NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2024

by | Oct 28, 2024 | News, NHL | 18 comments

Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar extend their points streaks, anticipating Steven Stamkos’ return to Tampa Bay on Monday for the first time with the Predators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar extended their season-opening points streaks to nine games as the Colorado Avalanche held off the Ottawa Senators 5-4. MacKinnon had a goal and an assist while Makar collected an assist. Casey Mittelstadt also had three assists for the Avalanche, who’ve won five straight games. Senators forward Claude Giroux tallied twice for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A skate blade issue forced Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg to leave the game twice for repairs. The Senators also announced that center Shane Pinto is week to week with an undisclosed injury. Pinto last played in Tuesday’s 4-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl treated himself on his 29th birthday, scoring twice (including the winning goal) and picking up an assist in a 3-2 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings. Andrew Copp and Patrick Kane each had two points for the Red Wings.

For the first time this season, the Montreal Canadiens won their second straight game as they hung on for a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist and Cole Caufield sniped his eighth goal of the season. Travis Sanheim scored twice and picked up an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Philadelphia made it interesting with two late goals but couldn’t get the equalizer. Flyers goalie Alexei Kolosov made history, becoming the first Belarusian-born netminder to start an NHL game. Forward Garnet Hathaway was fined $5,000 by the league’s department of player safety for elbowing Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek on Saturday.

A four-goal second period lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Anaheim Ducks 6-2. Stefan Noesen tallied two goals and Devils captain Nico Hischier scored his league-leading ninth goal. Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Curtis Lazar left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury following a hip check from Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas. After the game, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said Lazar will likely miss some time.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Steven Stamkos returns to Tampa Bay on Monday for the first time since signing with the Nashville Predators. The 34-year-old forward spent 16 seasons with the Lightning, leading them to two Stanley Cup championships and a Presidents’ Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The former Lightning captain will receive a warm welcome from Tampa Bay fans. He’s their single-season goal leader (60) and all-time leader with 1,082 games played, 555 goals and 1,137 points.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel will return to the lineup after missing eight games with a knee sprain. Defenseman Owen Power is dealing with an illness and remains questionable for Monday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

CBS SPORTS: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust left Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word on Rust’s status since the incident. An update is expected before the Penguins face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

Speaking of the Canucks, they sent defenseman Erik Brannstrom and forward Arshdeep Bains to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.







18 Comments

  1. THUD!

    That was the sound heard around Ottawa overnight as the Senators dropped to a familiar position – dead last in the Atlantic. And since the first game back after a road trip is almost always a clinker for the home team, they will stink against St. Louis to solidify their position.

    Just move the bloody team to Houston. I, for one at least, have more urgent things to occupy my time than watching a dysfunctional collection of mini-millionaires constantly get in each other’s way game after game, season after season.

    Despite multiple roster changes from year to year, with them it’s “plus ça change plus, c’est la même chose.”

    Who needs that?

    • and win their next game they potentially go from last to third

      • But they won’t.

      • Ya Caper, that division is really tight after the 2 FLA teams. It could be that way all year too.

        George, the Sens remind of my B’s so far this season. They both deserve their mediocre records. As for my Bruins their game against TOR was their best against a quality opponent this season. Especially defensively, on a whole. Couple big mistakes again, but I thought they had the better of the play overall and stayed in their structure. And they got to the net offensively. Judging from the Sens data at 5 on 5, they are not getting to where the goals get scored, and their opponents are.

        And they could use more saves.

      • George…..sigh….nothing else to say.

        And Ray. I feel your pain. That game should not have needed to go to over time. That’s not Bruins hockey. Sure they won, and sure it was Matthews that coughed it up…still…unnecessary.

        Lots of mediocrity this year.

      • The irritating thing is, they held the edge in play against Vegas throughout that game but, leading 4-3 with under 4 minutes to go they take a stupid penalty along the boards and then forgot how to skate and check as Vegas tied it on the pp and scored the winner less than a minute later.

        Last night they played a tight-checking game for 2 periods, but found themselves down 2-0 after giving up a goal in each of the periods with seconds to go. Then came back in the 3rd to tie it … and promptly suffered a couple of more brain farts in giving up 2 goals in less than 2 minutes.

        It doesn’t seem to matter who’s coaching – Smith, Martin now Greene – they simply cannot seem to grasp the basic fact that, while YOU decide to cruise late in a period, or after battling back to tie it after being down 2, the other team – generally speaking (especially the good ones) – are not about to cruse along with you. The basic bloody game is 60 minutes.

    • Two games ago I was in the same place with the Habs, George, so I get your frustration. So things can change, it’s early. But this season is not supposed to be a playoff one for either of our teams.

      Besides, why move the team to Houston? If you are really washing your hands of the Sens (I know you’re just blowing off steam) you can come back to the Habs.

      • heh – never totally left them LJ ..

        I think my main frustration with Ottawa is expressed perfectly by that French expression above … over the past two seasons I kept hoping for one thing – consistency of effort, but despite at least 14 roster changes over those past two seasons leading into this year, the same issues keeping rising to the top.

        Maybe the problem hasn’t been the supporting cast (which accounts for most of those roster changes), but within the so-called core.

  2. Nice weekend for the Habs. Two solid wins. In both games, the only slip ups were a few nervy moments during which they gave up two goals. That will happen with a young team. But overall, let’s hope they can keep this up.

  3. I know it’s early, but the Avs putting up the offense the last five games…nice!

    All this without Drouin, Leky or Nichushkin in the lineup.

    • They’re pulling together with the replacements – Ottawa has been without Zub, Perron and now Pinto – and it shows.

    • Heath you’re 100% right on their offense! That.doesn t help that their goaltending and defense are suspect! Look at their goals for and goals against stats! They are -2 for the year!

      • Hand bs Philly last was pretty one sided toll the last few minutes when Philly popped on two goals.

        Interdtonh few minutes when Xhekaj got a reputation penalty. Coyourorr hot Facj on the face with his shoulder a blind side brush back.
        Xhekaj skates over and said something that got coyourorr to drop his gloves, Chekai drops them and Seelet jumps Xhekaj from behind and they tumble to the ice. Xhekaj gets an unsportsmanlike.Vptoirier and Seelet nothing.. The refs ignored the dropping of gloves so no fight and no third man in and have Xhekaj 2 min for….?? Jawong. Refs should have let all go or atonimum penalize all three.

    • Heath they are -2 for the year! Where is their D and goalies!

    • HH&George O:
      The Avalanche can’t afford to take anyone for granted, they are playing better but they could and should play a whole lot better IMO. But whatever, I still like to watch Ottawa and Buffalo, Detroit, too. To me, they are going to eventually start winning? They are exciting to watch @ least. I believe they are on the right track. The Avalanche are challenged too at keeping their heads in the game despite how good they are. I don’t think it is unique, any team is capable of being like that. The last few years, I have liked watching those teams and Montreal too. You can kind of see them coming on or it appears to me that is so? Despite the big teams in the east, Toronto, Boston ,Florida,etc. those teams such as buffalo and Ottawa are fun to watch. I guess when your that close George O it is aggravating @ times!!

      • At least I came close to calling it exactly yesterday, tommyboy, when I posted Colorado 5 – 3 including an empty-netter 🙂

  4. Oilers game last night,

    3rd paring d looked good last night of Brent Kulak and New guy from the sharks 24 yr old
    Ty Emberson,
    They need to keep these 2 together so they form a chemistry together,
    Nurse and who ever, i think they trade for a 2nd parring Right d man in Feb some time,…🤔

    Leon & conner had a good night
    Pickard played well in goal
    looks liken nthey are starting to turn it around….👍

    • I agree Willie, they have looked better after starting 0-3 and playing brutal. Again. This team is strange that way.

      Once the puck starts going in for them, it should get better still. They have the worst shooting % in the NHL, I would be very shocked if that is still the case in 20 games.

      Couple good starts in net too, which helps calm everything down. That, and they are defending better, to your point.