NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2022
Jonathan Huberdeau sets a league record in Jonathan Toews’ 1,000th game, Auston Matthews is the first player this season to score 50 goals, potential investors are circling the Senators in the wake of Eugene Melnyk’s death, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Jonathan Huberdeau set a single-season assist record for left wingers (71) as his Florida Panthers blanked the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0, spoiling the 1,000th career NHL game of Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves for the shutout while Aleksander Barkov scored twice. With 98 points, the Panthers are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes but sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.
Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Huberdeau really doesn’t get the attention he deserves for his playmaking skills. He’s fourth overall in total assists (271) since 2017-18, four behind the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane and nine behind the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is the overall leader during that period with 340.
Toews would’ve reached the 1,000 game mark much sooner had he not missed all of last season to illness. It’s been a difficult campaign for the Blackhawks captain, with 29 points in 57 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews became the first player to reach the 50-goal plateau this season in a 7-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. William Nylander scored twice while Mitch Marner and Ilya Mikheyev each collected three points as the Leafs (91 points) move one point ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning into second place in the Atlantic Division. With 76 points, the Jets are three points behind the Dallas Stars for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the fourth player in Leafs history to score 50 goals in a season, joining Rick Vaive, Gary Leeman and Dave Andreychuk. With 15 games remaining in the season, he’s poised to overtake Vaive for the Leafs’ single-season record (54) and has a realistic shot of becoming the first NHL player to reach the 60-goal mark since Lightning captain Steven Stamkos did it in 2011-12.
Third-period goals by Mikko Rantanen and Andre Burakovsky lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Nazem Kadri and Erik Johnson each had two assists for Colorado while teammate Nathan MacKinnon returned to the lineup after missing one game with an injured hand. With 102 points, the Avs hold a four-point lead over the Panthers and Hurricanes atop the overall standings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was originally reported that MacKinnon suffered a fractured bone in his hand following a recent fight with Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba. While he was declared “good to go” by the Avalanche, it’ll be interesting to see if that injury has any effect on his performance.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made 32 saves to shut out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Andrei Svechnikov tallied twice while Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist. Canadiens netminder Jake Allen stopped 40 shots in a losing cause.
Jamie Benn’s overtime goal gave the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, extending the latter’s winless streak to 11 games. Jake Oettinger kicked out 21 shots for the win as the Stars (79 points) hold a one-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western wild-card spot.
A shootout goal by Lias Andersson lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames. Viktor Arvidsson tied the game with 4:22 remaining in the third period while Cal Petersen picked up the win with a 26-save effort. Jacob Markstrom stopped 30 shots for the Flames, who hold a five-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 89 points.
Evgeni Malkin’s overtime goal lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Minnesota Wild 4-3, ending the latter’s seven-game winning streak. Rickard Rakell scored two goals for the Penguins (92 points), who sit one point behind the second-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jason Zucker’s return to the Penguins lineup after missing the last 30 games to core-muscle surgery didn’t last long. He was helped from the ice in the second period after suffering what looked like a serious leg injury from crashing awkwardly into the boards. No update was provided on his status.
A six-goal second period powered the Boston Bruins to an 8-1 romp over the New Jersey Devils. Brad Marchand tallied twice while Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak each collected three points as the Bruins (89 points) hold a five-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins honored recently-retired goalie Tuukka Rask in a ceremonial pre-game puck drop.
The New York Islanders defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves while Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist for the Isles.
HEADLINES
OTTAWA SUN/THE ATHLETIC: Michael Traikos and Ian Mendes report that potential investors are already looking into purchasing the Senators only days after owner Eugene Melnyk passed away on Monday. Ownership of the team is expected to pass to Melnyk’s college-age daughters Anne and Olivia. Mendes confirmed there are “multiple groups” who’ve expressed interest in purchasing the Senators with the plan of keeping them in the Ottawa market.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Melnyk isn’t even in the ground yet and already the vultures are circling hoping to pick up the Senators. One would think they’d at least allow his family time to grieve before making inquiries about buying the franchise. That’s the cold-blooded business world for you.
Nothing will happen until after Melnyk’s estate has been settled, which could take weeks. That’s when we’ll learn if his daughters will retain or sell the franchise. Based on the reports by Traikos and Mendes, they won’t lack potential bidders keen on keeping the club in Ottawa.
AZCENTRAL.COM: Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller’s season is over after undergoing surgery for a broken leg suffered during Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. His recovery period is expected to be between four to six months.
TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Petr Mrazek will be sidelined for at least six weeks with a groin injury.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi is expected to miss two weeks with a lower-body injury.
THE ATHLETIC: The Buffalo Sabres will honor long-time broadcaster Rick Jeanneret with a banner prior to tonight’s game against the Nashville Predators. The Hall-of-Fame play-by-play man has covered the Sabres since 1971 and will retire at the end of this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved honor for the long-time voice of the Sabres.
“And the population of Pominville goes up by one!”
“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”
Unforgettable calls.
Way harder to score goals with a goalie in the net.
Stout observation obe. You mad? I can see how much you know by making a comment like that were Ovi who has 8 EN goals or McD has 6 but you thought to comment on the guy that scored 50 goals in 62 games and only scored 4 EN goals and the most goals 5 on 5. He’s way back on PP goals compared to his rivals.
Strong point there as always obe. You sir are a fountain of knowledge.
Never seen a goalie on his 49th either so that’s 100 percent of his last 2 goals with no goalie in the net I like goal scores who score on a goalie just my preference. Might try winning a playoff series also before crowning him MVP.
Where did I call him mvp? You think you know hockey, but one can’t help but notice how much you don’t.
Why are you so mad? He’s only the 4th player in franchise history to pot 50 and like I said, in 62 games, most are on 5on 5 and doesn’t have PPGs padding his stats and scored less than other successful goal scorer ENGs with 4.
Sad.
Rask was not what you’d call a money goalie he was a choker
Rick, are you still feeling aggrieved that Rask left the playoff bubble to be with his young daughter when she was hospitalized?
Awww I feel bad for you, not sure how you get through the day.
I suppose time doesn’t heal all wounds.
My guess is Rask will be in the HOF with the rest of the chokers.
Another solid start and win for Ullmark.
Yep – and isn’t he the guy some wanted to throw under the bus? Boston, with the 2nd best record in the LEAGUE since Feb 1 – only Calgary is a tick better – and the fault-finders still find a reason to bitch. I guess they’re supposed to have THE best record
Cgy 27 19 6 2 40 106 66 .750
Bos 25 17 6 2 36 84 63 .708
As for Matthews, I think the lesson there is, if you have your goalie pulled in a tight game the last guy you want having the puck is Matthews – ergo, do a better job of puck-handling and checking because he doesn’t miss.
Ray
Never mind him has not played the sport since peewee. TGIF
Most game winning goals
1- Leon Draisaitl
2- Chris Kreisler
3- A little Pasta
4- Jason Robertson
5- Steven Stamkos
6- Johnny Hockey
7- Filip Forsberg
8- Timo Meier
Nice list.
Considering that some of those are construed as game-winning goals by virtue of being the 3rd goal scored in an 8-2 rout, for example, what I’d like to see are true “game-winning” goals, i.e., scored in OT and in a tight 1-goal difference game.
Bwaaaap!!
What a waste of pixels. Here are the top GWG scorers…so what? What’s next, here’s a list of the top face punchers?