Schwindt (arm) was a full participant in Monday's practice, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
According to Olive, Schwindt will accompany the Panthers on the team's upcoming six-game road trip, which begins against Toronto on Tuesday. After missing the past 22 games, he appears to be nearing a return to the lineup. He has contributed two goals, seven shots on net, six blocked shots and nine hits in 10 appearances this season.
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Rickard Rakell C | PIT
Penguins' Rickard Rakell: Scores late equalizer
Rakell scored a goal in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.
Rakell has scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Even though injuries have limited him to only 21 games so far, he hasn't exactly set the world on fire with his performances and has earned a mere 15 points (six goals, nine assists) overall.
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Tommy Novak C | PIT
Penguins' Thomas Novak: Tallies PP goal Sunday
Novak scored a power-play goal in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.
Novak has found the back of the net in two of his last four games. The second-line center hasn't been very productive, however, and this was only his eighth goal of the campaign. He's netted three of those eight goals on the power play while posting 21 points in 41 contests. He's on pace to reach the 40-point plateau for the first time since the 2023-24 campaign.
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Sidney Crosby C | PIT
Penguins' Sidney Crosby: Clutch effort with OT goal
Crosby scored the game-winning goal in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Blue Jackets. He also delivered an assist.
Crosby set up Rickard Rakell's late equalizer with only 14 seconds left in the third period, and the star center later scored the game-winner at 2:22 of overtime with a backhander. Crosby has recorded three straight multi-point performances and is riding a seven-game point streak, earning 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in that span.
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Wyatt Johnston C | DAL
Stars' Wyatt Johnston: Scores twice vs. Montreal
Johnston scored two goals in Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Canadiens.
Johnston ended a three-game goal drought with his two goals. He found the back of the net in the second and third periods to boost his season-long totals to 22 goals and 48 points over 42 outings. Johnston has found ways to produce on offense for the Stars and has racked up 11 points (six goals, five assists) over his last 10 games.
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Alexei Protas C | WAS
Capitals' Aliaksei Protas: Game-time call
Protas (lower body) will be a game-time decision for Monday's matchup with the Ducks, Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network reports.
Protas was absolutely lighting it up prior to getting hurt, racking up four goals and five helpers in his last five outings. With Tom Wilson (lower body) ruled out, the Capitals would certainly benefit from getting the 24-year-old Protas back in the lineup. If he can't go, the Caps will need to either bring up a forward from the minors or roll with seven blueliners against Anaheim.