NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 29, 2022
The Panthers win the Presidents’ Trophy, Hurricanes goalie tandem Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta win the Jennings Trophy, Dustin Brown announces his retirement following the playoffs and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers won the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in franchise history by blanking the Ottawa Senators 4-0. With 122 points, the Panthers hold the NHL’s best record this season. Spencer Knight turned in a 27-save shutout performance while Carter Verhaeghe tallied twice.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta kicked out 27 shots while Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The Hurricanes have won six straight. Raanta and Frederik Andersen won the William M. Jennings Memorial Trophy for allowing the fewest goals (202) this season. Earlier in the week, the Hurricanes clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division. Devils winger Andreas Johnsson missed the game with a non-COVID illness.
Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser scored twice, including the overtime winner, as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Before the game, Los Angeles winger Dustin Brown announced he’ll retire following the playoffs. The Kings clinched a playoff berth several days ago, sitting third in the Pacific Division with 99 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brown captained the Kings to two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. A versatile and physical forward, he’s spent his entire 18-season career with the Kings, scored 325 goals and 387 assists for 712 points in a franchise-leading 1,296 regular-season games.
Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron tallied a hat trick while Linus Ullmark stopped 37 saves to shut out the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Bergeron also became the fourth player in franchise history to score 400 career goals. The Bruins hold the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 107 points.
Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov’s 46th goal of the season came in overtime to snuff out the Calgary Flames 3-2. Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau scored his 40th of the season, joining teammates Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm in the 40-goal club. The Flames clinched first place in the Pacific Division earlier this week (111 points) while the Wild sit two points ahead of the third-place St. Louis Blues with 111 points. Both clubs will face each other in the opening round of the playoffs next week.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Lindholm are the first Flames trio to reach 40 goals in a season since Theo Fleury, Robert Reichel and Gary Roberts did it in 1993-94.
A shootout goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Predators defensemen Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm each had a goal and an assist while David Rittich made 42 saves for the win. The Predators (97 points) hold a one-point lead over the Dallas Stars for the first Western wild-card berth with both clubs having one game left. The Avalanche hold first overall in the Western Conference with 119 points.
The Edmonton Oilers nipped the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on an overtime goal by Zach Hyman. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his league-leading 123rd point while Noah Gregor scored two goals for the Sharks. The Oilers recently clinched a playoff spot and sit second in the Pacific Division with 102 points.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2. With the loss, the Lightning (108 points) failed to clinch third place in the Atlantic Division, sitting one point ahead of the Bruins with both clubs having a game remaining.
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal collected three assists as his club upset the Washington Capitals 5-1. The Capitals (100 points) recently clinched the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock missed this game with a non-COVID illness.
IN OTHER NEWS…
SPORTSNET: Hundreds of hockey fans, hockey personalities and journalists paid their final respects to Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy yesterday during a funeral service north of Montreal. Bossy passed away from lung cancer on April 14 at age 65.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rest in peace, Mike Bossy. He was one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history and a key part of the New York Islanders Stanley Cup dynasty from 1980 to 1983.
WINNIPEG SUN: TSN broadcaster Dennis Beyak will retire from his role as the Jets play-by-play man. He held that job since the club relocated to Winnipeg in 2011.
NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks hired Jeff Greenberg as their associate general manager. Greenberg, 36, is an assistant general manager with MLB’s Chicago Cubs.
RIP Mike
OK , who ANYWHERE in September had BOTH Cats winning the Prez trophy AND Vegas missing the playoffs??
Mmmm …. No one
Congrats to Cats
Has to come down to game 82 to determine 6 of 8 playoff matchups ; including all in the East; and one of the two already determined match-ups still needs game 82 to determine home-ice advantage…. Exciting regular season👍👍👍
With both Boston and Toronto sitting regulars tonight.
TB will likely sit regulars tonight against the Ilse who won’t be sitting regulars.
Something a couple of weeks ago that I didn’t think propable. Now has a higher likelihood of happening.
BOS vs TOR round one.
Ya, that would make for some good drama Caper.
Not sure who I would rather see them play?
Gonna say Leafs, as the Canes are so deep a defend so well. But really close. A really tough out.
B’s will be a slight underdog either way IMO.
Leafs are flippin’ due aren’t they?
As a Leafs fan I’d rather Boston than Tampa. I’m basing that mostly on the goalie playoff experience.
Ray, I have to think everyone prefer choice is Boston.
Boston won’t be an easy out.
For me, Tampa is still the team to beat. Best goalie, Best defenseman.
If Toronto goes out in round one, is Dubas done?
Agree on Vas and Hedman for TBay Caper. No other D man or tender I would rather have come playoff time. Still a deep team, and obviously knows what it takes to win.
But it has been forever since a team won 3 in a row.
Kind of like I said with the Leafs, they are due too. But for some bad puck luck, injury luck, bad call luck, and whatever other kind of misfortune that can happen in the playoffs.
Pretty random game at times, and breaks can be the difference in a series between close teams. And lots of close teams this year.
Just need to keep gettin’ in and giving it a go.
Agree Caper…. Certainly not something I had thought was going to happen a few weeks ago
Congrats to Bergeron #37, getting his 400 career goal.
Congrats to the Bruins going 2 for 3 on the PP after going 0 – 37
I do not think it matter who plays who in the east this year there will be no easy out. Should make for awesome hockey