Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Colorado Avalanche
Mikko Rantanen is in concussion protocol and did not play for the Avalanche against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
The forward left a 6-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday in the second period with an upper-body injury following a hit from Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
"He worked out yesterday. He skated this morning on his own. He's out," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said Sunday. "He's [in] concussion protocol. So, he's day to day, I would say."
Rantanen is tied for sixth in the NHL and ranks second on the Avalanche with 102 points (40 goals, 62 assists) in 77 games. He had played in 161 consecutive games.
Forward Miles Wood also didn't play for Colorado because of a lower-body injury. He is day to day.
Wood has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 72 games this season. -- Ryan Boulding
New Jersey Devils
Curtis Lazar could be out for the season because of an upper-body injury.
Lazar sustained the injury on his third shift of the second period of a 4-3 win at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. He had one shot and three hits in 6:38 of ice time against the Senators.
"He's not great," coach Travis Green said on Sunday. "I don't know if we'll see Lazar for the rest of the regular season."
New Jersey (37-36-4) is six points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with five games remaining. -- Mike G. Morreale
Ottawa Senators
Tim Stutzle is day to day with an upper-body injury and did not play against the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
The center was slow to get up after taking a hit from defenseman Niko Mikkola in a 6-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday and did not play in a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Stutzle leads the Senators with 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 75 games this season. -- Callum Fraser
Tampa Bay Lightning
Anthony Cirelli did not play in a 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday because of an undisclosed injury.
The forward left in the second period of a 7-4 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
"This isn't a long-term thing," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before the game. "Knowing that you're in this situation (having clinched a playoff spot), precaution has become more prevalent."
Cirelli has 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games this season.
Brandon Hagel, who was left wing on the second line with Cirelli at center, played against Pittsburgh. He left the game Thursday after colliding with teammate Steven Stamkos at 12:53 of the third period.
Forward Tanner Jeannot missed his second straight game because of an upper-body injury.
The Lightning next play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSOH). -- Wes Crosby
