NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2021

by | May 24, 2021 | News, NHL | 24 comments

The Bruins eliminated the Capitals, the Avalanche sweep the Blues, the Jets rally to put Oilers on the brink, and the Predators tie their series with the Hurricanes. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrice Bergeron scored twice and Tuukka Rask made 40 saves as the Boston Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 to win their opening-round series 4 games to 1. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were strong on the power play and penalty kill in this series. Core veterans like Bergeron, Rask, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak led the way while Charlie McAvoy continues to grow as an elite defenseman.

The first three games of this series were very close and could’ve gone either way, but Washington failed to recover from their double-overtime loss in Game 3. Changes could be in store for the Capitals following three straight first-round playoff exits.

The Colorado Avalanche swept the St. Louis Blues in four games with a 5-2 victory. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist. Vladimir Tarasenko scored both goals for the Blues, who played without sidelined forward David Perron and defensemen Justin Faulk, Robert Bortuzzo and Vince Dunn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The absence of those key players contributed to the Blues’ demise. Even if they had been in the lineup, however, they might’ve only delayed their club’s elimination by a game or two. Led by MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen, a deep blueline corps featuring Cale Makar and goaltender Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche were just too powerful for St. Louis.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers capped a four-goal rally as the Winnipeg Jets downed the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Ehlers scored twice while Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 44 saves. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and Connor McDavid collected three assists. The Jets can close out the series in Game 4 tonight. Oilers forward Josh Archibald faces a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for clipping Jets defenseman Logan Stanley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a stunning collapse by Edmonton. They had a 4-1 lead early in the third period and seemed to have this game under wraps.

The turning point was the Archibald penalty. The Jets tallied three goals in just over a three-minute span, including two goals 16 seconds apart by Blake Wheeler and Josh Morrissey to force the extra frame. The Oilers now face the daunting challenge of trying to overcome a 3-0 series deficit.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Kunin’s double-overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to even their series at two games apiece. Kunin also scored the game-opening goal while teammate Juuse Saros made 58 saves for the win. Brock McGinn scored twice for the Hurricanes. The series shifts back to Carolina for Game 5 on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most entertaining game of the day for me. It was a see-saw contest as both clubs pushed hard for the win. With back-to-back double-overtime victories, the Predators overcame a 2-0 series deficit.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri will appeal his eight-game suspension for his hit to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber was fined $5,000.00 by the league for crosschecking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds in Game 2 on Saturday.







24 Comments

  1. The Bruins and Avalanche make short work of Washington and St. Louis, while Winnipeg is on the verge of doing the same to Edmonton (which NO one predicted) – all of which point to probably shake-ups for the losing teams. And Carolina, who just about all felt would deal quickly with Nashville, suddenly have their hands full.

    • Sorry George, I did. Outside the top two on the Oilers there isn’t much there. I expect Winnipeg to win the North.

      No it ain’t over but it’s over

      • In 4?

      • I’m with you, Caper. I think the Jets come out of the North as well. Particularly if the Leafs are without Tavares. I just don’t buy that “back in two weeks stuff.”

    • I predicted Winnipeg to beat Edmonton. But I also predicted Washington to beat Boston and St. Louis think o beat Colorado so I’m still horrible!

      • I picked Jets in 7. My pool is about evenly split between the two teams but the wag that took Jets in 4 was clearly rolling the dice. Media loves stark story lines so the Jets had no chance. Of course, playoff lore suggests the better goalie usually wins. I picked Washington too. I should have gone with the goalie thing there, despite Rask’s detractors.

    • George It’s not over yet.

      I be lying if I said 4 straight.

      Yes in 4 straight.

  2. It was a good day of hockey; I expected Boston to advance but i didn’t think it would be in 5 games.

    I was hoping the Bruins would get Mantha at the trade deadline, glad that didn’t happen, can dominate when on his game, certainly wasn’t on his game much.

    Winnipeg you kidding me, down 4-1 in the third. Wow what a finish and what a snipe by Ehlers.

    Edmonton big boys played well but the Oilers couldn’t stop the bleeding.

    Arhcibald doesn’t have to worry about the player safety board, as Tippet refer to his penalty a dew times in the media scrum after the game. Doubt he’s in even if available.

  3. Charlie Mac continues to improve and Patrice is there in the crunch. With the way they’re playing now the b’s will be hard to beat plenty of hurdles ahead. I’ve watched some of the other series Nashville is on the cusp of something special. And Wnp wow. Mcdavid is the best player in the world but the oilers are falling apart I think it’s over for them. Tally ho

  4. This meltdown from the Oilers while holding a 4-1 lead in the third period. Hmm….doesn’t this remind you of another team that held a 4-1 lead in the third period of Game 7 in 2013 round one?? I wonder which team blew that lead in 2013?

    • Well, Edmonton blew a three goal lead in the last three minutes against Anaheim in 2017 in the playoffs, that would be a bit more relevant and more recent but we got it you hate Toronto. Good for you.

      • fcl, since he likes to drag up ancient history (is there a player on the Leafs today who was there in 2013?) , you may wish to point out to him that it was also a Leafs team that was the ONLY one to come back from an 0-3 deficit in the Cup finals to win it.

      • Hey George, it was Morgan Riley‘s rookie season. He’s the only one who was there and he had just started playing in the league. I was just curious why a game between Toronto and Boston eight years ago was relevant to what happened to Edmonton yesterday but what Edmonton did four years ago wasn’t, even though some of those players are still on that team. I guess in some peoples minds Toronto is the only team to blow a three goal lead.

      • Boston did it in the playoffs during Dryden’s rookie appearance … in fact, I think it was a 4 goal lead, before Beliveau and the Habs began closing the gap to win it 7-5.

      • George, Rosie di mano wrote about that series, I think it was that series, a few days ago. Don Cherry was the first coach to let women reporters into the dressing room and I guess that was the series they let her into both teams rooms. she walked in the first thing she saw was dryden standing there naked as the day he was born. Rosie doesn’t strike me as being easily shocked though.

  5. lost $$$$$ but it was well worth it….

    BRC is tasting VG this morning

    GO BRUINS!!!!!!!

  6. Lyle….Am I missing something? I thought you would write a reaction to the Winnipeg game?

    That was a game that have long term effects on Edmonton. I was looking forward to reading what you would have to say about that.

    • I wrote a reaction to the Jets-Oilers game.

      • sorry Lyle I had assumed you had but could not find it….will look again

    • No, one he likes dammit!

      :p

    • OBD, big changes coming in Edmonton. How’s that?

  7. Ok …. did I for any stretch see Jets up 3-0…. no

    That said ….. IMHO toomuch is being said re “collapse” and “Oil expectations”

    Remember, whenever the analysts look at overall match-ups and previous games/series or current series , they tend to (rightfully so) ignore/set aside EN goals

    So…. that means Jets have won 3 successive 1 goal games; 2 in OT

    This series could just as easily been 2-1 Oil; perhaps even 3-0 Oil (unlikely but just for arguments sake)

    The difference in the two teams; plain and simple; is Hellebuyck

    Switch goalies ….. Oil up 2-1 for sure and probably 3-0

    Game 1 970 vs 900

    Game 2 …. both goalies did very well… 1-0, OT, 1,000 vs 972

    Game 3 917 vs 865

    Hellebuyck in for Oil…. Oil wins game 1 & 3 for sure

    The series is not over yet (effectively so I concede), but player of the series…. CH

    • Sorry Pengy, have to disagree with you. Hellebuyck is part of the reason for the wins. The strong play of the team and closing the gap, as well as not giving the Oilers time and space to move.

      Yes Heelbuyck is playing well but not alt of grade A chances given up. One could say without the play of Smith Winnipeg would’ve blown the Oilers out in 2 of 3 games.

      • Hi Caper

        I’m certainly not taking away from the Jets overall play

        But switching the goalies has Jets firing (less shots than Oil fired) on Hellebyuck; and Oil firing more shots (than he faced from Jets) on the weaker Smith

        I firmly believe, goalie flip…. and series 2-1 Oil minimum

        Remember , setting aside ENs… these were 3 one goal games