NHL Player News

Shesterkin stopped 23 shots in Monday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets.

The Rangers seemed disinterested through two periods, Shesterkin included, but he shut the door in the third period as the home squad put together an improbable rally from a 4-0 deficit to send the game to OT. Shesterkin got beat clean by Kirill Marchenko for the winner, however. The 30-year-old netminder has started all three games for New York since making his return from a lower-body injury following the Olympic break, and while he doesn't have a regulation loss, Shesterkin's allowed 10 goals on 85 shots (.882 save percentage) while going 1-0-2.

Swayman will tend the home twine Tuesday versus the Penguins, per Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald.

Swayman dropped his first game following the Olympic break, allowing two goals on 16 shots in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Flyers. The 27-year-old made just two starts for the Bruins in February and one for Team USA, so his workload may start to pick up during the stretch run. As for Tuesday's opponent, Swayman owns a 2-5-0 record, 2.68 GAA and .908 save percentage over eight career regular-season appearances against Pittsburgh.

Severson picked up two assists in Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

After helping to set up a Mathieu Olivier tally in the second period, Severson started a breakout in OT that was capped by Kirill Marchenko's game-winner. It was the veteran blueliner's first multi-point performance since Jan. 3, and on the season, Severson has four goals, 23 points, 74 blocked shots, 74 shots on net, 36 hits, 30 PIM and a plus-8 rating in 58 games.

Thompson will get the starting nod at home against the Mammoth on Tuesday, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.

Thompson heads into Tuesday's tilt on a three-game winning streak during which he has posted a 1.68 GAA and .937 save percentage. On the year, the 29-year-old Calgary native has already reached the 20-win mark for the fourth consecutive year and might still have enough time to push for 30.

Coyle notched two assists, one on the power play, in Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

The veteran center had a hand in tallies by Kirill Marchenko in the first period and Mathieu Olivier in the second. Coyle has been on fire since late January, and the Olympic break did nothing to cool him down -- over the last nine games, he's produced five multi-point performances and piled up five goals and 15 points in total.

Marchenko scored two goals, one on the power play and the other the overtime winner, and added an even-strength assist in Monday's 5-4 victory over the Rangers.

After picking up two points in the first period, Marchenko ended the night by beating Igor Shesterkin on the short side just over a minute into the extra frame. The 25-year-old winger is up to 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) on the season in only 53 games as he surges toward a career-best campaign, and it's possible he could find another gear down the stretch if Columbus' special teams improve -- Marchenko's power-play goal was his first since Dec. 22, and just his fourth of 2025-26.

James (leg) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Erik Erlendsson of LightningInsider.com reports.

The move to put James on IR freed up a roster spot for the Bolts to add Conor Geekie in a corresponding move. Already ruled out for the next two games, the 23-year-old James should probably be expected to miss the entire four-game road trip now that he is on injured reserve.

Geekie was elevated from AHL Syracuse on Tuesday, Erik Erlendsson of LightningInsider.com reports.

Geekie will likely serve as an emergency depth option, as the Bolts have been utilizing seven blueliners of late, and seem likely to continue to do so Tuesday. Still, if the forward does get into the lineup, it will likely be in a bottom-six role, making him a mid-range fantasy target at best.

Merzlikins made 29 saves in Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

The Blue Jackets seemed to have the game well in hand when they took a 4-0 lead into the second intermission, but Merzlikins not only lost his shutout just 30 seconds into the third frame, he nearly lost the game entirely as the Rangers fired 17 shots his way as part of a furious comeback effort. Kirill Marchenko was able to beat Igor Shesterkin in OT to salvage the win for the visitors, however. Merzlikins has won four of his last five as he maintains a timeshare with Jet Greaves, posting a 2.40 GAA and .906 save percentage over that stretch.

Saros turned aside 27 of 30 shots in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Red Wings, with Detroit's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

After a stellar showing for Finland at the Olympics en route to a bronze medal, Saros has returned to Nashville and been dragged back down by the team's defensive struggles. The veteran netminder has allowed at least three goals in 11 straight NHL outings dating back to Jan. 13, going 4-3-3 over that stretch with a rough 4.06 GAA and .877 save percentage.