NHL Player News

Celebrini scored twice on four shots, added two assists and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Ducks.

Celebrini already had two points in the contest before he stepped up late in the third period. He tied the game at 18:21 of the frame with his 40th goal of the season, and he then set up Alexander Wennberg on the go-ahead tally just 1:08 later. Celebrini has popped off for nine points over his last three contests, making up for the five-game span before that in which he was limited to one assist. The 19-year-old superstar has 105 points, 257 shots on net, 46 hits, 46 blocked shots, 40 PIM and a plus-5 rating over 73 outings. This is already the fourth-most points in a season by a teenager in NHL history, and Celebrini is just two points away from matching Jimmy Carson's 1987-88 campaign with the Kings for a spot in the top-three.

Askarov stopped 28 of 31 shots in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Ducks.

This one was looking like a loss for Askarov, but Macklin Celebrini pulled off some magic late to flip the result in the last two minutes. This was Askarov's second win in a row, though he has allowed seven goals on 57 shots in those games. He's up to 21-17-3 with a 3.52 GAA and an .886 save percentage through 43 appearances this season. Alex Nedeljkovic will likely get the nod Thursday versus the Maple Leafs, but Askarov should be back between the pipes Saturday against the Predators, which is a matchup that has massive implications on the wild-card race.

Thomas scored a goal on four shots in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Kings.

Thomas got credit for the Blues' lone goal, which came off a Philip Broberg shot that deflected in off Thomas' skate. This ended a six-game goal drought for Thomas, though he still had five assists in that span. He's up to 17 goals, 50 points, 87 shots on net, 37 blocked shots and a plus-16 rating through 56 appearances. The 26-year-old continues to be a steady presence on the Blues' top line.

Binnington stopped 24 of 26 shots in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Kings.

Binnington did his part, but the Blues' offense didn't give him enough support. The 32-year-old has gone 4-1-1 with just 10 goals allowed over his last six outings, a remarkable turnaround compared to how he started the season. The early damage is still obvious in his year-long stats, which have him at a 12-19-7 record with a 3.29 GAA and an .874 save percentage over 39 appearances. Binnington and Joel Hofer are currently sharing the workload between the pipes, and it'll likely be Hofer in goal for Friday's game in Anaheim.

Moore scored a goal on six shots and added two hits in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.

Moore came up clutch in a big moment, scoring 1:56 into overtime to secure the win for the Kings. The 31-year-old is heating up again with four points and 15 shots on net over his last four contests. He's up to a total of 11 goals, 25 points, 138 shots on net, 53 hits, 31 blocked shots and a minus-6 rating over 61 appearances this season while seeing steady middle-six minutes.

Kempe scored a power-play goal on five shots in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.

Kempe opened the scoring late in the second period. He has two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak, but that tally was his first on the power play since Jan. 29 versus the Sabres. The 29-year-old winger has remained fairly consistent at even strength while filling a top-line role. Kempe has 28 goals, 63 points, 198 shots on net, 119 hits, 56 PIM, 37 blocked shots and a plus-10 rating over 73 appearances. He may miss the 70-point mark for the first time in three years, but he's still within striking distance of his fourth 30-goal campaign.

Forsberg stopped 23 of 24 shots in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime win over the Blues.

The Kings turned to Forsberg in the first half of a back-to-back, and he delivered a strong outing to get a critical win. This was the first time he allowed fewer than three goals in a start since Feb. 28 versus the Flames, which explains why Darcy Kuemper has seen the bulk of the work since the start of March. Forsberg improved to 12-11-5 with a 2.74 GAA and a .903 save percentage over 31 contests this season. Kuemper will be between the pipes Thursday versus the Predators in another pivotal matchup, and if he struggles, it could open the door for Forsberg to see more time over the last two weeks of the season.

Nichushkin registered two assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the Canucks.

Nichushkin has a goal and six helpers over his last seven contests. The 31-year-old winger continues to contribute in a top-six role, though he had just 13:01 of ice time Tuesday despite the Avalanche needing to push for offense. He's up to 45 points, 147 shots on net, 53 hits, 24 PIM, 23 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating over 65 appearances this season.

Toews notched two assists and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the Canucks.

Toews set up goals by Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Malinski in this contest. The 32-year-old Toews could get a little more room to shine on offense while Cale Makar (upper body) is out of action. With four helpers over his last six games, Toews is already building momentum. He's at 21 points, 102 shots on net, 71 blocked shots, 30 PIM and a plus-35 rating over 61 appearances this season. He's likely to finish below the 30-point mark for the first time in his six years with the Avalanche.

Kelly scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the Canucks.

Kelly has surged late in the season with four goals and three assists during a five-game point streak. That has the 26-year-old knocking on the door of a 20-goal campaign -- he's at 19 tallies to go with 14 helpers, 93 shots on net, 169 hits, 52 blocked shots, 26 PIM and a plus-16 rating over 74 appearances. Kelly's reliable all-around play and depth scoring have made him an intriguing option for deeper fantasy formats this year.