NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2024
The Panthers gain ground on the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, another milestone for Alex Ovechkin, and much more from a busy Saturday in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers moved to within three points of the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins by blanking the Colorado Avalanche 4-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 35-save shutout performance, Sam Reinhart scored his 39th goal of the season, and team captain Aleksander Barkov had a goal and two assists for the 33-15-4 Panthers, who sit second in the conference with 70 points. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 39 shots for the Avalanche (32-17-4) as they’re winless in their last four games (0-3-1) and remain in second place in the Central Division with 68 points.
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart sits second among NHL goal scorers this season and leads the league with 22 power-play goals. He also recently broke the club record for most power-play goals in a season (19) originally held by Scott Mellanby and Pavel Bure. Meanwhile, the Avalanche held a players-only meeting following this game to address their struggles and lack of preparedness since the All-Star break.
Speaking of the Bruins, they were shut out 3-0 by the Washington Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored for the fourth straight game with his 57th career empty-net goal, surpassing the record of 56 previously held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie each had two points while Charlie Lindgren made 18 saves for the 23-20-7 Capitals. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 25 shots for the 32-11-9 Bruins, who missed an opportunity to move ahead of the Vancouver Canucks in the overall standings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has struggled to score in 2023-24 but is on a bit of a tear since the All-Star break. He now has 12 goals on the season and 834 for his career putting him 70 behind Gretzky’s record of 894.
The Canucks, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Detroit Red Wings. Jake Walman tallied the winner in overtime on a penalty shot as the Wings (27-18-6) overcame a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals by Daniel Sprong and Michael Rasmussen. They hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 60 points. Elias Pettersson and former Red Wing Filip Hronek each had a goal and two assists for the 34-12-6 Canucks as they hold first overall with 74 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane collected an assist in his return to the Wings lineup after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov received a two-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for an illegal hit to the head of Wings forward Lucas Raymond, who left the game for assessment but would return to action.
Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar scored his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Jacob Markstrom kicked out 35 shots while Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman each had a goal and an assist for the Flames (25-22-5) as they sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 55 points. Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau replied for the 22-18-12 Islanders (56 points) as they sit four points back of the Red Wings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weegar became the seventh defenseman in Flames history to score a hat trick. He also takes over the lead among NHL defensemen in goals this season with 15. Islanders blueliner Alexander Romanov missed this game with a lower-body injury.
The Tampa Bay Lightning doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists while Nikita Zadorov collected two assists for the 28-20-5 Lightning as they vaulted over the Toronto Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division with 61 points. Boone Jenner netted both goals for the 16-25-10 Blue Jackets.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 89 points, Kucherov has opened a four-point lead in the NHL scoring race over Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov left this game with an upper-body injury.
Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they fell 5-3 to the Ottawa Senators, who picked up their third straight win. Shane Pinto led the way with a goal and two assists while Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots for the 21-25-2 Senators. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 42nd goal of the season for the Leafs (26-16-8) as they dropped into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 60 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly could face supplemental discipline as he took exception with Ridley Grieg’s slapshot into an empty net in the dying seconds and cross-checked the young Senators forward in the head. Meanwhile, Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano and Senators blueliner Jake Sanderson missed this game with injuries. There’s no timetable yet for when either player will return to action.
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s 35 saves backstopped his club to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mark Scheifele and Nino Niederreiter scored for the 31-14-5 Jets (67 points) as they snapped a five-game winless skid and sit one behind the second-place Avalanche in the Central Division. Bryan Rust replied for the Penguins (23-19-7).
The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 in their first game under interim head coach Jim Hiller. David Rittich turned in a 26-save shutout while Quinton Byfield scored two goals and picked up an assist for the 24-15-10 Kings, who hold the first Western wild-card berth with 58 points. Stuart Skinner stopped 22 shots for the Oilers (30-17-1) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division with 61 points.
An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pyotr Kochetkov made 34 saves for the shutout as the Hurricanes improved to 30-16-5 and hold second place in the Metropolitan Division with 65 points. Vitek Vanecek stopped 31 shots for the 25-21-4 Devils.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes welcomed back winger Andrei Svechnikov from his six-game absence with an upper-body injury. However, backup goaltender Antti Raanta missed this game with a lower-body injury and is expected to remain sidelined for the next two weeks.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin scored twice as his club nipped the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment each collected two assists for the 32-14-6 Stars, who’ve won 10 of their last 14 and moved into first place in the Central Division with 70 points. Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist while Sam Montembeault turned aside 35 shots for the 21-22-8 Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard left this game early in the second period with a lower-body injury. He will be re-evaluated over the next couple of days to determine the severity of the injury.
The St. Louis Blues got two goals by Jake Neighbours in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, picking up their sixth victory in their last seven games. Joel Hofer made 33 saves for the 27-21-2 Blues as they hold the final Western wild-card berth with 56 points. Kyle Okposo replied for the 22-25-4 Sabres.
Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier snapped a 2-2 tie to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Cal Petersen made 17 saves in his first start since Nov. 11 for the Flyers (28-19-6) as they picked up t their third straight win and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points. Tomas Tatar and Jared McCann replied for the 21-20-10 Kraken (52 points) as they sit four points out of the final Western wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz missed this game for personal reasons but is expected to rejoin his teammates later this week.
An overtime goal by Ryan McDonagh lifted the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes. McDonagh, Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly, Filip Forsberg and Tommy Novak each had a goal and an assist for the 27-23-2 Predators (56 points) as they remain behind the Blues for the final Western wild-card berth with the latter holding two games in hand. Jason Zucker collected three assists for the Coyotes (23-23-4) as they’re winless in their last five games (0-4-1).
Boston is not the only team struggling coming out of the break! Look no further than Colorado and Vancouver who are all of a sudden struggling! And what s with Calgary after the big trade with Lindholm winning 3 games in a row on the road!I honestly thought Boston would look more like yesterday w/out Bergeron and Krecji!It just highlights how good their goaltending has been! Is there any other team that depends on it s goaltending more than Boston?
Reilly deserves a five game suspension for his antics last night. If Gallagher gets five games, Reilly deserves it as well. Notwithstanding Greig’s Showboating, there’s no place for a cross check to the head. That’s the type of thing the league says it’s trying to eliminate. Especially since the play was over.
As for the Habs, with really only one solid forward line now that Monahan is gone, the rest of the season will be rough. But thankfully the Suzuki-Caufield-Slafkovsky line continues to progress which is what they need. Hopefully Alex Newhook will also take some steps forward the rest of the way.
Reilly has to get 6 or more to match Perron – should be more since Perron was responding to Larkin being hit in the head, not a slap shot into an empty net.
What am I missing? A slap shot into an empty net, gets a reaction of a cross check to the face. Why?
Read a ton of comments media and x-players who say Reilly reaction was the right thing.
Really, because Craig took a slapper into a empty net. What did he hurt the twine? Your feelings were hurt? Code? What would create such an irresponsible reaction.
Lots to get upset out there about, an elbow, hard body check, being tripped, face wash, spear, butt end, hip check.
No, but and empty net slap shot is what got your blood boiling.
But he took a slap shot… Whoopi do
How about not letting a team below you in the standings beat you.
Than 5 seconds left Keefe, whispers in Reaves ear and send him over the board with one intention in mind. However the linesman were ready and quickly got in Reaves way. That isn’t on Reaves, that’s the coach who sent him over the boards with a message.
I don’t get it and Reilly needs a worthwhile suspension to get that nonsense out of the game.
Took a slap shot into an empty net.
Last night Leafs & Sen’s Game
Morgan Rielly Should get a discipline as he Hit-Cross Checked Ridley Grieg’s Head into the Boards at the Blue line with a Very Very Late hit that was well after the play with Intent to Injury…!
Morgan Rielly got 5 minutes and a 1 Game misconduct on his viscus’s play.
Hope the NHL Deals with this properly, this kind of play is completly uneceptable … So What is this teaching young kids watching the game..??
Brutal.
Reily needs to get 5 games and a find for this if not the NHL really needs to look at what they are setting as a Rule/Standard hear.??
That idiot Keefe head coach of the leafs said to a reporter (his exact words were)
To a reporters Clair Hanna after the game
His team had a right to react, Adding that Reily was RIGHT to Respond the way he Did when asked how he could justify it, keefe told Clair Hanna of TSN its pretty apparent !!!,
Is this the Leafs Coach Keefe completely oblivious to the NHL Rule book on intent to injure ?
I know who will Not be coaching the Leafs next season….!?
Dale Hunter got 21 games for basically the same hit play was over and he tracked him down. Scheifele got 4 games but playoff games.
I can see Morgan getting 10 games. Cant intent to injure well after the play is done.
Not quite as bad as the Hunter hit but it was pretty bad. Definitely deserving of a suspension.
Keefe’s actions were beyond reprehensible. He has lost control of the team and of his emotions.
the sheifele hit was not considered a late hit as it was a bang-bang play. He was suspended for Charging on the play even though he hadn’t added a single stride since the top of circles to the goal line. 4 playoff games – still waiting for an honest explanation of that suspension.
On a lighter note yesterday Mark Messier had one of the best burns 🔥
Messier to PK “no wonder you lead the league in back checking because you were always out of position. ”
Not necessarily the exact quote but it was funny; PK also had a good laugh.
I love how people (pundits, former players, leaf fans) are pushing the no big deal/he deserved it narrative. Okay…so what you are saying is its okay to cross check a guy in the head because he hot dogs during/after a goal?
Okay then. Slippery slope for some Leaf players who celebrate a little too hard when they score (see domi last night, marner in general). Let’s apply that to them and see how that works out.
And just so we are clear…yes, someone on the leafs should have gone after Grieg. A little face wash, run him into the boards, let him know he did something unacceptable, etc.
Cross check to the head, after a play, unsuspecting player…its a suspension. should be 5 games but Reilly doesn’t have a history and, you know, its the Leafs. 2 games and move on.
I think the bigger issue for the Leafs is they are without their best D for that period of time. And they need to win games. Right or wrong actions, Reilly can’t take himself out of lineup when they need wins.
And if Grieg deserves that for a slap shot, what does the Detroit player deserve for doing the Gritty on the penalty shot last night?
Idk why you guys are badmouthing Reaves or Keefe lol. What did they do? Reaves wasn’t on the ice to do anything, he was there to prevent further from happening…which he did. He was shoulder to shoulder on a face off, if he was sent out there to do something it would have happened.
And obviously nobody wants to see an ugly situation like this in a game but for those who are upset, maybe you should read Josh Norris’s comments after the game. I thought his response was about as honest and spot on as you can get
Leafsguy85 no Reaves was not sent out to keep things calm.
Reaves was sent out to scrap, Keefe applauded Reilly actions after the game.
Watch again, the linseman had to skate in and grab him, he tried to get away but was held back.
After the crap that Greig took from so many Leaf players during that game I think he was within his rights to slap that shot into the net in his home barn as a final eff you to the Leafs.
If the Leafs took issue, fine. Just whine like usual. But to cross check someone to the head? That is absolute meathead bully type play. Suspend him.
On other boards I have seen Leaf fans saying it was OK or deserved what Reilly did. Heck on the broadcast Simpson was saying he understood why Reilly did what he did. And whomever on the after game segment the lone woman on the panel agreed and almost applauded what Reilly did. So, my question is if a Leaf player showboat after a goal the opposing team can cross check them? Leaf Nation would be livid and what the player banned. Was Greig slap.shot dumb, sure the Reily should have stood up and challenged him. And if Keefe said he agreed what Reilly did, the NHL needs to look into that as the coach should be the calming influence not the agitator.
Reilly will get 3 to 6 games. Keefe for his remarks should be fined, but in a bigger role has he lost control?
It’s like when the Leafs break out from the narrative, everyone freaks out. What, do you hate that the Leafs won’t take a disrespectful act lightly and will retaliate against you, aka stand up to you?
The type of hit wasn’t the right one -a sweaty palm or punch to the face would have also worked, but I did like the reply regardless.
I hope they play more (dirty) like that from now on. 😀