NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2023
The Devils’ Jack Hughes reaches a scoring milestone, the Rangers overtake the Bruins atop the Eastern Conference standings, the Leafs thump the Penguins and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes tallied a hat trick, including his 100th career NHL goal, in a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jesper Bratt collected three assists for the 16-11-1 Devils (33 points), who’ve won eight of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Kirill Marchenko netted his 10th goal of the season for the 10-17-5 Blue Jackets.
New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck scored both goals (including the winner in overtime) to lead his club over the Boston Bruins 2-1. Igor Shesterkin stopped 21 shots for the win as the Rangers (21-7-1) took over first place in the Eastern Conference from the Bruins. Trent Frederic scored for the Bruins (19-5-5) while teammate David Pastrnak was ejected in the second period for boarding Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both teams have 43 points but the Rangers hold the top spot in the East with the most wins. Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller returned to action after missing two games for personal reasons.
The Toronto Maple Leafs crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-0. Martin Jones kicked out 38 shots for the shutout while Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi each picked up three points while Matthew Knies had a Gordie Howe hat trick. The Leafs (16-6-6) extended their points streak to nine games and sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry got the hook after giving up four goals on 14 shots as the Penguins slipped to 13-13-3.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This humbling wasn’t Jarry’s fault. This was the Penguins’ worst performance as a team this season. Speaking of the Penguins, they put winger Bryan Rust on injured yesterday yesterday. Meanwhile, Leafs center Auston Matthews and defenseman T.J. Brodie missed this game due to illness and activated defenseman Timothy Liljegren off injured reserve.
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped 35 shots in a 2-1 shootout win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mats Zuccarello had the game-winner as the Wild improved to 12-12-4, going 7-2-0 since John Hynes took over as head coach. Teddy Blueger scored for the 20-9-2 Canucks (42 points), who sit three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference standings.
The Winnipeg Jets took over first place in the Central Division with 38 points (18-9-2) by dropping the Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Gabriel Vilardi tallied two goals while Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for the wins. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to extend his points streak to 14 games as the Avalanche dropped to 18-10-2.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets, Avs and Dallas Stars each have 38 points but Winnipeg takes over first place in the Central having won more games than the Stars while holding a game in hand over the Avs. Speaking of the Avalanche, defenseman Cale Makar missed this game with a lower-body injury.
As for the Stars, they dropped a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues on an overtime goal by Colton Parayko. Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists as the Blues (15-14-1) overcame a 2-0 deficit. With 31 points, they sit one back of the Arizona Coyotes, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Mason Marchment potted his 10th goal of the season for the 17-8-4 Stars.
Speaking of the Coyotes, they got a 28-save shutout from Karel Vejmelka to blank the Buffalo Sabres 2-0. Clayton Keller and Liam O’Brien were the goal scorers for the 15-13-2 Coyotes. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 20 shots for the Sabres as they fell to 13-16-3.
Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson made 33 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Detroit Red Wings. Cam York tallied the only goal as the Flyers (17-10-3) moved ahead of the New York Islanders into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 37 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim missed this game due to an illness.
The Islanders, meanwhile, fell to the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 5-3. Josh Anderson scored twice in a four-goal second period for the Canadiens, who improved to 13-13-4. Brock Nelson netted two goals as the 14-8-8 Islanders (36 points) cut the lead to 4-3 before Christian Dvorak put the game away with an empty-netter late in the period.
Nashville Predators netminder Juuse Saros stopped 21 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Colton Sissons, Philip Tomasino and Yakov Trenin scored for the 18-13-0 Predators, who’ve won four straight and seven of their last 10 to hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 36 points. T.J. Oshie replied for the Capitals as they dropped to 14-9-4.
The Florida Panthers spanked the Edmonton Oilers 5-1. Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and set up another, Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists while Sergei Bobrovsky kicked out 38 shots for the Panthers (18-10-2), who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 38 points. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers as they slipped to 13-14-1 while Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers and Leafs have the same number of points but the latter hold two games in hand. Florida played without defenseman Aaron Ekblad (lower-body injury) while Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich remain sidelined with an undisclosed illness.
Calgary Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich tied a franchise record by scoring in his fifth straight game during his first season with the club as they doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Dan Vladar picked up the win by stopping 31 shots for the 12-14-5 Flames. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists as he remains atop the NHL scoring race with 52 points while his Lightning dropped to 14-13-5.
A shootout goal by Carl Grundstrom lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings (17-6-4) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 38 points. Adam Larsson and Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Kraken as they dropped to 10-14-8.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without winger Jordan Eberle as he was sidelined by a lower-body injury.
IN OTHER NEWS…
SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers Saturday. He’s struggled this season with a 3.61 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.
TSN: Free-agent winger Phil Kessel is looking into the possibility of playing some games in Switzerland while still hoping for an opportunity to sign with an NHL club this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Kessel plays well overseas it could make him more enticing for NHL clubs seeking an experienced winger before the March 8 trade deadline.
So, Pastrnak gets ejected for boarding, but Cousins gets a 2 minute minor. What’s wrong with this picture?
As we have been discussing, the inconsistent application of referee and Department of Player Safety discretion is a real problem in today’s NHL. Roll the dice!
maybe at least after the Cousins and the other recent similar hit the league agreed to handout more than 2 minutes for them? Pasta didnt need to finish the check that way but Cousin hit same
Interesting article on Sportsnet by Lyle’s cousin Mark.
He spoke to plenty of players off the record, and Jon Cooper and Ekholm on the record. Basically the fans are more worried bout this than the coaches and players are.
Here is a quote by Cooper:
“So, body checking,” began cerebral Tampa head coach Jon Cooper. “The back is part of the body. So, when you turn at any moment, as fast as this game is, your back can be exposed.
“I don’t know a player in the league — well, maybe a couple — that would go around thinking they’re going to hit a guy in the back. There’s way too much respect among the players. Because it’s played so fast, some of those checks are going to happen. But I just don’t feel that guys go in and hit a guy deliberately in the back.
“I just I have not seen it, whether it’s my team or other teams.”
Link below.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-checking-from-behind-debate-isnt-as-simple-as-it-looks/
The Jets “dropping” the Avalanche is putting it politely? More like got throttled? The Avalanche might as well have stayed back in Denver seeing they weren’t interested in playing. I don’t know how they can look at themselves in the mirror after that effort?
I don’t want to get too high on the Jets but yes, the whole league was put on blast last night with that massive W.
It’s a bad morning for Pittsburgh sports fans 😞
Pitt basketball won… it wasn’t all bad yesterday
Re; The Pen’s
My thoughts Early on this month with the Pen’s
they are going no where if it was not for Sid they would be bottom 5 under Ottawa…⁉️
The Pen’s are Old and Slow,
Both the Wings and Can’s are 5 point ahead of them and both way better teams starting to play better, The Cans dont have there #1 Goaltender in the line up…..😳
PS, whats going on with Pengy…..
have not see her on here for well over a month she is the Pen’s insigt Master-mind…….
Lyle any idea….❓
7-0 are the pens really that bad? The Leafs played without their 1st line center and top pairing D out and starting their 3rd string goalie. The Pens looked very disinterested or should I say played with a lack of urgency or determination…coach to blame maybe? Or maybe it’s poor cap management….there’s a lot of old and past best date types for many of those NTC players who at the best of times are hard to trade. This team won’t be making any playoffs anytime soon if this is how they play. Here is a door open for Ottawa, Buffalo and Detroit to find their way in the postseason as the Penguins start their miserable decline for many years to come thanks in part to their cap being taking up with so many anchors of former great players. Enjoy the popcorn!
Those anchors you speak of, most of them are stanley cup champions. Some of them 3 times over. That “slow miserable decline” is and was expected.
I noticed most of the people commenting here also didn’t mention that 2 of the Pens top 6 forwards are out as well as 2 of their top penalty killers/bottom 6 forwards. Facts I guess get in the way of the narrative sometimes.
Facts?!!? Nah. Never spoil a good thing with facts.
I said it before the season and I’ll say it again – the best move, by far, the Penguins can make, is trading Crosby while he’s still worth a king’s ransom.
Penguin legacy signings catching up even with Malkin’s offensive game still here.
if the Pens powerplay starts to click(how does it not?!?!?) they can sneak up in the standings but they are not built for a grinding playoff run……
Sid to Avs would be good for the NHL but dont see it happening
Some things are more important in the long run. Crosby retiring as a penguin his whole career is more important than jump starting a rebuild.
That’s fine if they don’t care about winning.
The pens have won 5 cups in my lifetime. 5. Something’s are more important.
Exciting game at the Bell Centre last night. Habs full value for the win, but nearly blew it in the third. Thankfully they held it together, but they have to start putting together better 60 minute efforts.
Obviously the Isles are hurting on D, with three of their top five missing. But Noah Dobson is quietly establishing himself in the upper echelon of the league’s defensemen.
Only a fool would trade Crosby. The team still needs to sell tickets. Without Sid, they got nothing worth watching.
I guess get the moving vans ready then? Crosby won’t be able to play forever.
If Sid left they still have 3 future HOFers on the ice.
Yep, would that get you to buy tickets. If you day yes, you obviously don’t live in pittsburgh and haven’t watched the Pens over the last 15 years. Only a fool would trade crosby. Guess I’m getting the “moving vans” ready? Whatever that means…
Sid can still play no doubt but will probably end up owning part of Penguins can’t see him ever leaving. Crosby probably has two decent years left would have loved to see him line up with Bergeron and Marchand for one kick at the can but that’s only a dream. How long before rumors start flying that Bergeron is coming back for playoffs?
Obe
That is a Bruin dream held by many. But unfortunately I don’t see Bergy coming back
Mrbruin4, when do you think the bruins should drop back to earth and when they do, where in the standings do you see them?
I’m sure you too see the underlying numbers and can see a regression coming soon. The back half of this season will be very telling for many teams and I think Boston might be one that will regress more than expected by many.
Ron I don’t think your going to see much of a regression.
There no reason to think that Ullmark and Swayman won’t continue their strong play.
Reality is JVR, Debrusk haven’t played well offensively and if they especially Debrusk can start putting the puck in a little more regularity it will take some of the pressure off the goalies.
Boston doesn’t have a 1st, 2nd or 3rd round pick in 2024. There no going to move a goalie because it doesn’t do anything for their draft position. Unless it’s a deal that blows their socks off.
Boston will hold one of the top three spots in their division.
No way sid lines of with a disgrace like Marchand
That guy is a joke. You honestly think anyone inside of hockey respects that dbag?
Marchand is the ultimate hockey player works like a dog kills penalties power play machine and drives other team nuts exactly who Sid wants to play with. Sid works out with Brad and Nate every offseason and in Canada cup was best line by far. Pretty sure Marchand lead tournament in goals. Definitely best player in final by far. Bergeron Crosby and bad Brad make it happen dreams do come true.
OBE,
if Sid is going anywhere,…….Sid is going to the Avs to play with his best buddy from Cole Harbour…
Im sure they will ask him next year where would you like to go….❓
As the Pen’s and Very Old & Very Slow Now….‼️
with nothing in the pipeline coming to help
They wont make the playoffs this year sorry.
Ron all depends on health Pavel and Charlie back soon and I see a couple sent back to AHL so that probably good news. Boston will finish near top of Division as goaltending and overall team play to strong to regress to far. I do see them coming down to earth a bit but if you watched last two games and how they competed with those lineups things aren’t to bad. Don will make a couple moves just hope they don’t move too many of the young talent for rentals .