NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2021
The Flyers down the Bruins, the Blues defeat the Golden Knights plus the Jets brace for more COVID-19 cases, an update on the Oilers’ Mike Smith and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: Third-period goals by Cam Atkinson, Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier powered the Philadelphia Flyers over the Boston Bruins 6-3. Atkinson scored twice, Couturier and Joel Farabee each had a goal and an assist and Martin Jones made 37 saves for the win. Boston made it interesting by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the second period on goals by Taylor Hall and Brad Marchand. Bruins forward Nick Foligno left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury.
Philadelphia Flyers winger Cam Atkinson (NHL Images).
Jordan Binnington made 42 saves and Vladimir Tarasenko tallied the go-ahead goal to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Brandon Saad and Ivan Barbashev also tallied for the Blues while William Karlsson scored Vegas’ only goal.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets are reportedly bracing for more positive COVID-19 tests after captain Blake Wheeler tested positive and went into self-isolation on Tuesday. The club didn’t comment on the report but is expected to provide an update on Thursday.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli broke this story. He followed up on Twitter saying some tests that were initially positive have since been confirmed negative. Seravalli said it’s possible most of the roster will be cleared to play tonight against the Anaheim Ducks but the Jets are awaiting clarity on this changing situation.
TSN: Speaking of the Jets, they assigned prospect forward Cole Perfetti to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers goaltender Mike Smith has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. He’ll be sidelined for at least one week.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers’ playoff hopes rest on a healthy Smith unless backup Mikko Koskinen can step up in his absence, something he’s had difficulty doing in the past.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi is looking forward to facing the Canadiens in Montreal tonight. It will be his first game against his former team since signing a one-year, $6.1 million offer sheet in August. Kotkaniemi said he has no hard feelings and nothing but “real good memories” of his time with the Habs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given how poorly the Canadiens have started the season, Kotkaniemi could rub more salt in the wound by scoring during a Hurricanes victory tonight.
TSN: Speaking of the Canadiens, defenseman Joel Edmundson has taken a leave of absence to be with his father, who’s suffering from cancer. Edmundson has been sidelined thus far by an undisclosed injury.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmundson’s absence is part of the reason the Canadiens are 0-4-0 to start this season. He was a strong physical presence on their blueline last season, especially in the playoffs. Factor in the absence of starting goalie Carey Price (NHL player assistance program)and team captain Shea Weber (injuries) plus the departure of two-way center Phillip Danault (free agency) and it’s unsurprising the Canadiens look terrible thus far.
TSN: Florida Panthers forward Joe Thornton was fined $1,875.00 for slashing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Boris Katchouk on Tuesday.
Calgary Flames placed forward Glenn Gawdin on waivers yesterday.
Former NHL forward Artem Anisimov signed a one-year contract with KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
Another goalie duel last night… 80 shots… losing goalie (Lehner) goes 946… winner (Bennington )…977
I am a big fan of high scoring games so a 2-1 game (plus an EN goal) is not “up my alley”…. But there were some spectacular saves
Knights surely missing Stone and Patches
Montreal had a nice run to finals. But, besides all reasons pointed out here for their poor start, let’s remember they barely made playoffs last year. 4th in division and 18th overall. Digging an early hole will be tough to overcome.
All the reasons that Lyle pointed in the article are completely irrelevant as to why the Habs are losing. They’ve only scored 3 goals and Proce, Weber, Danault and KK Don’t really help in that department. Without Covid the Habs don’t even make the playoffs the last 2 year. The Cinderella run they had last year made them think they had a good team when they didn’t. Arizona made a huge mistake by making the pick involved in the trade top 10 protected. Shane Wright looks like a great player.
Anthony Duclair has scored as many goals as the habs, and Ovechkin has score one more! Lol.
Bruins stunk lastnight Chuck M had a couple nice passes he also had some very sloppy passes in his own end, Swayman was awful. Patrice has been invisible Matter of fact the only bruins who looked good were Brad and Taylor. Ullmark better step up to the plate Friday or it’s back The Kronor for this Plebeian.
Jesus Rick….you remind me of a Katy Perry song
When I think RickWMurray I am not picturing a “Firework”
B’s need to get some games in.
10 day layoff from last pre-season game to opener, then a 4 day break between the next one.
They didn’t give up a whack of chances, but the ones they did were high quality caused by mistakes. They usually get those cleaned up in short order.
Swayman had a tough night, that’s going to happen with any tender let alone one with 12 NHL games under his belt.
Your paying Ullmark, let’s see what he can do. Share the load and don’t put it all on a kid.
B’s will straighten it out.
The Bruins will need Rask back. Too bad you don’t want him but the organization and the real fans are a different story.
2015 Habs began the season 9-0 and missed the playoffs.
To paraphrase Mark Twain,
The reports of the Habs missing the playoffs are greatly exaggerated.
“Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.”
― Mark Twain
With how the team has started, their missing key pieces and the fact that they limped in the playoffs the last 2 years and would not have actually made it in a regular season, I don’t see the Habs making the playoffs this year.
Montreal couldn’t beat a team from the Thornhill senior citizens complex.
At one time I regarded you as something of a wit … alas, now I realize I was only half-right
hahahahaha….George, you’re too funny!
Your parents must be disappointed they wanted children.😢
George again you’re doing what you say others do to you…attacking the poster not his/her post.
Keep it up black pot. And Rick LOL Thornhill Srs are a badass bunch.
George–After reading your comment and habfan30’s, I’m convinced that Mark Twain is back and writing to Spector’s under pen names. I realize, though, that like you , I can be only half right, because my other half is left.
I’m still sticking in your craw, eh Ron? Knowing that you’ll react makes my day.
Rick, at least, came back with something equally as funny.
Righteous people have NO sense of humor.
As for your contention that I’m “doing what you say others do to you…attacking the poster not his/her post …” where and when, exactly, have I ever made such an asinine claim?
Unlike you, I’m a big boy now and can take it and, in fact, I absolutely love it when someone comes back with a classic jibe, as Rick did above. Hell, that one is a keeper.
Be careful, Ron, it’s been said that self-righteousness has killed more people than smoking.
Francis, don’t get involved. 2 wrongs don’t make a right, although 3 rights make a left.
Sorry, forgot the atrribution. ’twas Mark Twain that said that.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
― Mark Twain
I appreciate a good Mark Twain quote as much as some of you here, and I let a fair amount of the trash talk go, but let’s all stick to the NHL topics at hand.
You got it Lyle. I was trying to make the quotes match the actual hockey situation in one post and to try and point out that the anger not helping in this one.
I’ll repost for both and please erase my quotes if it helps.
No worries, TheFlyingV. My comment was aimed directly at you, don’t put yourself through the trouble of reposting. Cheers!
So…. If an event occurs during a game involving two players exchanging verbal jabs would that be an appropriate topic of conversation?
I feel like we’re on punishment now. Nice going guys.
I got that you were directing it at me, Lyle. When I said you could delete it and I’d repost, I didn’t mean I’d repost my Twain posts but that I’d repost something more on topic and relevant after you delete my Twain posts.
While I don’t believe the Habs will make the playoffs this year, do you have the roster for the Thornhill senior citizens complex? I would be curious as to who is on it and why you don’t thing the Habs couldn’t beat them.
By the way, we used to pound Thornhill in high school, maybe they’ve found another gear by now.
Doubt they have BCLeafFan.
I’ll drop $20 on BC’s squad, even with today’s Thornhill hype.
Or, as my dad always said, you be frank and I’ll be earnest.
(His name was Ernest).
I had a coworker/friend who named Frank who was barely 5 feet tall.
As often as I could, I would say “Now, I’m gonna be a little Frank with you….” He’s a good natured guy and could give it back as well as anyone.
At least the Habs don’t have to play RWM’s grandmother’s bridge clup
Every once in awhile a team hits that stride that takes them to places they never were meant to go. I think Montreal did that last year. It was fun watching. I remember the year Carolina won the Stanley Cup. We played Edmonton in game 7. They barely made the playoffs that season yet they took Carolina to game 7. What a great bunch of fans showed up in Raleigh that night. So no matter what your team is one thing I hope we all have in common is We Love Hockey. So please quit “attacking” each other over such bs as I’m right and your wrong. There is enough crap going on this world to be concerned with other than that. Cheers @(^_^)@ !!
As much as some of this degenerated into bologna…. I saw some great stuff today! Even bad dad jokes! Good day!