MacKinnon exits game vs. Wild with lower-body injury

Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury, the team announced.

MacKinnon played the first two periods of Sunday's contest and didn't come out for the third. It's unclear when the forward suffered the injury.

"I haven't even talked to the trainers yet. I just know he wasn't able to go for the third period," head coach Jared Bednar said postgame, according to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers.

The 25-year-old had 15:24 of ice time through two periods and registered two assists.

MacKinnon has amassed two goals and 12 assists through 10 games this season, including Sunday's contest.

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Oilers, Sens combine for 8 goals in wild 1st period

Defense was optional during the first period of Sunday night's clash in Edmonton, as the Oilers and Ottawa Senators combined for eight goals in the opening 20 minutes.

The Oilers wasted no time finding the back of the net. Forward Dominik Kahun scorched Matt Murray eight seconds into the contest.

Kahun's lightning-quick tally tied Wayne Gretzky's franchise record for the fastest goal to open a game, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Edmonton added two more tallies by the 7:20 mark of the frame. James Neal tapped home his first of the season before defenseman Tyson Barrie buried a power-play bomb to register his first goal with his new club and chase Murray.

Neal added another before Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored to stretch Edmonton's lead to 5-1 through 13 minutes. It was the second-fastest five-goal outburst in Oilers history, missing the franchise record by four seconds. Superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both registered three assists.

The Sens refused to go away quietly, though, as Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson scored to head into the intermission down 5-3.

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Rangers place DeAngelo on waivers

The New York Rangers placed defenseman Anthony DeAngelo on waivers Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

DeAngelo, 25, was scratched for a pair of games earlier this season and has amassed one assist through six contests.

The 5-foot-11 blue-liner finished tied for fourth in both goals (15) and points (53) among all defensemen in 2019-20.

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Wild prospect Rossi back in Austria due to COVID-19 complications

Minnesota Wild prospect Marco Rossi has returned to his native Austria to rest due to COVID-19 complications, the team announced Saturday.

There is no timeline for his return.

Rossi was ruled out indefinitely with an upper-body injury earlier in January. The ailment stems from having COVID-19 in November, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

Minnesota drafted the 19-year-old ninth overall in 2020 after he posted 120 points in 56 games with the OHL's Ottawa 67's last season.

Rossi captained Austria at the 2021 world juniors in Edmonton, going pointless in four contests.

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Canadiens remove Anderson vs. Flames due to flu-like symptoms

The Montreal Canadiens removed forward Josh Anderson from Saturday's loss to the Calgary Flames due to flu-like symptoms, head coach Claude Julien said postgame.

"They chose to send him home," Julien said. "Obviously, we don't want that spreading, but he's tested negative for (COVID-19 and) he'll be tested again (Sunday). But with everything that's going on right now, it was cautionary measures by our medical staff."

Anderson played seven shifts in the first period of his team's 2-0 loss, but he logged only one in the second frame and one more in the third. The Canadiens then announced he wouldn't return.

The 26-year-old has collected four goals and an assist in his first eight games with Montreal. The club signed him to a seven-year, $38.5-million contract in October after acquiring him in a trade sending forward Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Bergevin denies report of Mete trade request, agent confirms rumor

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin denied reports that defenseman Victor Mete has requested a trade despite the player's agent saying the opposite.

"Not true and not trading him," Bergevin wrote in a text message to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

It was reported Saturday that Mete wants out of Montreal. His agent, Darren Ferris, said the request stems from a lack of playing time.

"There isn't opportunity to get in the lineup," Ferris said, according to LeBrun. "It's best for both the player and the team."

Mete has been a healthy scratch in each of the Canadiens' eight games this season, failing to crack a stout Montreal blue line after the additions of veteran Joel Edmundson and dynamic rookie Alexander Romanov.

The Habs' reconstructed defense corps has paid dividends to this point, as the club is 5-1-2 on the year.

Mete, 22, appeared in 51 games for Montreal last season, registering 11 points while averaging 16 minutes per night. He carries a $735,000 cap hit and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the campaign.

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Flames’ Bennett seeking trade

Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennett wants out.

Bennett's agent confirmed as much to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

"There was a rumor going around (Saturday) morning that Bennett might want a change of scenery, and I did call his agent, Darren Ferris, who said, 'Yes, that's true, he would like it to be considered,'" Friedman reported on the latest edition of "Saturday Headlines."

The Flames have not commented on the situation, according to Friedman.

"One thing I've gleaned in just calling around is that they're not in any hurry to do it," he added.

Bennett is in his sixth full season with the Flames, who drafted him fourth overall in 2014.

The 24-year-old has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that accompany his draft position. He entered Saturday's game against the Montreal Canadiens with no goals and one assist in six contests.

Bennett posted a career-high 18 markers and 18 helpers as a rookie in 2015-16, but he hasn't matched that output since then. He did produce five points in as many games during the 2018-19 playoffs, though, adding five goals and three assists in 10 postseason contests in 2020.

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Flyers make Konecny healthy scratch vs. Islanders

Travis Konecny is out of the lineup against the New York Islanders on Saturday night, Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault confirmed pregame, according to The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor.

Konecny is tied as the team's leading scorer with five goals and is second in points with eight through eight games. However, he's taken just one shot on goal and collected only one point - an assist - over his last three contests.

Vigneault acknowledged Konecny is one of the club's best three forwards and is doing some good things, but the bench boss cited both the team's lackluster five-on-five play as well as the 24-year-old forward's struggles in those situations. Vigneault said he spoke to Konecny about it Saturday morning.

"I've been talking to the players about it for some time, areas we need to be better at, areas that we have been good at in the past," the head coach said. "TK is the one tonight who is not going to play. His five-on-five game needs to be better in the areas that he's aware of."

Vigneault added he's asked the club to play better at five-on-five "basically after every game."

Konecny led the Flyers with 24 goals and 61 points in 2019-20.

Sam Morin, a former defenseman who the Flyers converted to forward before the start of the season, will make his 2021 debut with Konecny out.

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