NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 4, 2022
Leon Draisaitl is this season’s first 50-goal, 100-point player, Jonathan Huberdeau sets a franchise record as his Panthers clinch a playoff berth, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines
NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist to become this season’s first 50-goal, 100-point player in a 6-1 thrashing of the Anaheim Ducks. Connor McDavid scored his 40th goal of the season and chipped in two assists as the Oilers (85 points) moved to within one point of the second-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division. McDavid still leads the scoring race with 105 points while Draisaitl is second at 101. The latter is also second in goals with 50, one behind Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews.
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry missed this game due to facial injuries suffered when he received multiple punches from Arizona Coyotes center Jay Beagle on Friday. Beagle received no supplemental discipline for his actions.
The Florida Panthers are the first team to clinch a playoff berth after defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-3. Jonathan Huberdeau scored to set a franchise record with his 97th point of the season while teammate Anthony Duclair tallied two goals for the Panthers, who sit atop the Eastern Conference with 102 points.
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek scored two goals and set up another in a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Jordan Greenway collected three assists as the Wild extended their points streak to 10 games and sit in second place in the Central Division with 91 points. The Capitals hold the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 84 points, seven back of the Boston Bruins.
An overtime goal by Shea Theodore lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and an assist while Robin Lehner returned to action with a 26-save performance after being sidelined 10 games with a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights vaulted ahead of the Dallas Stars into the second Western Conference wild-card berth with 82 points while the Canucks sit eight points back.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have won just three of their last 10 games. With 12 games remaining in their schedule, they face long odds of clinching a wild-card spot.
The Philadelphia Flyers blew a 3-0 lead but managed to defeat the New York Rangers 4-3 on a shootout goal by Kevin Hayes. Martin Jones got the win with a 43-save performance. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (94 points), who hold a two-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Speaking of the Stars, they fell 4-1 to the Seattle Kraken. Chris Driedger made 29 saves while Alex Wennberg, Carson Soucy and Karson Kuhlman each had two points.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scored in overtime in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Before the game, the Blackhawks honored captain Jonathan Toews for recently reaching the 1,000 career NHL game milestone.
Cory Schneider made 27 saves in his first start in over two seasons to backstop the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Jean-Gabriel Pageau tallied a hat trick while Kyle Palmieri and Adam Pelech each had three points. Devils center Jack Hughes left the game after suffering a leg injury from a hit by Isles forward Oliver Wahlstrom.
Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris scored his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Forward Mathieu Joseph collected three assists for the Senators in their first home game since the death of Eugene Melnyk, who was honored by the club in a pre-game ceremony.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators forward Tyler Ennis was playing in his 700th career game but left the contest in the first period with what has been diagnosed as a season-ending upper-body injury.
The last season the NHL had more then 2 50 goal scorers was in the 2009 – 2010 season
Crosby 51
Stamkos 50
Ovechkin 50
With Kreider sitting at 46 we should see three this season.
This is Matthews first 50 goal season, most likely would’ve been his third consecutive if there wasn’t shorten schedule
2020-2021 41g in 52gp
2019-2020 47g in 70gp
Having multiple players hit 50 plus goals is fun to see and having multiple 100 point players is also more exciting to see.
Ya scoring seems to be up this year, agree Caper, it’s a good thing.
Forsberg looks like he would have hit 50 if he played a full 82, even 75.
Wonder if the high scoring teams like FLA, COL, TOR and EDM can challenge for a cup and keep filling the net come playoff time?
Just to stir the pot, interesting debate on EDM radio on my way to work. With all the Matthews should win the Hart talk, is he even better than Draisaitl?
Drai, gets more points every year as he is equal set up guy and shooter. Plus Matthews plays with a premier set up guy most of the year with Marner while Draisaitl drives his own line without an elite set up guy.
Both are on dynamic PP’s.
McDaivid is the best player in the world, and should win the Hart, but since they don’t like to give it to the same guy every year may have to settle for the Ted Lindsay in which the players, who know better than anyone, vote.
The criteria for the Hart is less than ideal because it is too ambiguous and too open to interpretation.
“to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”
WTF is that? The only way to know is if you remove that player and see how they do.
The media votes for the Hart and that is why they make it the more valued award. IMO the Lindsay should be the more valued award as it’s the players who vote for it, and it also has a better description as it goes to “the most outstanding player.”
Can’t help but wonder if Josh Norris wouldn’t have been in the mix too had he not lost 13 games due to injury. After his hat-trick yesterday he now has 30 in 52 gp and is on a pace that might have given him 47 in a full 82-games.
Hi everyone if u listen to TSN or Sportsnet mattews is already the hart winner. I feel there are a few players should be in the running but these stations say that mattews deserves it because Toronto is the centre of the universe lol
Hey Robo, do you live in Toronto or Canada? I’m asking because I don’t so I really don’t hear, other than what I read, all this stupid Toronto media talk raving and ranting over players and a hockey team from Toronto? Sounds odd right?
In the city I live in, I’m not a fan of the city’s team, but that’s all I hear about here, same hype different team/players.
I don’t understand your point. Like the Matthew’s hype is valid because not many players scored 14 goals in the 13 games played in march… i think that’s something worth mentioning, no?
Who would be more valuable to a team? A one-dimensional player who can score 50 goals in a season? Or a more rounded player who can also put up 50 goals but can also put up 100 points and drives his own line? Or a player who has single-handedly has their team in a playoff position with their play in the net?
I think what he’s getting at is, it’s fine for local outlets – radio or TV – to get on the local bandwagon – but TSN and Sportsnet are supposed to be NATIONAL in scope, regardless of there they are based. At least, that’s how they like to portray themselves.
Listening to TSN and Sportsnet talk about the Leafs and Matthews is as nauseating as listening to golf channel talking about Tiger yeah he’s a role model for children. Matthews is real good but he’s no McDavid. My top 5 for the heart are
1- McDavid
2- Leon
3- Shesterkin
4- Johnny Hockey
5- Matthews
My hart candidates.
Johnny Gaudreau
Matt Tkachuk
Alexander Barkov
honorable mention to Roman Jossi.
I don’t mind giving it to a goalie….but
My three deciding factors are typically a balance between points, time on ice, and plus/minus. The last one still being, in my opinion, an effective measure of value.
Where in the description of the Hart does it say forward or skater? Last I checked it says player, which doesn’t exclude a goalie. IMO no player in the NHL has had more of an effect on a team’s success this season than Shesterkin. If not for him, the Rangers wouldn’t be sniffing the playoffs right now.