NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 6, 2023

by | Mar 6, 2023 | News, NHL | 30 comments

Timo Meier and Jonathan Quick make their debuts with their new clubs, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen combined for eight points as the Hurricanes blank the Lightning, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Timo Meier opened the scoring in his debut with the New Jersey Devils as they defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 on an overtime goal by Nico Hischier. Jesper Boqvist scored twice for the Devils as they improved to 41-15-6 and sit two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Jack McBain had a goal and an assist for the 21-32-10 Coyotes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Dawson Mercer’s goal streak ended at eight games.

Jonathan Quick made 25 saves in his Vegas Golden Knights debut to hold off the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3. Ivan Barbashev scored twice, including the winning goal, as the Golden Knights (38-19-6) vaulted over the Dallas Stars into first place in the Western Conference with 82 points. The Canadiens fell to 26-33-4 on the season.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barbashev now has five points in four games since joining the Golden Knights in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. The Golden Knights also played without William Carrier as he’s been sidelined indefinitely since Friday with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi had a goal and four assists while Teuvo Teravainen tallied a hat trick in a 6-0 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Frederik Andersen made 14 saves for the shutout while Martin Necas and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three points for the 41-12-8 Hurricanes, who sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. The Lightning fell to 37-21-5 and remain third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have won just two of their last 10 games (2-5-3). They also lost defenseman Victor Hedman when he fell awkwardly after being checked by Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov.

An overtime goal by Yanni Gourde lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Brandon Tanev scored the tying goal late in the third period for the Kraken (36-21-6) as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 25th goal of the season for the Avalanche (34-21-6) as they hold third place in the Central Division with 74 points.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 25 saves to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1, handing the latter their sixth straight defeat. The Flyers improved to 24-28-11 while the Wings sank to 28-26-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two weeks ago, the Wings were surging in the standings and pushing for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Their recent decline was the reason why general manager Steve Yzerman became a seller leading up to last week’s trade deadline.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers head coach John Tortorella doesn’t like the criticism general manager Chuck Fletcher received for failing to trade James van Riemsdyk before Friday’s trade deadline. “Do you not he tried to move him? Are you guys kidding me? He tried like hell to move him,” said Tortorella. He explained there were different scenarios that went on which prevent a van Riemsdyk trade.

SPORTSNET: Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers announced Saturday that he’d been diagnosed with an advanced form of skin cancer known as stage 3 melanoma of the lymph node. He is receiving treatment and is scheduled for more testing this week.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Stothers make a swift and complete recovery.







30 Comments

  1. With Leon Draisaitl on pace for 55 goals and McDavid already with 52 goals; had me wondering which Nhl did was the last team to have two 50 goal scores in the same season?

    • Caper, in the 1988-89 season Bernie Nichols of the L.A. Kings had 70, while Wayne Gretzky had 54.

      Luc Robitaile just missed making it 3 with 46!

      • I’m pretty sure, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but Lucky Luc had at least 5 called back, or some of the 5 were issued to another player wrongfully that season. I believe I heard or read that somewhere in an interview with Luc some years ago.

      • I recall reading something like that many years ago, Shoreorrpark. That would have given him 4 50-goal seasons, including a 50-in-50.

      • 92-93 pens Mario 69. Stevens 50 something

        Tochett had 48.

      • Went down memory lane with this. Also 95-96 pens with jags and Mario.

        Did any of those great wing teams do it?

      • Nope. The hoohle says last time was 95-96 pens. I thought maybe the wings or avs might. Or nucks with bure /mogilny. Or heatley / kovalchuk. Or Karia salanne. Man did I butcher me some names.

      • Those Pens teams were absolutely loaded from front to back back in those years.

    • George, Bernie Nichols, I liked watching him play.

      Chrism, I thought you would get it. Lemieux and Jagr 95-96 at least that’s what google says.

      Been awhile.

  2. It wasn’t just that 6-0 s*&t-kicking at the hands of Carolina that signals the ongoing unraveling of Tampa Bay, who have now lost 5 straight, but the fact that all they could muster were 14 shots over 60 minutes of hockey! A rate of almost 1 shot every 5 minutes.

    Toronto fans need not worry about facing them in Round 1 … and if Hedman is out long-term one of Buffalo or Ottawa – who both hold games in hand – could conceivably pass them.

    • 4 shots after 2.

      The “score” after 2 was CAR – 4 goals, TB – 4 shots

    • Tampa had 4 shots on goal in the first period and no shots on goal in the 2nd period. 4 shots on goal in the first 40 minutes. It was a back to back and an early game but how does a team as good as Tampa go a whole period without a shot on goal.

      • Maybe Tampa was trying to copy Boston’s effort against Calgary last week. Don’t show up for about the first 50 minutes of the game but still win.

        In all seriousness though, it doesn’t appear that Cooper’s “wake up call” benching of his star players had results he hoped for. Strange to see a team that’s been so good for so long unravel like this. I feel like there are things going on behind the scenes, which we will likely never know about, that are causing the team to lose focus.

  3. Tampa sure look awful they’re so called stars are benched and don’t look to be engaged much. Management must be sick to they’re stomach with some of those contracts. Not sure replacing the coach will help looks to me like attitude issues.

    • I doubt very much it is attitude, Obe. The Bolts have played more playoff games than any other team the past three years – three final round appearances.

      Look at previous teams who won 2 cups in three years – Chicago and LA. All suffered from fatigue and then the inevitable salary cap casualties as star players cashed in causing a dispensing of valuable role players. It’s extremely tough to win consecutive Cups in a league that has pre season, 82 regular season and then a four round playoff series.

      • Hey LJ, I usually try to not jump to conclusions over hot and cold streaks either, but benching your top line (and $27.5M/yr) for an entire period is something you don’t see every day, or year, or ever? Not saying he should or shouldn’t, I’m not in the room, just that it is odd.

        Then followed up by getting smoked.

        I get it, 3rd game in 4 nights with travel between each. BOS got outplayed big time in CGY during such a stretch.

        Still don’t want to jump to conclusions, and still wouldn’t want to face them in round one, but some smoke in Tampa these days.

        My guess is they hash this out, get back on the same page, and start playing better. Interesting though. From a B’s perspective, this could end up being a good thing, or a bad thing, and this brings them together and lights a fire.

      • It’s hard to know exactly what goes on with a team and a streak, isn’t it Ray? 8 losses out of 10. The players have been quoted as having a confidence issue. And now Hedman is hurt.

        Like you I don’t see them rolling over in round one of the playoffs. But I also think the mystique is fading so there won’t be an intimidation factor.

        On a side note, as a Habs fan it kills me to say this, but your Bs are mighty impressive this year. And at the end of last season with injuries and so many questions, I had them as road kill.

  4. @George

    Do you recognize the name

    Filip Gustavsson – I wish the Leafs could find a “diamond in the tough” as such !

    Not being a smart ass , Minnesota played Toronto a little while ago , and this guy was in net , a stand up goaltender , not floppin all over the place , calm was outstanding , I couldn’t figure out how I knew the name until this morning , on Twitter – with his .933 GAA and the main topic

    ROR , with a splint on 2 fingers on his left hand , just what they needed .
    Tampa is really playing poorly as well , badly outshot vs Carolina yesterday

  5. Oh yeah, I remember Gustavsson – another goalie the Senators got from Pittsburgh. His time in the Ottawa organization was spent mainly in Belleville. and with Murray and Forsberg the two main goalies, he only got into 27 games with Ottawa over the course of two seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22 during the Covid years.

    He was the one dealt to Minnesota for Talbot. Good to see him doing well as back-up to Fleury.

  6. TBL are showing that a team can fall into a funk and getting out of it is a process.

    Top coach with top players playing disorganised hockey.

    Lack of effort? fatigue? long in the tooth?

    I’m inclined to see it as a scouting exercise to feel Carolina’s man on man D and 3 man forecheck.

    Cooper is too good for the TBL to look like this in the playoffs.

  7. I really hope the Bruins do not have to face the Canes in the playoffs as they are my biggest concern and always seem to play very well against the Boston…

    • True, though Ottawa has a winning record against Boston this year! I think they are the only team to play them more than once and have a winning record!

  8. Reminds me when Steve Kasper benched Kevin Stevens and Cam Neely. The outrage was palpable. Kasper was fired at the end of the year. Benching never seems to work.

  9. Out of curiosity, I thought I’d take a look at the overall standings since January 1, 2023 – because of the varying number of games played I list them in order of points % achieved

    1. Boston – 26gp 21 4 1 99 50 .827
    2. New J – 25gp 18 4 3 99 73 .780
    3. Carol – 24gp 16 6 2 94 61 .708
    4. Los A – 24gp 15 7 2 86 77 .667
    5. NYR – 25gp 15 7 3 87 74 .660
    6. Edm – 26gp 14 6 6 112 89 .654
    7. Seat – 28gp 17 9 2 99 85 .643
    8. Nashv – 25gp 16 9 0 81 69 .640
    9. Color – 26gp 15 8 3 90 73 .635
    10. Minn – 27gp 15 8 4 66 64 .630
    11. Vegas – 24gp 13 7 4 72 66 .625
    12. Toron – 26gp 15 9 2 87 74 .615
    13. Florid – 26gp 15 9 2 95 86 .615
    14. Ottaw – 25gp 15 9 1 87 77 .597
    15. Dallas – 25gp 11 7 7 74 62 .580
    16. Tampa – 28gp 14 10 4 94 94 .571
    17. Buffal – 26gp 14 10 2 91 100 .539
    18. Winn – 26gp 13 12 1 79 81 .519
    19. Chic – 26gp 13 12 1 74 98 .510
    20. Pittsb – 26gp 12 11 3 80 90 .519
    21. NYI – 27gp 11 10 6 68 73 .519
    22. Anah – 26gp 11 11 4 74 103 .500
    23. Phila – 26gp 11 11 4 68 82 .500
    24. Calg – 25gp 9 10 6 77 81 .480
    25. Detro – 28gp 12 14 2 78 91 .464
    26. Mont – 26gp 11 14 1 73 87 .442
    27. St,Lo – 25gp 10 13 2 77 92 ..440
    28. Wash – 25gp 10 14 1 72 84 .420
    29. Clmb – 28gp 9 15 4 69 96 .393
    30. Vanc – 26gp 9 15 2 85 105 .385
    31. Ariz – 28gp 8 15 5 69 99 .375
    32. SanJ – 24gp 6 13 5 66 94 .354

    • Interesting note on that list George, the top 3 teams from the western conference are all in the Pacific div. And 3 of the top 7 overall.

      Also the top 3 in NHL have just kept it going all year, if I had to guess they were top 3, in the same order, for prior to Jan 2023.

      • Not quite Ray – here’s the same standings up to December 31, 2022

        1. Boston – 36gp 28 4 4 138 82 .833
        2. Carol – 37gp 25 6 6 118 94 .757
        3. Toron – 37gp 23 8 6 125 94 .703
        4. Dallas –38gp 23 9 6 137 104 .684
        5. Tampa – 35gp 23 11 1 126 102 .671
        6. Vegas – 39gp 25 12 2 131 111.667
        7. New J – 37gp 23 11 3 124 97 .662
        8. Winn – 37gp 23 13 1 118 95 .635
        9. Minn – 36gp 21 13 2 116 102 .611
        10. Pittsb – 36gp 19 11 6 121 109 .611
        11. NYR – 38gp 20 12 6 122 105 .605
        12. Was – 39gp 21 13 5 127 108 .603
        13. Los A – 40gp 21 13 6 132 238 .600
        14. Seat – 35gp 19 12 4 121 115 .600
        15. Color – 35gp 19 13 3 105 101 .586
        16. NYI – 38gp 21 15 2 120 104 .579
        17. Calg – 38gp 18 13 7 117 115 .566
        18. Detr – 35gp 16 12 7 110 117 .557
        19. Edm – 38gp 20 16 2 136 127 .553
        20. Buffal – 35gp 18 15 2 128 118 .543
        21. Nash – 35gp15 14 6 94 107 .514
        22. Ottaw– 37gp 17 17 3 112 116 .500
        23. St,L – 37gp 17 17 3 114 135 .500
        24. Vanc – 36gp 16 17 3 124 138 .486
        25. Florid – 38gp 16 18 4 124 131 .474
        26. Mon – 37gp 15 19 3 100 138 .446
        27. Phila – 37gp 13 17 7 99 124 .446
        28. Ariz – 35gp 13 17 5 102 128 .443
        29. SanJ – 39gp 12 20 7 120 146 .397
        30. Clmb – 35gp 11 22 2 94 138 .343
        31. Anah – 37gp 10 23 4 82 154 .324
        32. Chic – 36gp 8 24 4 79 137 .278

  10. The biggest fall-off has to be Washington – 12th to 28th, Pittsburgh – 10th to 20th – and Tampa – 5th to 16th

    • And Winnipeg – 8th to 18th

  11. Strangely, given all that’s gone on there, one of the biggest gains is Chicago – 32nd to 19th.

    Ottawa had better be on their toes tonight.

  12. Gotta love Coach Bednar, dosen’t “pull any punches” with the superstars. As much as these guys are great, they still have to pay attention to the plan: Mikko, Nate Dog and Makar. biggest guys on the team at times re: turnover’s. Only thing is we aren’t going anywhere with out them Pull your heads out of your a%##!!!.
    GO AVS!!!!!