NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 29, 2023
The Hurricanes and Stars advance to the second round, the Panthers and Avalanche avoid elimination to force Game 7 in their respective series, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Paul Stastny lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers to win their best-of-seven first-round series four games to two. Sebastian Aho scored the tying goal for the Hurricanes while Frederik Andersen made 33 saves in his 2023 playoff debut. Ilya Sorokin stopped 39 shots and Cal Clutterbuck scored for the Islanders.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders made this game a tight-checking low-scoring contest but they were undone by a lack of scoring punch that dogged them throughout this series and during the regular season. Addressing that issue should be their offseason priority.
Andersen played well after an illness sidelined him from most of this series. He and his teammates await the winner of the New Jersey Devils-New York Rangers series.
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (NHL Images)
The Dallas Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1 to take their first-round series four games to two. Jake Oettinger turned aside 23 shots, Roope Hintz scored his playoff-leading 12th point while Mason Marchment and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Frederick Gaudreau replied for the Wild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dallas dominated most of this series led by a new generation of Stars like Hintz, Oettinger, Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen along with a resurgent Tyler Seguin.
This was a disappointing series for the Wild. Leading goal-scorers Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy had just one goal between them while their defense at times struggled to contain the Stars’ scorers. With a salary-cap crunch coming for next season, management will find it difficult to improve their roster.
There will be a seventh and deciding game between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers as the latter tied the series with a 7-5 victory in Game 6. Eetu Luostarinen broke a 5-5 tie with 5:38 remaining in the third period. Matthew Tkachuk led the way for the Panthers with two goals and an assist. David Pastrnak scored twice for the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The series returns to Boston for Game 7 on Sunday as the Panthers battled back from being down three games to one to force this winner-take-all situation. They also had to do with winger Ryan Lomberg sidelined for this game with an upper-body injury.
Game 6 was an entertaining throwback to 1980s high-scoring hockey with the two clubs combining for seven goals in the third period. One team would score and the other would quickly reply to tie the game. It was punch and counterpunch that was only really settled by Sam Bennett’s empty-netter in the dying seconds of the third.
Boston fans and pundits are calling for Bruins coach Jim Montgomery to replace starting goalie Linus Ullmark with Jeremy Swayman for Game 7 as the former has struggled over the last two games. Ullmark hasn’t been helped by his teammates as the vaunted Bruins defense has grown porous of late. If they don’t regain their form in Game 7 it might not matter if Swayman is the starter for that contest.
The Colorado Avalanche forced a Game 7 with a series-tying 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Artturi Lehkonen tallied twice, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist and Alexandar Georgiev made 22 saves for the Avalanche. Vince Dunn replied for the Kraken. Game 7 goes Sunday in Colorado.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche got the win with defenseman Josh Manson sidelined from this game with a lower-body injury. It’s not known yet if he’ll return to the lineup for Game 7.
Few observers expected this series to go the distance, let alone that the Avalanche would be the club facing a do-or-die situation in Game 6 to force a seventh-and-deciding contest. No matter the outcome of Game 7, the Kraken should be commended for how they’ve held their own in this series against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
HEADLINES
NEW YORK POST: Vladimir Tarasenko ranks seventh among Rangers forwards in overall ice time and power-play ice time. Larry Brooks believes it’s imperative for head coach Gerard Gallant to give the sniper more playing time if the Rangers hope to avoid elimination by the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of their first-round series tonight.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak will be sidelined for Game 6 tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cernak hasn’t played since being hit in the head in Game 1 by Leafs winger Michael Bunting, who received a three-game suspension. Toronto leads the series three games to two.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Mattias Ekholm is enjoying the role of mentoring young Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s performance has improved since being paired with Ekholm after the latter was acquired from the Nashville Predators before the trade deadline.
SPORTSNET: Actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group led by real-estate mogul Christopher Bratty are said to be preparing to bid more than $1 billion for the Ottawa Senators. The deadline for the second and final round of bids is May 15.
For those of you who wish for such things, your Summer of 2023 offer-sheet compensation figures: pic.twitter.com/dFy8v8T1MN
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 27, 2023
Bruins sure making it hard on themselves
Ullmark playing like he is still with Sabres. Swayman should have been in at some point in last nights game Now pretty much gotta give him gm 7 where as if Swayman entered and was awesome in remainder he would make case for gm 7. Clifton was horrible Got to put Gryz back in and Freddy Not sure why Hathaway only got 7 mins either. Gotta love game 7 s
This is getting downright stressful MB4.
Ullmark kind of forced the issue for who starts game 7, I go Sway as Ullmark seems to be lacking confidence after that gaff in OT last game. Sway has played a lot and was also very good, plus need to change the vibe. No point in having 2 good tenders if you don’t play him when you need him, this seems like time.
Mark is right, the entire team didn’t play with structure in this one. Back to the basics and let FLA make the mistakes. Feeling the pressure after the big season?
I would still put my money on the B’s in this one.
Ray
Hoping this is the stress test and they pass. Kudos on FL for bringing the forecheck all series. I also think Ullmark is. Hurting somewhere besides between the ears I have no issue to starting Swayman but if it goes off the rails. Monty will take the blame from all for making the move. The move should have been game 6. If list go back to a rested Ullmark gm 7. If win looks like genius
Mrbruin4 I wanted Ullmark pulled after the second period.
I believe he is dealing with something.
He left his right side open for 3 goals
He thought he had the angle but didn’t
Montgomery over thinking things.
Put Grizz and Frederick back in. Both Clifton and Forbort were bad.
Back to the basic and you will win game 7
Caper.
I 100% agree.
While David vs Goliath is a bit strong, it’s hard not to root for Florida. Same as kraken. Sad to see marc-y marc out. Love seeing the isles bounced. Devils! Get it done!
I liked how you inadvertently called the Carolina victory to be over the NY Rangers… Perhaps a bit of foresight into tonight’s Devils-Rangers game!
Go Devils!
Was that a hand pass or not to call back a goal? In the letter of the rule, yes much like soccer intentional or not. Either way, I think that one called changed the game, refs suck, and we got that back and forth scoring game. Fun game for non fans of those teams and a roller coaster of emotions for fans of either two. More please.
Great challenge by Maurice and staff Ron, but ya you hate to see a huge momentum swing on something as non impactful as that.
I don’t blame the refs, the rule is the rule, change the rule. I agree intentional or not for a hand pass. A goal that deflects off your glove counts doesn’t it? I actually don’t know.
Except it wasn’t the refs – it was someone in the control room.
Hi Ray… a goal deflected off a glove and down to a teammate ; who then puts it in…. Counts….it’s happened many times…. This was a weird one…. Certainly not a “pass”…. but I guess rules (however bizarre) are rules
The other one…. Can’t put glove on puck in crease but any player can put any part (other than their glove) on the puck; and can “punch” it out on ice with their glove knuckles …. No penalty
Bruins still moving on to round 2
This Bruins team doesn’t look like the same team from the regular season. Way too much sloppiness in their play so it is not all Ullmarks fault but a change of goaltender might just get the team out of their malaise…
If I’m coaching Bruins…Forbert out Gryzluck in is a must. I’d also put Swayman in (short leash)
Clifton gotta be out. He was brutal in gm 6. More so then Forbert.
Martinook had 20 minutes of ice time and a team high 7 shots on goal. RBA puts him on any line needing energy and grit. He was placed on waivers at the beginning of the year for cap reasons and no team claimed him. Bad move by Waddell that luckily worked out.
Re; Mattias Ekholm
is enjoying the role of mentoring young Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.
This is Exactly what the Oilers and Evan Bouchard needed and Also its Helped Reduce Nurses Minutes now he is also playing better…
and the whol;e oilers d/is much better…
Next up next year iss to Replace Cody Ceci as 1st pair RD man as he is more of the 3rd pair d/man
i can see the trading with Chicago…
➡️The Trade….
Yamo RW, & RD Ceci to the Hawks for Connors old Erie Otters Team mate and buddy RW Taylor Raddish to play in the Oils top 6……..⁉️
Chicago will need 2 more 2 men for next season and to help the get to the Cap Floor….🤔