-
Evgeni Malkin C | PIT
Penguins' Evgeni Malkin: Two helpers against Jersey
Malkin notched two assists, one on the power play, in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Devils.
The 39-year-old stepped up in the absence of Sidney Crosby (lower body), having a hand in tallies by Thomas Novak in the first period and Yegor Chinakhov in the third. Malkin has gotten onto the scoresheet in 11 of the last 13 games, racking up four goals and 15 points over that stretch, and he's now just eight points away from 1,400 for his career.
-
Arturs Silovs G | PIT
Penguins' Arturs Silovs: Sharp in Thursday's win
Silovs turned aside 29 shots in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Devils.
A Dougie Hamilton blast from the blue line deflected past Silovs off Paul Cotter early in the second period, but otherwise the 24-year-old netminder shut down the New Jersey offense. Silovs has just one regulation loss in his last seven starts dating back to Jan. 13, going 4-1-2 with a dazzling 1.98 GAA and .929 save percentage.
-
Jacob Markstrom G | FLA
Devils' Jacob Markstrom: Flops against Penguins
Markstrom stopped 33 of 36 shots in Thursday's 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh, with the Penguins' final goal getting scored into an empty net.
The game was tied 1-1 heading into the third period, but goals 50 seconds apart by Connor Clifton and Yegor Chinakhov early in the frame ended the Devils' hopes. Markstrom has lost three of his last four starts dating back to Jan. 25, and since the beginning of January he's gone 6-5-0 with a 3.00 GAA and .884 save percentage.
-
Noah Dobson D | MON
Canadiens' Noah Dobson: Revenge game goes to waste
Dobson scored two goals, one on the power play, in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders.
Facing his former team for the first time, Dobson gave the Habs a 2-0 lead with tallies in the first and second periods, but the ice tilted in New York's favor the rest of the way. The 26-year-old blueliner extended his point streak to six games in the process, a stretch in which he's produced three goals and nine points, and on the season Dobson's delivered 12 goals and 40 points in 58 contests.
-
Sam Montembeault G | MON
Canadiens' Sam Montembeault: Sunk by Isles in OT
Montembeault made 22 saves in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had the netminder's number in the second period, wiring home two goals in a 55-second span, but it was Jean-Gabriel Pageau who ended the night by slipping the puck through Montembeault's five-hole on a clear break in OT. Montembeault has given up three or more goals in five of his last six starts dating back to Jan. 13, going 2-2-2 over that stretch with a 3.32 GAA and .886 save percentage.
-
Simon Holmstrom RW | NYI
Islanders' Simon Holmstrom: Two helpers against Habs
Holmstrom picked up two assists in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over Montreal.
The 24-year-old winger had a hand in the Islanders' final two goals of the night, including Jean-Gabriel Pageau's OT winner. Holmstrom has stepped up his production in a middle-six role since the calendar flipped to 2026, and over his last 16 games he's delivered five goals and 13 points.
-
Matthew Schaefer D | NYI
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Pots two goals in Montreal
Schaefer scored two goals, one on the power play, in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens.
With the Islanders down 2-0 midway through the second period, Schaefer took matters into his own hands to tie it up, scoring twice in 55 seconds before the second intermission. The teenage blueliner has lit the lamp five times in the last six games, and on the season the overwhelming Calder Trophy favorite has 18 goals and 41 points in his first 59 NHL contests -- setting a new Islanders record for goals in a season by a rookie defenseman in the process, and breaking the mark established in 1973-74 by Hall of Famer Denis Potvin.
-
Zach Benson LW | BUF
Sabres' Zach Benson: Game-time call
Benson (upper body) will be a game-time decision in Florida on Friday, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.
While head coach Lindy Ruff hasn't ruled out Benson against the Panthers, it seems more likely that he will suit up Saturday in Tampa Bay. Benson has missed three games with the injury. He has seven goals and 19 assists in 42 appearances this season.
-
Ilya Sorokin G | NYI
Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Collects win in OT
Sorokin turned aside 22 shots in Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Canadiens.
Montreal grabbed a 2-0 lead midway through the second period on a pair of tallies by Sorokin's former teammate Noah Dobson, but Matthew Schaefer stepped up and tied it before the second intermission, setting up a tense finish that was ended by an OT winner from Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Sorokin has won three straight starts and five of six sandwiched around the Olympic break, posting a 2.17 GAA and .923 save percentage over that stretch.
-
Viktor Arvidsson LW | DET
Bruins' Viktor Arvidsson: Lights lamp twice in win
Arvidsson scored two goals in Thursday's 4-2 win over Columbus.
The veteran winger potted Boston's first and last goals of the night, but neither was exactly highlight-reel material. Arvidsson's first tally came when his centering attempt from near the blue line tipped home off the stick of Isac Lundestrom, while his second was an empty-netter. It was Arvidsson's first multi-goal performance of the season, but he's been lighting the lamp on a regular basis since the beginning of January, producing nine goals and 13 points in the last 17 games.