NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2024
Recaps of Tuesday’s games, reaction to the Bruins firing head coach Jim Montgomery, and updates on Alex Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele tallied a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Morgan Barron scored two shorthanded goals and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots as the Jets set a franchise record for the most wins in their first 10 home games (9-1-0). Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored his 14th goal to extend his points streak to 11 games.
Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).
The Edmonton Oilers got three-point performances from Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to defeat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. McDavid had two goals and an assist while Bouchard and Draisaitl had a goal and two assists each. Tim Stutzle and Josh Norris replied for the Senators, who have just three wins in nine games thus far in November (3-5-1).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a rough month for Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. He’s given up five goals in three of his five starts since Nov. 5. Before this game, the Oilers claimed winger Kasperi Kapanen off waivers from the St. Louis Blues.
Speaking of the Blues, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to extend his points streak to six games. Scott Perunovich and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues, who’ve dropped six of their last seven games (1-5-1).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues center Robert Thomas collected an assist in his first game since suffering a fractured ankle on Oct. 22.
New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period to give his club a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Mika Zibanejad, Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson picked up two assists.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canucks announced center J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave of absence as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury and the emotional toll it’s taken as he tried to play through the injury. Meanwhile, the Rangers learned that center Filip Chytil did not suffer a concussion after colliding with teammate K’Andre Miller last week. He remains listed as day-to-day but will join his teammates in Calgary as they prepare to face the Flames on Thursday.
The Tampa Bay Lightning got an overtime goal from Brayden Point as they overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. The Lightning picked up their third straight win as Point finished the night with two goals in his first game since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Nov. 3. Jesse Puljujarvi and Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins, who have just two wins in their last eight contests (2-3-3).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains at 599 regular-season goals but collected an assist to surpass Joe Sakic for the sixth-most assists (1,017) with one franchise. He should pass Gordie Howe (1,023) and Mario Lemieux (1,033) to move into fourth place later this season. Passing Lemieux will also give Crosby the Penguins’ all-time assist record.
A shootout goal by Justin Kirkland lifted the Calgary Flames to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for the Isles but Rasmus Andersson tied it in the third period. Dustin Wolf stopped 28 shots for the Flames while Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Islanders, who have one win in their last five games (1-1-3).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov returned to action for the first time since being sidelined on Nov. 1 by an upper-body injury.
The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 as Leo Carlsson broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period. Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist and Trevor Zegras collected two assists as the Ducks won their third straight game. Jason Dickinson tallied twice and Connor Bedard had two assists for the Blackhawks as they’ve dropped five of their last six.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks starting goalie Petr Mrazek missed this game for personal reasons.
HEADLINES
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The slumping Bruins (8-9-3) fired head coach Jim Montgomery on Tuesday. Associate coach Joe Sacco takes over on an interim basis. Hired in June 2022, Montgomery had a record of 120-41-23, reaching the playoffs twice and winning the Presidents Trophy in 2022-23 with an NHL record of 65 wins and 135 points. Montgomery won the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year for 2022-23.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the Bruins struggled through the opening weeks of this season, the rumblings for change grew. Given the lack of suitable options in the trade market and the Bruins’ limited cap space, a coaching change was the only move they could make.
Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio and Christopher Hurley singled out several notable players who contributed to the Bruins’ sputtering performance.
They include the declining play of 36-year-old captain Brad Marchand following three offseason surgeries, superstar winger David Pastrnak’s lower-than-expected production, Jeremy Swayman’s shaky goaltending after protracted contract negotiations kept him out of training camp, and the disappointing efforts from free-agent additions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.
The Bruins might rebound under Sacco. However, there’s a growing feeling in Boston that management’s inability to offset the departures of key players like Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, Linus Ullmark and Torey Krug since 2019-20 is the real reason behind the club’s decline. That could put general manager Don Sweeney on the hot seat if this club fails to improve under Sacco.
SPORTSNET: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-leg injury during Monday’s win over the Utah Hockey Club. He’ll undergo further evaluation on Wednesday in Washington. Ovechkin has 868 career goals, 26 behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.
TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is in Munich, Germany, seeking treatment for an upper-body injury from a doctor he’s previously worked with. Matthews has been sidelined for six games and remains listed as day-to-day. He’s been accompanied to Munich by a team physician.
The Leafs also placed forward David Kampf (lower body) on injured reserve and called up forward Fraser Minten.
DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier (back) and defenseman Brett Pesce (undisclosed injury) are listed as day-to-day.
The Vegas Golden Knights placed defenseman Ben Hutton (upper body) on long-term injury reserve and winger Mark Stone (lower body) on IR.
TSN: The Montreal Canadiens assigned forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard to their AHL affiliate in Laval on a long-term injury conditioning loan. He underwent surgery in July for a broken leg.
If I am not mistaken the Bruins last 3 coaches that were fired were all Coaches of the Year while working there! You think it might be more about managements poor player evaluations!
All I ‘ll remember of Don Sweeney when he gets fired is :
Drafted Senychyn,Zboril,Debrusk instead of Barzal,Connor,Boeser or Chabot
Wins a Stanley Cup with previous administrations core, Gorton’s Brad Marchand (draft), Zdeno Chara (sign) and Tukka Rask (Raycroft trade) and Chiarelli’s David Pastrnak (draft)
Traded away alot of 1st and 2n rounders, has a barely empty prospects pool (Letourneau and Lysell)
Hands out 160 Million dollars to a 30 yo whos has an average of 55 pts per season (Lindholm 7 years) to an average physical defensman (Zadorov 6 years) and Swayman.
Fires Jim Montgomery (139–58–29)
Cam Neely keeps him in place
What is Jeremy Jacobs waiting for?
Maybe the problem is Neely? He’s part of that old guard that is a bit out of touch with today’s version of the NHL
The coach firings are mind blowing. Monty’s winning percentage is over .700 and his predecessor wasn’t far off from that. And yes, no one can forget going off the board to make those three picks was also a LMAO moment for all non Bs fans.
I can’t help but wonder now if Sacco plays the role similar to Horacheck with the Leafs. Bottom out and go for the picks. Could we finally be witnessing the fall of the Bs?
SR,
100% its Management…. next to get fired in boston should be there GM Don Sweeney , has he really helped boston or the coach out, nowthe 3rd coach fired in 5 years or so …❓
Your 3rd line LW playing 1st line LW in Morgan Geekie…👀 he is Not a top 6 player,
Boston Cant score they need a real top 6 LW….
may cost them a 1st pick and good young prospect like a Lysell to get a guy for the 1st line 🤔
maybe its time for a new GM in Boston
Someone who did very poorly is trying to save his job
Montgomery was the first to go (undeserved) but he’ll be the first to come back, Sweeney (deserved) will be next and might never be a GM again.
When is the last time a coach was fired that had a career record of about 75 games OVER 500 winning percentage!
Probably Dean Evason with the wild he was 147-77-27. Ironically he is the Blue Jackets head coach now and Monty gets the ax after the Blue Jackets game.
Monty gone in Beantown!
Then Sully MUST make a permanent exit from PPG
Another 2 goal lead squandered.
Jarry had a very good game with some excellent stops; but Pens outshot basically at a 2 to 1 clip, defensively morose; and once again gave up when the chips were down.
Notice who was the culprit on the OT goal standing and doing nothing? Same guy doing same thing with Wings OT win over Pens last week. Same guy who fumbled around and let Point literally dance around for first goal almost 6 minutes into the third causing
Sully , you see a guy:
1. absolutely struggling defensively the whole game , and whole season
2. bailed out 3 times by Jarry or he would have been -5 on night instead of -2
3. Have another brain fart leading to Point’s goal
4. And direct cause for OT goal vs Wings
You see all that and you still let him out in OT to play 3 on 3 where his defensive miscues are extremely vulnerable and potentially (strike potentially, ARE) costly?
Sully, time to move on
It’s clear you are no longer motivating the team and continue to make in-game mistakes and line-up miscues. When the rebuild comes, unfortunately Sully is not the coach he used to be and not the coach to develop another contender through a rebuild.
Now, knowing Dubas, his next move, instead of the obvious, will be to trade his absolute best defensive defenseman (Pettersson) making team worse still.
Good notes re last night:
OPP line impressive
Jarry had a very good game with some exceptional saves
Pickering looked good
Sully, a guy that signed an expensive contract with term
Hi Johhny
These are multi multi Billionaire owners with a franchise worth $1.5 B, so the $commitment to Sullivan is relatively minuscule
He would not be the first coach with multi-year term remaining to be fired
Attendance down
Viewership down
Merch sales down
Dubas has repeatedly said they are NOT rebuilding right now AND committed to Crosby to get him to finally sign , that he’d (Dubas) would make team better
All know that playoffs are out regardless
All know that Pens will finish outside of bottom 3 and likely picking 7th-12th
There is a hit and miss risk in 7th-16th and they tend to be (overall) similar (NHL career wise) in the end
With the needed coaching change done; team would be more competitive but still missing playoffs , still picking in the 7th-16th slots; but fans now engaged again and free-fall attendance/viewership/merch sales mitigated/suspended
In addition , when rebuild does start, a “new” coach in to develop team properly through rebuild.
Sully has had a great career but his positive influence on team is gone. Just gone.
His proper in-game moves and decisions on who dresses for a game; gone.
He needs a change of scenery and would likely be able to help another team right away.
Pens players need a “new” person at the helm
Pens fans need a “new” person at the helm
I’ve got news for you 87. Pens are going to get a lot worse before they get better. Let the tear down begin!!
Hi Ed
Tear down should have started summer of ‘23
Penguins true spiral started on June 1st, 2023
I’ll let you google what happened that day; too painful to type that info here
Instead of the needed rebuild; public announcement made to NOT to do so right now; AND emphatic promise to Crosby to make team better now
See more (above to Johnny Z) of my response on this
We were all sad but OK if rebuild started when it should have ; but all very despondent on the limbo apathy approach
Just so you know, most of the people that read this site don’t watch the Penguins games. Not trying to offend, but they’re just not a draw even with your golden child. So when you single out a player in everyone single one of your posts every day without actually naming him (or her) most people have no clue who you despise. Every post you post with these vague references make me think you’re a Red Wings fan and talking about Petry. But if that isn’t the case and there is a really terrible Penguin who is basically costing them the entire season all by him (or her) self’s lack of effort… Well I’m wondering who on the Penguins could be worse than Petry. Or Chiarot. Oops, I put names of players that are disappointing in my post. Sorry .
Yeah Sweeney is so bad that Team Canada selected him as their GM. Monty was terrible and couldn’t get out of his own way. He was fortunate for the team’s chemistry and carry over from the Cassidy era.
The team won in spite of him. Only Monty would separate Bergeron and Marchand during the playoffs. They were up 3-1 that year in the playoffs against Florida. He panicked that year . Kept playing an obviously hurt Ullmark. He finally put Swaymen in game seven who hadn’t played in over two weeks. Then, threw Goalie Bob under the bus after it was over. Saying in so many words it was the goalie coaches fault.
All the too many men on the ice penalty’s he has caused over the last couple of years especially in the playoffs were a direct result of his constantly changing lines from shift to shift. The players didn’t know whether they were coming or going. Definitely NOT a playoff coach.
As it was slipping away this year he constantly called out his players in public. The fourth line was the only line that was clicking. He broke them up too. With so many new players on the team this year they were never given a chance to form any chemistry as lines.
Alot of truth to that it is not rec hockey the coach shouldn’t have new lines every game no other coach does that nonsense. You reward the lines that are playing well. And maybe in game tinker to the ones that are not. But not every game new lines and call ups I still think bruins will struggle but not as bad as 1st 20. They do not have enough scoring forwards and Swayman caving under his contract Maybe they should ride the goalie who is playing the best which would be korpi
Hi Mr. Bruin 4
Re “the coach shouldn’t have new lines every game no other coach does that nonsense. ”
You are wrong on that. There is another team with your same jersey colours that has a coach who does that
Hi the Turk
Boston’s offence is mostly made out of Pastrnak, an aging Marchand, a 55pts per season overpaid for too long player in Lindholm, a underachiever in Zacha and .. Charlie Coyle.
Sweeney spent 160M on Lindholm, Zadorov and Swayman. He only has two decent prospects in Letrourneau and Lysell. Bergeron, Chara, kreijci haven’t been replaced and the cup he won was fuelled by previous ownerships (Gorton, Marchand, Chara and Rask, Chiarelli Pastrnak) and I wont talk about that 2015 disastrous draft
What could Montgomery do with such an offense ? How is he responsible for Sweeney not being able to give him the right tools ?
Right now the Bruins simply have a middle ranking team
Can’t hang the draft on Sweeney. He was hired just before to gm role. The team was already set. And he tried like a mofo to move up for hanafin but was not successful. Zyboril was rated as high as he was picked but never fully developed. Debrusk was picked in range he was supposed to go. Z on the other hand was a Hail Mary that never panned out. Overall he has been an above average Gm. Even though many fans hate him lol
So team Canada will not be winning the four
Nations challenge! How about Cassidy winning the cup the year after he was fired!
What about Cassidy sitting Backes game 7 vs his old team after sitting earlier he would have had a major bee in his bonnet but BC chose minor leaguer Kullman. Big error. Though I did like Bruce and Monty both failed to deliver in the end. Vgk was a cup fave that year regardless who was coach
Mrbruin4 just listened to Sweeney s press conference and he started making excuses about training camp!
He knows now that the next hatchet may fall on him! Neeley was not at the press conference with him! He is distancing himself from Sweeney so he won t take the fall with him!Joe Sacco is in a good spot! If they fail,it s on Sweeney and his personel decisions!Can t wait to see Vial in the lineup again!!
Agree with a lot of your points, Turk, but Montgomery will be hired by another team very quickly, possibly during this season.
He sure looked frustrated behind the bench.
There was no other choice, as i said yesterday, I thought Monty would be gone if Boston lost to Columbus.
That’s not a shot at Columbus; but reality, that the bruins season is slipping away from them and management think they have a playoff team.
The constant line changing, calling out your star players, the lack of control of emotion on the bench.
Folks still living in 2015, Sweeney first draft and really we don’t know how much say he had in the draft. Brandon Carlo, Jeremy Lauzon and Daniel Vladar also taken in that draft.
Charlie McAvoy taken 14th probably top 7 in a re-draft, Trent Frederic 30th and Ryan Lindgren 49th
Mason Lohrei taken in the 2nd round 58th overall.
Matt Poitras 2nd round 54th overall.
Yes lots of misses, but some really good picks for when they were drafted.
Matt Barzal, is a miss, back then Boston had Bergeron and Krejci and maybe drafted by position and not the best player available.
Monty gone and Sacco is in, who has been with the team thru the last three coaches, gets his second chance at coaching.
Most teams the GM is there for the first round then the head scout takes over for rounds 2 through 7. They work off a list they prepared before the draft, so don`t give too much credit to Sweeney. A GM might never have seen any of those picks play. Sacco, ex Leaf, coaching Boston, I like it. Sacco deserves the chance, hope Joe has great success
Re, Oilers game last night
The head coach KN he must have kicked some ASS on Monday night after that enbarising show of a 3-0 defeat, the Oilers came out like a completely diffrent team…. Skinner going 5-1-1 in his last 7 games👌
especially with a bunch of No names filling in the 3rd pairing d…. who would normally be, 7,8,9, d/men on most teams….
The Sen’s came out flat last night and did not play well at all i thought it would be a very tight game
Tim Stutzle & Thachuck played well and Zub on d
Ullmark had a rough night letting in 5 Goals,
the d need tighten up in Ottawa… ⁉️
I see young Carter Yakemchuk coming up next season and playing a full year with the Sen’s
This year with the Calgary Hitmen he has a wopping 18pts in 16 game played …..
He is going to hit 100 point’s this season word is he is playing Great again this year from my freind in Calgary…..👍👌
J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave of absence as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury and the emotional toll it’s taken as he tried to play through the injury.
Where on earth have you heard this because Tocchet said it isn’t injury related.
All the Canuck statement said was a reset.
Tocchet gushing praise for Miller while standing in front of his Adams trophy, the location is really odd, the remarks hint at a conflict between them.
Would a team announce a trade request if this is what happened?
Last time Boeser and Garland asked for trades in public their value lowered to the point of no team wanting them without retention and a sweetener so it makes sense they say he needs a reset, change his mind on leaving. Social media accounts being deleted too?
What are the chances it is a trade request?
“J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave of absence as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury and the emotional toll it’s taken as he tried to play through the injury.
Where on earth have you heard this because Tocchet said it isn’t injury related.”
If you took the time to follow the link provided, Rudy, you’d see it was from The Province’s Canucks beat writer Patrick Johnston. Here’s the link if you need further clarification:
https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/jt-miller-leave-of-absence-indefinite
But if that’s too difficult for you, here are the direct quotes from Johnston:
“If you have suspected he has been dealing with some sort of uncomfortable, nagging injury, you’d be right. If you guessed upper back or neck, you’d also be right. It’s in that area.
That he’s been playing below his own standard has been weighing on him, apparently more than any outside observer realized.”
““We don’t know when he’ll be back,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday morning, after his team took a morning skate in preparation for that night’s game. It’s understood that Miller will likely miss the whole road trip.”
Postmedia understands this personal leave is not related to concerns about substance or alcohol abuse, or anything beyond his struggles to compete so far this season.
“It would seem that he was trying to hold an emotional mountain up, but that mountain has come crashing down on his head. And of course he hasn’t performed like the player he believes he can be.
And so now he is taking time away from the team to get himself re-set emotionally, while also getting himself physically well. A player in Miller’s situation would be able to access the tools available in the NHL and player assistance program, but Miller apparently isn’t using that at the moment.”
““Millsy is his worst critic. Guy wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s our eff-you. He’s our emotional leader. He takes it upon himself to do it every night and it’s hard to do,” Tocchet said.”
“Tocchet wouldn’t reveal the sequence on how Miller choosing to go on leave came about, such as whether it was the team or the player who initiated the idea, but he did say they spoke on Monday.”
“Miller’s wife, Natalie, recently deleted her Instagram account, but that was just to avoid the crush of nonsensical comments and direct messages that would cascade in at a time like this.”
I hope that clarifies things for you.