NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2023
The Islanders set a playoff record against the Hurricanes, the Kings down the Oilers in overtime again and the Bruins and Wild take the lead in their respective series. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The New York Islanders got four goals within a span of 2:18 in the third period to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1. Kyle Palmieri, Matt Martin, Scott Mayfield and Anders Lee were the goal scorers in an exciting finish to what had been a close-checking game up to that point. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for the Islanders. The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 2-1.
New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders set an NHL record for the fastest four goals in a playoff game. This was the first postseason contest ever played at the Isles’ home arena UBS Arena.
Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to action after missing the first two games of this series with an upper-body injury.
An overtime goal by Trevor Moore lifted the Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Adrian Kempe scored the game-tying goal on a power play 18 seconds after the Oilers took a 2-1 lead on Connor McDavid’s second goal of the game. Joonas Korpisalo kicked out 38 shots for the Kings for their second overtime win in this series.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leon Draisaitl was critical of the officiating after being called for unsportsmanlike conduct for a light slash on Kings defenseman Drew Doughty following McDavid’s second goal.
Draisaitl accepted responsibility for taking a bad penalty but noted the officials ignored Doughty’s earlier knee-on-knee hit on McDavid, who was uninjured on the play. “I just really don’t know what the standard is right now,” he said.
Kings forward Blake Lizotte missed Game 3 with a lower-body injury. Winger Kevin Fiala remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
The Boston Bruins doubled up the Florida Panthers 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their opening-round series. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist, David Pastrnak tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal and Linus Ullmark stopped 29 shots for the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins got the win with their two top centers out of the lineup. Patrice Bergeron (upper-body injury) missed his third straight game and will be out for Game 4 but could make his return when this series shifts back to Boston for Game 5. David Krejci, meanwhile, was scratched from Game 3 with an upper-body injury.
Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed the third period following a hit from Bruins blueliner Charlie McAvoy, who also leveled Panthers forward Anton Lundell later in the game. Lundell said he was fine after the game. There was no postgame update on Ekblad, who will be evaluated today.
Speaking of the Bruins, they topped the list of 15 NHL teams incurring performance bonus overages this season which will count against their salary cap for next season. The Bruins lead the way with $4.5 million due to the bonus-laden one-year contracts of Bergeron and Krejci.
Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello scored twice and teammate Ryan Hartman had a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Filip Gustavsson returned to the Wild net and made 23 saves as his club took a 2-1 series lead.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild dominated the Stars with their physical play in this contest. It’ll be interesting to see how they respond in Game 4 on Sunday.
IN OTHER NEWS…
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Head coach Rick Bowness is hopeful he’ll return to the lineup for Game 3.
CALGARY SUN: Flames prospect Dustin Wolf is the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the most valuable player in the American Hockey League.
DAILY FACEOFF: There could be a potential conflict of interest regarding the Philadelphia Flyers’ search for their next president of hockey operations and general manager.
The Flyers are reportedly at least the second team to hire Neil Glasberg of PBI Sports as a consultant to aid in the search. However, he’s also an agent for several team executives and head coaches who could become candidates for open positions.
Big win last night. Seemed like the lines were thrown into a blender and Monte went from there.
Bruins are gonna have to do something about Bennett and Tkachuk. Those pair of stinkers are running around and hitting to hurt. (They’re Great players in their own right.) Time to see what Hathaway brings to the table, me thinks.
Foligno was excellent for a guy who was supposed to be scratched.
Panthers won’t lay down though, that much is evident. Like Caper said at the beginning of the series, the Panthers aren’t a wildcard team, that’s just the slotting they earned. They’re a very good, fast and heavy team.
Now we have a little more agnst in the series with those big hits on both sides.
McAvoy is a battleship out there.
As for the Flames, what do they do in net? Someone has to be dealt away, because the Wolf is at the door and he needs to be let in. Who’s out? Marky or Vladar?
Sop what a defensive structure game by the Bruins.
Florida only had 12 shots after 2 periods. 4 in the second.
Charlie Coyle looked good on a line with Marchand.
I don’t get being up 4-0 and giving up a 2 on 1 shortly that results in a goal. My heart doesn’t need it.
Florida that has to be a huge let down when you see your goalie give up that one to Hall.
Orlov with a nice bounce back game, two beauty of passes leading to two goals.
Ullmark still looks sick.
Edmonton Oilers my Twitter is blown up. I didn’t see the whole game but seen the clip. Even in slow motion I still can’t determine if it hit the stick and no I don’t see any change of direction.
Is Carolina in trouble? Yes they’re up 2 games to 1 but they got some key injuries.
If Hedman and Cernak are out this will be a quick series.
White out part today! The building will be rocking. Go jets go!
That Hall goal was the third soft goal Lyon has given up on that glove side. The other two were Marchand. The Bruins are targeting that side, particularly from about that distance.
ShoreOrrPark, if Markstrom becomes available through trade I wouldn’t mind seeing Dorion getting involved … but for the life of me, I can’t see what he might be prepared to relinquish that the Flames would want!
Yeah, George. I was thinking Sens, Buffalo, and maybe even Montreal would have interest in Markstrom. All three clubs have plenty of assets to aquire him and all three clubs could use him. He’s really good, he just had a crappy season.
I’d take Pinto for Swayman if I was able to make a deal, but sometimes a team is better off standing pat instead of messing with chemistry in the room.
For sure. Where Ottawa is concerned I know Pinto’s name has popped up fairly frequently as a trade chip … but with the way the DeBrincat situation is unfolding – i.e., he’s as good as gone through a deal – retaining Pinto becomes paramount as he has shown he is quite capable of handling top line duties at C.
The first line should remain Tkachuk – Norris – Batherson
With Stutzle having already shown his abilities at LW, I can see him moving back there on the 2nd line with Pinto at C and Giroux at RW.
SOP
It was a good game for bruins all around. I still think the flu bug is in a few guys besides Ullmark but they are battling through. If bruins take game 4 they should rest 37. For extra time. Playoffs are a grind. Don’t want to be all beat up by finals like they were vs blues Ekblad thought he could munch MacAvoy and ended up hurting himself.
Mrbruin4 I didn’t see the Ekbald hit that way.
To me it looked like two players colliding into each other. Unaware the other was there.
I was also surprised Ekbald left the game.
Charlie is a solid man and played much better then game 2
Hey Shoreorrpark
.
Re; I’d take Pinto for Swayman, (No way…❗️)
The 1st player the Sens will Trade is the Cat….
Alex DeBrincat…
What he Worth…❓
Young 25 yr old, top line RW scored over 110 goals in the past 3 season..
i would trade him for Goaltender Swayman before the draft and let Boston Trade him for draft picks or they trade Hall and a couple of guys to make room for him
Swayman will get an offer sheets first, he is going to be a Top 5 goaltender in the NHL…….
I have zero interest in Debrincat, Willie
Caper.
Check the link. Sure looks like ekblad. Was trying to take out Charlie but got worst of it
https://twitter.com/HockeyDaily365/status/1649577394783567872/mediaviewer
Mrbruin4 I stand correct, from that clip he was definitely trying to hit McAvoy.
I watched the Ekblad hit 3 times, paused right before contact, and ya he was going for McAvoy. He was holding his head a bit after so thought maybe McAvoy’s elbow came up, but no.
B’s were committed to cleaning it up and shutting them down. They get an A for the first 55.
Those are some bold predictions on Swayman Willie!
I have no idea if he will or won’t, but I do know they don’t happen often. So would take that bet all day.
What I would also bet is that Jacobs will get payback on any team that does. Just like CAR did. As would I if I was in that position.
Might not be next year, might not be the year after, but when the player and moment is right, 100% I would.
Trade the Cat for Vladar + Mangiapane + Pelliteir
WW
Don’t see bruins trading either goalie next year. But you will most likely see a bunch of younger players mixed in the bottom 6 on minimum contracts. Also doubt any GM will offer sheet Swayman. He will sign a bridge deal not for big $$ either Bruins have control this time as he has No arbitration rights yet As SOP. Said. PASS on Cat
Saw both Bruins/Cats and Oil/Kings games
Both entertaining
Bruins, down top 2 Cs and on the road…. Played as they are built/designed/coached and outcome as expected
Saying Bruins in 5 now; would be a mistake …. If Bruins have that attitude (which I don’t believe they do)… would be a mistake…. Don’t take Cats for granted; and all should prevail for Bruins
Oil…. Luck certainly not on their sides…. Kings have technically not had a “lead” in this series; have been out chanced; out hustled; outworked; while Oil have hit iron 14 times (to 4) in 3 games; and gave experienced subjectively some very “iffy” officiating; and pucks in air bouncing/deflecting (for the most part) Kings way
Re OT goal and high stick…. I said out loud as it happened it was a high stick…. Certainly hard to tell either way with replays…. so can’t “overturn” on-ice non call if not conclusive…. That said…. Players know… and players close by certainly can hear any “tick” sound…. Look at the reactions not only of McD but Kings players as well…. Leads me to very strongly believe that it was touched …. Again…. replay not definitive…. So refs hands tied on review…. But certainly all “luck” heavily skewed in Kings favour so far
Add to that…. 2 PPG OT goals as game winners…. I don’t have an issue with calling those penalties …. They were penalties
That said…, Oil certainly should be peeved in that refs missed (in both games) OT penalties that Kings should have been called on
All penalties …. Call them…. Inconsistencies in the same game same reffing quartet in regular season are problematic. Inconsistencies same game same reffing crew…. Can prove catastrophic
If refs call that interference AND/OR the later slash on Kings in OT before Deharnais’s penalty game 1; and the hook last night before RNH’s OT penalty….
Then it’s Oil getting the OT PPs in both games and this series likely at worst 2-1 Oil; if not Oil up 3-0
If any of those 14 iron and out instead going iron and in..,. Oil up 2-1 in series …. Worst case. Change another in the other game…. Oil up 3-0…. All games won in reg
Oil, and Oil fans, I’m sure; are hoping their luck changes dramatically
The call on draisaitl is incredibly soft , doughty doesn’t even acknowledge the tap. Gifted the momentum back
Incredibly soft indeed.
I just don’t understand how the Oil are getting so many infractions when they’re controlling the puck most of the time. Weird one.
Sick and tired of the slashing calls on stick checks which are only called when sticks break as well. Equipment failure shouldn’t result in a player being penalized.
Ya if Draisaitl had any snow on his stick it wouldn’t have fallen off with that tap. And is was a tap.
Was stupid by Drai, and worse by the ref.
Oilers need to get some greasy ones.
5 on 5 they’re controlling possession, dominating shots and chances, except from the spot you score most of your goals. Right in front of the net.
LA won’t let them fly through the neutral zone and get there that way. That’s the obvious plan.
Time to play like the cliche’ – pucks deep, pucks to the net, get to the net.
That and at least the same amount of PP’s LA is getting would help. SOP is right, the team that controls the play usually doesn’t get a 3rd the amount of PP time as a rule.
Things should even out in theory if they stick with it. And get to the net.
Still think they should be alright, need the next one.
If I’m Sweeney and Boston wins cup I move Linus for a good younger cheaper forward and sign Swayman for 8 years. Use the 5 million to help sign Bert and Orlov both quality Bruins. If they don’t win and Bergeron and Krech comeback for another year then I keep Ullmark for another run. Reason for keeping both goalies would be in case of injury. Bruins played the first two periods as good as I’ve seen all year.
Obe
I too think similarly. Bruins also have best ahl goalie this year in bussi. An area of strength. Only issue. How do you move the goalie who won Jennings. Most likely the vezina. The cup and also good shot at playoff mvp But. I would still do it but would want pics to reload what bruins just gave up
Teams that would be interested in Ullmark and he them as he still has ntc
Pens. Devils. Sens. Would probably be the top teams
I think Wolf was better than Bussi this season, Mrbruin. How their respective careers turn out in the future? We’ll see in due time. I’d bet on Bussi though. Wolf is small like Saros and Halak so he’ll have a tougher go of it in the show…….I think. The kid has incredible mechanics and reflexes. The rough stuff in both of their games take time and proper coaching to iron out.
With the surplus of good goalies and lack of jobs, the NHL should bring in a couple more teams. Just for kicks.
Watched the Oilers Game last night, The Oilers are taking Way to Meny Penaltys..⁉️
Whats that 17 or 18 in 3 games…Way more than any 3-4 game streach this year
its not LA thats beating the Oilers its the Penalty’s they are taking hate to say this but one of my Fav Oilers is leading the way….
Leon needs to listin to his interview after Game #2….
He Said this word for word…❗️
(We got to Stop taking Bad Penalty’s)🤔
Game 3 Leon Go’s out and dose it all Again…❓
WTF…..😤
I like when Leon plays angry hockey. If he keeps putting up the playoff points like he has in his career, I say unleash him and let him eat. Incredible hockey from that man in the playoffs! That man is a stud player if there ever was one.
Agreed Shoreorrpark….👌
one of may Fav Oilers… but Stop taking Penalties its Killing us…‼️