NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 29, 2020
Chris Kreider sidelined with a fractured foot, the red-hot Golden Knights and Flyers continue their winning ways and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Jakub Voracek tied a career-high with four assists as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Rangers 5-2, snapping the latter’s nine-game road winning streak. Claude Giroux also scored twice as the Flyers (81 points) moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division. It was a costly loss for the Rangers (74 points) as winger Chris Kreider suffered a fractured foot in the first period. They remain two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider suffered a fractured foot on Friday against the Philadelphia Flyers (Photo via NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A lengthy absence for Kreider could prove fatal to the Rangers’ playoff hopes. He sits third among the Blueshirts in goals (24) and provides a physical presence to their forward lines.
The Flyers vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins (80 points), who dropped a 3-2 decision to the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson made 28 saves as the Ducks held on for the win. Jason Zucker scored both goals for the Penguins, who’ve lost five straight games.
Netminder Robin Lehner stopped 32 shots for his first victory with the red-hot Vegas Golden Knights by doubling up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. Reilly Smith tallied twice for the Golden Knights (80 points), who’ve won eight straight and hold a six-point lead atop the Pacific Division. Vegas winger Mark Stone missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Alex Stalock kicked out 24 shots to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-0, with Zach Parise scoring a goal and setting up two others. The Wild (71 points) are just one point out of a wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Jackets have lost 10 of their last 11 games and cling to the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 76 points. Jackets winger Alexander Wennberg returned to action for the first time in 12 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: These are two teams going in different directions. The Wild have won six of their last 10 and are rising in the Western standings, while the Blue Jackets are danger of tumbling out of a playoff spot.
The Colorado Avalanche picked up their fifth straight win by edging the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Avs goalie Pavel Francouz turned aside 45 shots while Tyson Jost tallied two goals. Colorado (83 points) moved three points ahead of the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho extended his points streak to 14 games. Carolina sits two points behind the Blue Jackets.
HEADLINES
WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Patrik Laine remains doubtful for tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Laine took a shot off his foot in Wednesday’s win over Washington. X-rays revealed he didn’t suffer any broken bones.
SPORTSNET: Oilers defenseman Mike Green will be sidelined three-four weeks with a knee injury.
NEWSDAY: The New York Islanders loaned winger Josh Ho-Sang to the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate in San Antonio. Sources also say the Islanders will play all their playoff games this season and next at Nassau Coliseum, as well as their entire 2020-21 regular-season schedule. The Isles are expected to begin playing in their new arena at Belmont Park in 2021-22.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: The AHL approved the transfer of ownership of the San Antonio Rampage to the Golden Knights, “as well as the relocation of the franchise to Henderson/Las Vegas.”
5 losses in a row for Pens
Now clinging to 3rd in Div…. just a week and a bit ago were in first and 3rd in entire League
Once again they come up against a strong goalie performance and had 4 posts/crossbars and some very near misses
It is very hard that while chemistry is trying to be built with the new forwards that Sully was shuffling forwards around the lines even more ….. tough to build that connection
Sully’s biggest faux pas though is not just a head scratcher now but something that really needs looking into
After the LA game:
Already down Dumo and Marino;
already having lost 4 in a row;
After the worst D-Man once again playing a wreck of a game against LA;
and with Trotman recenly playing poorly;
and really needing to break out of a slide
Add to that Riikola’s very good performance against LA…..
And what does Sully do?
Puts Riikola in the press box and brings in the far inferior Trottman to play two righties together????
Pens needed a win last night and Trottman in over Riikola???
Riikola is better than Trottman, Ruhwedel (although Ruhwedel had a pretty fair performance last night) and the horrific JJ….and Wed. he (Riikola) had a very good game
Yet Sully sits him and pairs up two righties….. and the result is costly errors by Trottman ; and of course the usual from JJ
Rikkola must have pissed off Sully on a non hockey related issue
His hickey performance puts him solidly ahead of Ruhwedel , Trotman ; and JJ in talent and therefore should be placed ahead in real depth chart…. he should be 6th D
If he was a problem in the dressing room we would have heard about it
Did Riikola mouth off to Sully in private… too many F-Bombs in Finnish?
Is Riikola getting Fresh with Mrs. Sully???
Does Sully have a dislike if Finns?
Tonight if neither Dumo or Marino is back and Trottman in over Riikola … the Gig is up
Playoffs absolutely should have
Tanger/Dumo
Marino/Pettersson
Shultz/Riikola
…. but Sully is absolutely and fully blind to JJ and his very costly performances this year so he will play him ….. but it better be bottom pairing ; ABSOLUTELY NO special teams and 10-12 mins max
😡😡😭😭
Pengy, I’m sorry this is happening to you.
I’ll include you in my prayers from here on in.
Thanks ShoreOrrPark
Greatly appreciated
June 15th (next buyout window) is only 107 sleeps away🤞🙏😀
NP, bud.
Enjoy shopping with your mom.
Cherish every day with her.
Thanks
I do…. i enjoy taking her shopping (and all times with her) but lost her again at Costco earlier today. I only called her cell 5 times to find out where she was. When I found her lined up waiting for the roast chickens to come out of the oven ….she said she didn’t hear the cell phone ring ….the lady beside her whispered to me that she had heard mom’s phone ringing in her purse and just thought mom was ignoring calls…. I had to chuckle to myself 😀
Lol. Nice.
Costco chicken is underrated.
Maybe Pengy could cheer for his Plan B team….. lots of room on the bandwagon these days.