Mitch Marner says he wasn't concerned about shielding his face as he blocked a pair of shots in the dying seconds of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-2 victory in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins on Monday night.

"I mean, there's dentists for a reason, so whatever," Marner told the media, including TSN, at practice Tuesday. "Luckily enough, it didn't hit me in the face, but it could have been a tough result if it had."

Marner laid out in front of two David Pastrnak blasts mere moments before the final buzzer sounded Monday night.

"I was already down there, I was right in front of him," added Marner. "I knew if (the puck) got in there, it was going to be kind of a tough shot for (Maple Leafs goaltender) Freddie (Andersen) to save. It was going to be low and hard, and I didn't know what would happen, so I just tried to sprawl out as much as possible. (I) put my arms out and lucky enough, it hit me."

Marner's teammates appreciated his efforts.

"Just a guy doing whatever it takes to keep the puck out of the net," Jake Muzzin said. "We need everybody to (have) that mentality and that mindset, so it was awesome to see (Monday) night."

John Tavares agreed.

"When you see a guy sacrificing their body to make a play that's obviously going to help the team, and there's some pain that obviously comes with that, no question, especially a guy like Mitch that obviously plays a big role for our team ... (to see him) make a key play there gives everyone a big boost, especially when it's able to help solidify a victory," he said.

Marner logged more ice time in Game 3 than all skaters for both clubs except Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, and Bruins blue-liners Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy. His defense in the game is what stood out, but he also fired five shots on goal and notched an assist on Auston Matthews' second-period marker.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without their best defenseman when they try to stave off elimination.

Victor Hedman won't play in Game 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said after the morning skate.

Hedman also missed Game 3 of the first-round series Sunday with an undisclosed injury.

The reigning Norris Trophy winner notched 54 points in 70 regular-season games during 2018-19.

Cooper added Tuesday that Anton Stralman will also miss Game 4. Stralman has been out with what the club classified as a lower-body injury and last played in Tampa Bay's penultimate regular-season game on April 4.

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The Carolina Hurricanes are playing it safe with Andrei Svechnikov after the 19-year-old rookie was injured in a fight with Alex Ovechkin on Monday night.

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said Tuesday he would assume Svechnikov is out for Game 4 against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, according to The Athletic's Chris Kuc.

Brind'Amour added that Svechnikov is in concussion protocol and went to the hospital Monday night, though everything "checked out," according to the team's senior web producer, Michael Smith.

"We're going to be real careful," the Carolina bench boss said Tuesday.

Ovechkin dropped Svechnikov to the ice with a hard right hand after the Russian countrymen engaged in the first period Monday night. Svechnikov did not return to the game.

The Capitals superstar said postgame that Svechnikov asked him to square off, but Brind'Amour seemingly questioned that statement Tuesday.

"There's two versions of that going around. I'll just leave it at that," the Hurricanes head coach told reporters, including NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.

Brind'Amour also expressed his feelings about fighting in hockey, in light of the circumstances.

The Hurricanes defeated the Capitals 5-0 on Monday night to cut Washington's series lead to 2-1.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have hired Alain Vigneault as their new head coach, the club announced Monday.

Vigneault signed a multi-year contract. A source told TSN's Pierre LeBrun that it's a five-year deal worth $25 million.

He is the 21st bench boss in Flyers history and will succeed interim head coach Scott Gordon, who took over for the fired Dave Hakstol in December.

Vigneault spent five seasons at the helm of the New York Rangers, leading them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2014. He was fired by New York on the final night of the 2017-18 regular season.

Before his Rangers tenure, he coached the Vancouver Canucks for seven campaigns, guiding them to the Cup Final in 2011.

Vigneault's first opportunity as an NHL head coach came with the Montreal Canadiens, whom he served from 1997-2000.

He will also guide Canada at the upcoming World Championship in Slovakia.

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The Nashville Predators will be without two veteran players for the foreseeable future.

Wayne Simmonds is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and Brian Boyle was given the same timetable after having an appendix procedure, the team announced Monday.

The Predators acquired both players in separate deals before the Feb. 25 trade deadline.

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Victor Hedman appears unlikely to suit up in another critical game for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The star defenseman is doubtful for Game 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said Monday, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.

Hedman was held out of Game 3 with an undisclosed ailment.

Columbus took a 3-0 series lead over Tampa Bay with a 3-1 victory Sunday.

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San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton will have a hearing Monday for a hit to the head of Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

Thornton checked Nosek up high late in the second period of Game 3 on Sunday.

He was assessed a minor penalty for a hit to the head.

Nosek was able to return to the game and played eight shifts in the third period.

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The Colorado Avalanche aren't wasting any time getting Cale Makar in the lineup.

Makar will make his NHL debut Monday night in Game 3 of Colorado's first-round playoff series against the Calgary Flames, the club announced.

The Avalanche signed the 20-year-old to a three-year, entry-level contract Sunday.

Makar's University of Massachusetts squad lost to Minnesota Duluth on Saturday in the Frozen Four national championship game.

He won the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA Division I men's hockey player after amassing 49 points in 41 contests this season.

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Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane will once again lead the United States at the World Championship.

Kane was named the captain of the squad for the upcoming tournament by USA Hockey on Monday.

The 30-year-old winger will be representing his country for the eighth time on the international stage.

Kane captained the team to a bronze-medal finish at the 2018 worlds. He led the event in scoring and was named tournament MVP.

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Torey Krug and Jake DeBrusk will suit up for the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters after the morning skate.

Krug was leveled by Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin in the second period of Game 2 on Saturday. He left the contest and didn't return.

DeBrusk was cross-checked in the head by Leafs forward Nazem Kadri in the third period of the same game. He also left and didn't play another shift.

Kadri has a hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon with the NHL's Department of Player Safety to answer for the cross-check on DeBrusk.

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