NHL Player News

Blackwood stopped 25 of 27 shots in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Flames.

Blackwood and the Avalanche were in firm control of this game from the start. He picked up his third straight win with this effort, allowing just seven goals on 83 shots in that span. For the season, Blackwood has a 7-3-0 record with a 2.73 GAA and an .897 save percentage across 10 starts. With Scott Wedgewood struggling to match last year's success, Blackwood is likely to continue handling a majority of the starts. Both goalies should get a look during the Avalanche's two-game road trip, which features stops in Chicago on Monday and in Columbus on Tuesday. Both games are great matchups for fantasy managers looking for wins.

Greaves stopped 14 of 16 shots in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Stars. The third goal was an empty-netter.

Greaves didn't face a lot of traffic, but he wasn't able to fend off enough of it. Both goals he gave up came in the first period, and the Blue Jackets failed to catch up from that. Greaves is down to 2-5-0 with a 3.11 GAA and an .883 save percentage across eight appearances. Given his ongoing struggles and a tough three-game week ahead, Greaves may be best left on the bench in weekly formats. He's also a risky option for fantasy managers in daily leagues if he draws the home start against the Avalanche on Tuesday.

Merilainen stopped 24 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. He allowed three goals.

Merilainen has badly outplayed starter, Kevin Lankinen, and is 2-5-1 with a 3.31 GAA and .897 save percentage in nine starts (11 appearances). Those numbers aren't as bad as they look -- the NHL average for save percentage is .891. Merilainen is typically hung out to dry most nights, but he hangs in there and gives the Orcas a chance. Plus his 5.45 GSAx is 16th in the NHL. He's making the most of this opportunity and is worth monitoring for future drafts when the team improves.

Oettinger stopped 24 of 25 shots in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Blue Jackets.

The Stars led 2-0 after the first period, and the Blue Jackets never offered much of a threat. Oettinger had allowed seven goals over his last two games, but he was able to lock things down in a favorable matchup to bounce back from his loss versus the Canadiens on Thursday. For the season, the 27-year-old netminder is 7-3-1 with a 1.63 GAA and a .921 save percentage across 11 starts. The Stars' next game is Tuesday on the road versus the Capitals, which could be more of a challenging matchup.

Murashov stopped 22 of 27 shots in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Canadiens.

Murashov backed up Arturs Silovs for four straight games, but the time off didn't help the young goalie reset. This was the second start in a row where Murashov has allowed five goals. He's 0-4-1 with a 3.83 GAA and an .871 save percentage over five starts this season. The Penguins seem content to let Murashov learn on the job, especially since Joel Blomqvist is going through his own struggles in the AHL with a 3.41 GAA and .864 save percentage over five games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Expect Silovs to be back in goal versus the Golden Knights on Tuesday, but Murashov could get a look when the Penguins open their next road trip with a back-to-back in Southern California.

Stolarz made 26 saves in a 4-2 win over the Canucks on Saturday.

Stolarz has delivered three straight wins with just two goals allowed in each contest. He's 5-1-0 in six starts overall, and his 2.66 GAA and .910 save percentage sparkle relative to a lot of goalies in the league, including his battery mate, Sergei Bobrovsky, who is 3-5-2 with a 3.29 GAA and .885 save percentage. Stolarz is not going to replace Bob anytime soon, but he will see a solid amount of starts this season to keep the starter healthy heading into the postseason. That is, should the Leafs get there.

Fowler stopped 25 of 29 shots in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Penguins.

Fowler extended his winning streak to seven games, but it wasn't a great performance for the young goalie. The four goals allowed were a season high, though that shouldn't endanger his status as the No. 1 goalie in Montreal. He's 7-1-0 with a 1.84 GAA and a .932 save percentage across eight starts this season, and he's already logged two shutouts. The Canadiens' next game is Tuesday at home versus the slumping Jets, which would be an elite matchup if Fowler gets the start.

Gibson made just 10 saves in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Blues.

The Detroit defense did a good job of keeping pucks from getting through to Gibson -- William Wallinder blocked six shots all on his own -- which made it all the more painful when the veteran netminder couldn't keep hold of a 4-2 lead in the third period. Through his first 10 outings this season, Gibson has gone 4-5-1 with a 3.37 GAA and .860 save percentage, numbers which could make it difficult for him to hang onto the top job in the Wings crease if Daniil Tarasov (1.40 GAA, .940 save percentage in four appearances) stays healthy and keeps playing well.

Hofer turned aside 24 shots in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Red Wings.

Detroit grabbed a 4-2 lead early in the third period, but Hofer shut the door the rest of the way as the St. Louis offense launched a comeback. The 26-year-old netminder has a firm hold of the No. 1 job between the pipes for the Blues, going 6-3-1 in 10 starts to begin the season with a 2.42 GAA and .916 save percentage.

Sorokin turned away 20 of 23 shots on goal in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Oilers.

While Sorokin didn't bring his best stuff in Saturday's clash, he was also left on an island by his offense, which was kept off the scoreboard for the first time this season. Outside a rough second period, the 31-year-old Sorokin kept the Isles' net tidy. Overall, he now holds a 6-4-0 record, a 2.41 GAA, one shutout and a .911 save percentage across 10 appearances this season. Despite alternating results over his past four contests, Sorokin remains a clear No. 1 fantasy option between the pipes due to his expected workload and proven success over numerous full seasons. His next opportunity to bounce back is Thursday against the reigning Stanley Cup champs.