NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2021
The Golden Knights advance to the second round, updates on the Leafs and Canadiens, the Ducks seek an assistant coach, a Gretzky rookie card fetches a record price at auction, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights advanced to the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs following a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 7 of their first-round series. Mattias Janmark tallied a hat trick for the Golden Knights, who faced the Colorado Avalanche in round two. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin left the game in the first period with an apparent upper-body injury.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mattias Janmark (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a close game early in the second period tied at two. However, the Golden Knights scored twice before the period was out and Janmark put it away with two goals in the third. It was a hard-fought series and the only one thus far in the first round to go the full seven games. This was a tough loss for the Wild but they have a promising future thanks to their budding core of young talent.
TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs center Nick Foligno remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and questionable for Game 6 tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Defenseman Travis Dermott could replace Rasmus Sandin for tonight’s game.
Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans could return to the lineup tonight after being sidelined since Game 1 with an undisclosed injury. Artturi Lehkonen (upper-body) remains doubtful.
NHL.COM: Game 1 of the second-round series between the Carolina Hurricanes – Tampa Bay Lightning goes Sunday in Carolina at 5 pm ET.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Lightning, they’ve ended their policy that restricted fans from wearing gear supporting other NHL clubs in their premium seating areas. This move came after a video went viral showing Florida Panthers fans being asked to remove their jerseys jersey by team staffers during a recent playoff game between the two clubs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a bush-league rule that never should’ve been implemented in the first place.
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray said head coach Dallas Eakin will return next season. He’s also looking for an assistant coach who can run their power play.
NBC SPORTS: A Wayne Gretzky rookie card recently sold for a record $3.75 million at auction.
Did anyone else think that it appeared that Vegas tried (and succeeded) in taking Wild players out of the game ? I thought that Reaves hit on Suter could well have been called a match penalty. I started to think I was watching a Battle Bot show.
I agree and I wonder if the Avs can hold up against the Knights physicality … I know you can’t hit what you can’t catch but Vegas really plays a heavy game …
Vegas sure gets away with a lot of infractions. Hits from behind, hooks, slashes, high sticks that draw blood, blatent attempts to injure.
I wonder if Seattle will be afforded the same luxury? I guess if you pay half a billion dollars you get more than a stacked roster on opening night.
Shoreorrpark, I watched a few games in this series and thought the exact same thing. “Boy those Knights get away with a lot of stuff”
Another example of the Golden Knight’s purchasing power might be the pardon they received from losing a player in the Seattle expansion draft, their return for relinquishing their share of the Kraken’s expansion fee. It appears that the NHL has put the Stanley Cup up for sale.
I’m with you. It seemed that Vegas was targeting Minny’s defenseman. I don’t like their style of play, and wanted them out. Now, being a Detroit guy, I find myself in the awful position of hoping the Avs beat Vegas, and then Colorado is swept in the next round. 🙂
I’ll go for anyone beating Vegas. They’ve only been in the league about four years and have already been in the final in their first year. George Mcfee is a jerk