NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2023
Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the opening week of the season, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: A 34-save performance by Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom carried his club to a 4-1 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping Auston Matthews’ season-opening hat-trick streak at two games. Corey Perry snapped a 1-1 tie, Andreas Athanasiou collected two assists and rookie Connor Bedard had his points streak end at three games. John Tavares replied for the Leafs.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Full marks to the Blackhawks for a solid team game against the Leafs. The latter’s sloppy defense in this contest proved costly, especially on Perry’s game-winning goal.
The Detroit Red Wings got a 23-save shutout from James Reimer to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0. Shayne Gostisbehere scored what proved to be the winning goal. Spencer Martin stopped 28 shots for the Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings raised some eyebrows by making Jeff Petry a healthy scratch. They acquired the 35-year-old defenseman from the Montreal Canadiens in August. Meanwhile, Wings forward Robby Fabbri missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart scored twice as his club held off the New Jersey Devils by a score of 4-3. Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists as the Panthers jumped to a 4-0 lead. The Devils made it interesting with three unanswered goals in the third period with Jesper Bratt collecting a goal and an assist.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice moved into third place on the NHL’s all-time games coached list at 1,769. Speaking of the Panthers, they placed forward Sam Bennett on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Timo Meier was benched in the third period by Devils coach Lindy Ruff along with Curtis Lazar and John Marino with Ruff singling out Meier’s undisciplined play. Devils forward Tomas Nosek (day-to-day) missed this game with a lower-body injury.
A shootout goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov gave the Washington Capitals a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, giving Spencer Carbery his first win as an NHL head coach. Former Flames winger Matthew Phillips collected a goal and an assist against his old club as the Capitals overcame a 2-0 deficit. Adam Ruzicka and Dillon Dube each had a goal and an assist for the Flames.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Anthony Mantha was a healthy scratch from this game.
The New York Rangers nipped the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. Vincent Trocheck snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves for the win. Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers while Clayton Keller replied for the Coyotes.
HEADLINES
Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 15.
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens center Kirby Dach suffered a “significant injury” during Saturday’s win over the Blackhawks and will be sidelined for an extended period of time. He suffered the injury when he was checked into the Chicago bench by Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Eric Engels said he’s heard Dach tore his ACL and MCL in his knee. The club is doing more tests before making a more detailing announcement regarding his status but Engels suggests it could put the young forward’s season at risk. Offseason acquisition Alex Newhook could replace Dach as the Canadien’s second-line center.
THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken forward Brandon Tanev is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during the season-opener against the Vegas Golden Knights.
DAILY FACEOFF: Minnesota Wild forward Matthew Boldy is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s loss to the Maple Leafs.
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers center Sean Couturier missed practice on Monday. He played in their first two games of the season which was the first time he’d played since being sidelined by a back injury in Dec. 2021. Head coach John Tortorella said his absence was not due to his back but that he was “banged up.”
DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Flyers, they officially unveiled their new arena upgrades for Wells Fargo Center that cost the club an estimated $400 million.
CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic won’t play Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes due to a lower-body injury.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield is day-to-day with a lower-body injury suspected to be his left ankle.
That small flicker of light from the distant corner of the universe representing the Habs’ chance of the playoffs went out with Dash’s injury. Dach looked like he was emerging as the legit # 1 center the Habs have been looking for.
Now I have two wonder if, given his injury history, he is too brittle to remain in the league. I also now wonder whether the Habs will re-sign Monahan if he remains healthy, instead of trading him at the deadline.
Glad I didn’t buy the NHL center ice package. Wonder if tractor pulling is still broadcast.
LJ, I admire the power of your telescope to be able to see that far in the universe with regards to the Habs chances of making the playoffs this year. I’m sure NASA could use that technology. I worry too about Dach and his body’s ability to play in the NHL. Sad, because he was shaping into a very good player. There is an opportunity for someone to step up. We’ll see if the trend of injured bodies continue this year.
You have plenty of LTIR to get another player.
Monahan 2.0?
Maybe the Habs should sign Monahan and Dach to identical contracts with the idea that one will always be on LTIR.
I feel for these talented and passionate players being sidelined like this.
as someone who is very injury prone themselves(and still @51 in beer league) Dach tearing his knee on that hit is a bad sign for his future.
maybe he needs the stamkos off season rituals to stay healthy for his peak. the kid is skilled
LJ,
The Habs are young and not looked at as being contenders so while the loss of Dach is a problem it isn’t the end of the world.
Monahan will take on a bigger role which he happens to deserve as he makes his linemates look better.
Alex Newhook is a natural centre who played the wing on account of a glut of centres.
There a few kids in Laval who can take the opportunity to step up, Kidney and Davidson in particular.
The Dach injury isn’t a problem to the extent that it harms their chances to make the playoffs this year because that’s not likely even without the injury. The real problem is the setback to Dach’s development and how it will affect him going forward,
If Monahan plays well and stays healthy the Habs should certainly consider an extension.
HF30, no it’s not the death knell of their season. Yes, it opens up developmental opportunities for others (though I would be quite surprised if we see either Kidney or Davidson this year).
But in addition to Howard’s comments also give consideration to the potential effect on Slavkovski who (limited sample, I know) looked like he was finding a groove with Dach.
But, waaa, boo hoo, there it is. May be Shaun has a point.
That final 90 seconds of the Leafs-Hawks game reminded me of some notable college basketball games where they can use up upwards of 10 minutes to play a similar amount of time.
The Leafs are well noted to stretch out the agony of defeat. 😄
Three games do not a season make but the Leafs start to the season makes it look like they will have a strong regular season only to once again bow out of the playoffs early. Their goaltending and defensive play are too weak to sustain a lengthy playoff run.
Howard I agree. It is very early so things can change . But the Leafs have gave up over 4 against on average through 3 games and have not really played anyone that would be considered playoff locks.
Same problems as before .
Howard, it is way too early. Remember last season? Only 4 wins in the first 10 games, six losses, three in OT. Lost to Mtl, Arizona, Vegas, San Jose ,LA, and Anaheim. Leafs need to hire a rugby coach from the top tier of countries. World cup Pool scores 82-8, 71-3, 76-0, …
As bad as the defense has been, at least the goals against is trending in the right direction – 5, 4, 3.
Well. Montreal could move Monohan to the middle and trade for a wonderful french Canadian Mathieu Joseph who’s had a great start to the season for the Sens.
No thanks Mathieu Joseph, he isn’t what the Habs need. Sidenote the Habs have the most Canadian players this year.
That may be the problem!
Joseph has looked good. If Joseph keeps it up, he could be a bargain!
If Norris was OK, I would say to trade Pinto!
I can only laugh when I opened Facebook last night. For days it was all praise for the Leafs and how they were so different this year and yadda yadda yadda… and then ONE loss and suddenly they hate the Leafs and they are the most useless team in the league.
Heh … ’twas ever thus, TheSaint, when it comes to a certain type of fan.
I remember way back in the 1976/77 season when I was a rabid Habs fans and in our circle there was another who bled bleu-blanc-rouge and who would go into a mental funk when they lost even one of the 8 they lost in that 80-game schedule. It was “get rid of this or that stiff … fire the coach … bench so-and-so ..,.” Great guy otherwise (long gone now) but it was hilarious at the local pub.
GeorgeO . we certainly were spoiled back then!
Hockey fans are a fickle bunch no doubt. But some instances are just remarkably funny to me. I mean some comments went from joking about Matthews scoring 246 goals to “typical Matthews just disappearing.” It’s been only three games lol.
Although if we are going to have a fun knee jerk reaction so someone disappearing… Erik Karlsson is putting up quite a tepid performance so far 😛
If I’m Toronto I make a serious push for a real goaltender and a stud D man may need to move Nylander if he will sign with new team or Marner or both. Edmonton in same boat both teams can score most nights but can’t defend very often.
You could be right, Obe, but I think the Oilers have a bigger problem than the Leafs.
Check back in a month.