NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 4, 2024
Auston Matthews is the first player to score 30 goals this season, Max Pacioretty makes his season debut with the Capitals, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Auston Matthews reached the 30-goal plateau with the game-winner in overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. John Tavares scored the tying goal in the third period to set the stage for Matthews’ overtime heroics as the Leafs improved to 19-10-7 and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 45 points. Lukas Dostal kicked out 55 shots for the 13-23-1 Ducks.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is the first player to reach 30 goals this season. He’s only the 10th player in NHL history to reach that plateau in each of his first eight seasons.
Matthews’ teammate Bobby McMann was ejected from this game in the second period for boarding Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, who was uninjured on the play. The Ducks also played without Ryan Strome (upper-body injury, day-to-day) and Troy Terry (injured reserve).
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Dawson Mercer and Michael McLeod each tallied twice for the Devils (20-14-2), holding the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Kuznetsov each had two points while Max Pacioretty was held pointless in his season debut with the Capitals (18-12-6), who sit just behind the Devils with 42 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been nearly a year since Pacioretty suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. He was critical of his performance following this game, saying it couldn’t get any worse than it did for him on this night. Pacioretty remains hopeful that he’ll get up to speed as time goes on.
Before this game, the Capitals placed goaltender Charlie Lindgren on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Devils winger Ondrej Palat missed this game with a lower-body injury.
HEADLINES
ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes winger Jason Zucker was given a three-game suspension by the NHL’s department of player safety for boarding Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins during Tuesday’s game. Zucker’s hit was in retaliation for Cousins’ hitting Coyotes defenseman Juuse Valimaki from behind while the latter was on his knees near the boards.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zucker deserved his suspension but Cousins hit was also dangerous. Speaking of the Panthers forward, he was placed in concussion protocol.
TSN/DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild placed winger Kirill Kaprizov (upper body) and Jared Spurgeon (undisclosed) on injured reserve.
CBS SPORTS: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (lower body) is on injured reserve.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks winger Anthony Beauvillier is on IR with an injured left wrist. The club also claimed defenseman Jaycob Megna off waivers yesterday from the Seattle Kraken.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo is on IR with an injured right leg.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman John Ludvig on IR with an undisclosed injury.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers recalled winger Brennan Othmann and he’ll make his NHL debut on Thursday against the Blackhawks. He replaced Tyler Pitlick, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Speaking of the Rangers, former Blueshirts winger Artem Anisimov signed a professional tryout contract with their AHL affiliate in Hartford.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A 13-year NHL veteran from 2008-09 to 2020-21, the 35-year-old Anisimov skated in the KHL in 2021-22 and spent last season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Lukas Dostal kicked out 55 shots For a Duck’s record!
“There is a difference between tough and physical and cheap and dirty.” Jennifer Botterill
The debate back and forth with Botterill and Jamal Mayers in to regards of the deliberate high stick to Cole Perfetti from Ryan Hartman.
Hartman who told Perfetti the high stick wasn’t personal but a payback for the shot Brenden Dillon put on Kirill Kaprizov in the previous game (the day before.)
If you haven’t seen the high stick, it was during a faceoff draw where Hartman deliberately high sticks Perfetti in the face. I’m going with the cheap and dirt and not Jamal Mayers pov saying it was good play on Hartmans part.
Well Caper, we all knew this stuff went on in the NHL, heck all through competitive hockey. Go after our best players, we will go after yours. It’s as old as the game. Which is why Hartman told him, obviously. I would have preferred that he went after Dillon (who’s cross checks on Kaprizov weren’t that bad IMO), but would that work as a deterrent? Which is supposed to be the point.
The basic reasoning is; if the refs won’t deal with it the players will. Which seems kinda bogus in this case, as what Dillon did happens all the flippin’ time, he just caught Kaprizov in a bad spot.
Personally I don’t think this sh*t works. Dillon is going to keep playing physical and so will the Wild who have played that way for years.
Ray your points are good and fine but are you telling me a player should always be ready to take a stick in the face on a faceoff? Is that something you’d be ok with? It’s a dirty cheap “payback” because how unexpected it was and where it took place.
The right thing would be to talk face to face then drop the gloves. Hartman took advantage of a player not expecting retaliation let alone in the faceoff circle.
I don’t know. I thought these tough guys have honor…what he did wasn’t, right?
Ray, i’m going with cheap and dirty, just a cowardly actions.
I agree the cross check from Dillon happens multiple times per game.
To do that deliberately on a face-off and to the smallest player on the Jets roster. Speaks volume about Hartman.
If he goes and plays aggressively hard and lays the body on him or any other jet, fine. A player just getting back from concussion. Go challenge Dillon to a fight. This was cheap and dirty.
Ron, I didn’t think I said anything of the sort. I guess sometimes the perception we have when we post if often not the perception of the person reading it.
I’m not making an ethical point or judgement, if fact I said I didn’t think those tactics worked. And would have preferred he take on Dillon.
What I am saying is I’m not surprised by it and it’s reality in hockey. Kaprisov is out, no penalty, no fine, the Wild are pissed, so they take matters into their own hands cheap shot one of their skill guys. Hartman was fined $4400, Perfetti is now pissed but seems fine physically. My guess is Hartman will be on the receiving end one day and we will never hear anything about it.
Fast, physical game played in a confined space by competitive guys carrying sticks. Sh*t is gonna happen. Again, not defending anything just stating reality. How you deal with it? That’s the hard part, especially when much of the players and coaches have a different view than we the fans.
Caper, we agree.
Hartman is a massive loser. Dillon fought Middleton in the game, Lowry and Maroon fought right as game 2 started, that was that, move on. Instead Hartman attacks one of the less tough Jets, now the next game has to have more retribution. So stupid.
Adam Lowery will beat the brakes off of Hartman the next time they play.
Minny looks stupid.
I was amazed that Hartman wasn’t suspended, especially after serving a 2 game suspension for slew footing DeBrincat in Detroit. Another black eye for the roulette wheel aka the Department of Player Unsafety.
I agree Iago. What disturbs me is the fact that it was premeditated and deliberate. He could have knocked his teeth out/broke his jaw. Perfetti is lucky to have escaped with minimal injury but if this reckless, non-hockey play is not worthy of a suspension then I am not sure what is anymore. Mr Parros or anyone an explanation please.
The NHL needs to quit putting retired goons in charge of player safety. Maybe try Pat Lafontaine or someone who’s career was cut short but this kind of garbage.
I’m not amazed he wasn’t suspended. The fine seemed about similar to other decisions over the years.
There is a reason they put guys like Parros in charge, because they actually know WTF goes on out there. Remember it was his job to police the games. Do you actually think he was never expected to retaliate due to one of his team mates getting a cheap shot? Do you think that is the first time that conversation has taken place on the ice? We all know the answer to those questions.
Parros works with the tools he has. Hits from behind? Ya, they’re dangerous IMO. But you know who doesn’t want the current rules changed? The players, coaches and hence the league. “Body checking is legal, the back is part of the body”. That is a quote from Jon Cooper, from a few weeks ago.
Barking up the wrong tree boys.
IMO
Ray Bark. Parros was a goon and only had one purpose when he was on the ice. No coach ever put him on the ice with less than a minute to go in the game if the game was tied, his team was losing by a goal or winning by a goal. At least retaliate against the person who committed the foul against your team. Perfetti had nothing to do with the situation. It was gutless and he should have been suspended. Do you think the league needs another Todd Bertuzzi situation? Premeditated acts of violence should be suspended heavily.
Premeditated act of violence is a pretty dramatic way to put it Habsman67.
Comparing the Bertuzzi incident to this one is like comparing the ocean to a swimming pool. Did it hurt, I am sure it did, in fact, I have a very good idea exactly how much it hurt. Was Perfetti ever going to be lying on the ice unconscious from it, of course not.
Not sure the fact that Parros didn’t have much NHL level skill has to do with the point I was making. Oh wait, none.
I am also suggesting the players and coaches are a lot less concerned about it than some of the fans, just like they are when it comes to hits from behind, which are more dangerous than this as well. Those can put people on a stretcher.
Parros doesn’t have complete autonomy on punishment. He works within a set of guidelines, precedent and player history. Want to start going outside those? Get agreement from ownership, the GM’s, coaches and NHLPA.
I would like to see the hits from behind dealt with more harshly. This incident makes Hartman look like a cheesy prick. As I suggested earlier, what goes around….
Ray Bark. It was premeditated and it was violent so not dramatic, just factual. I wasn’t comparing the 2 situations but if you let these acts go without suitable punishment then you can see where it can escalate. I agree that hits from behind need to be dealt with but so does this form of retribution. Again at least go after the offending player. Players and coaches are less concerned until one of their own is injured and then all the whining and complaining starts. I would love to see the guidelines that Parros operates!
Cousins’ hit on Valimaki was worse
That’s two dubious hits by Cousins in short order. I don’t recall him being a pillock. What’s up I wonder.
Cousins is super tough when Bennett is on the ice or in the game.
No Benny? No balls!
He’s a punk.