NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2025

by | Jan 13, 2025 | News, NHL | 28 comments

The Red Wings extend their win streak, Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel are the latest Lightning players to score 20 goals this season, the Hurricanes honor Eric Staal and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A four-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken, extending their win streak to seven games. Patrick Kane (one goal, one assist) and Alex DeBrincat (one goal) extended their points streak to seven games. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Matty Beniers replied for the Kraken, who’ve dropped five of their last six games.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The last time the Red Wings had a seven-game win streak was from Jan. 12-23, 2012. They’re 7-1-0 since Todd McLellan took over as head coach. With 44 points, they’re two behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and set up another as his club defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist and Jonas Johansson stopped 31 shots as the Lightning sit third in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Rickard Rakell and Kevin Hayes scored for the Penguins, who remain two points behind the Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov and Hagel joined Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel with 20 goals each on the Lightning this season. That’s the most of any team thus far. Cirelli will soon make it five as he has 17 goals.

Penguins winger Michael Bunting was involved in a car accident on Sunday afternoon. He and everyone involved are okay, but he missed this game. The Penguins also moved center Evgeni Malkin and reactivated winger Philip Tomasino.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2. Cutter Gauthier tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, and Lukas Dostal made 35 saves for the win. The Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit as Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis scored in the third period to force the extra period. The Ducks ended a three-game winless skid (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes honored Eric Staal in a pregame ceremony, retiring his No. 12 jersey. Staal spent 12 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Hurricanes, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He’s third among their franchise leaders with 909 games played and sits second with 322 goals, 453 assists and 775 points.

The Hurricanes also activated defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere off injured reserve for this game and placed blueliner Ty Smith on waivers. Gostisbehere missed seven games with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Keegan Kolesar, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Dorofeyev finished the night with two goals and an assist as the Golden Knights regained first place in the overall standings with 61 points. Ryan Hartman replied for the Wild, who sit third in the Eastern Conference with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury got an emotional standing ovation from the crowd in what could be his final game in Las Vegas against his former team. Fleury spent four seasons with the Golden Knights, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2020-21. He is expected to retire following this season.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Dallas Stars 3-2. Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle and Matthew Highmore were the goalscorers and Leevi Merilainen turned aside 24 shots as the Senators (45 points) sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jacob Robertson and Evgenii Dadonov replied for the Stars as their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators general manager Steve Staios spoke with the media on Sunday, expressing optimism over the club’s performance thus far.

Staios doesn’t have a timeline for sidelined goalie Linus Ullmark and winger David Perron to return to action but anticipates they could be back “in the near future.” He also believes they have sufficient goaltending depth to weather Ullmark’s absence.







28 Comments

  1. Perhaps getting booed off the ice a few nights ago following that listless 4-0 loss to Buffalo has had the desired effect on the mostly-young Senators’ need to understand that, all the paying public wants to see from their team of choice is 100% effort. No one is foolish enough to think that any team is going to go 82-0 – just give us your best effort. That’s the least you can give your fans for the kind of money you’re getting to play a game!

    They gave that in the Pittsburgh game on Saturday and followed it at home last evening against Dallas and another encouraging sight for the fan base was seeing rookie goaltender Levi Merilainen backstop both wins. When Ullmark gets back it’s becoming clear that Forsberg’s days in Ottawa are about to end – likely through waivers and demotion if not claimed. If he does wind up in Belleville it’ll be a chance to work on getting his “game” back without the pressure and glare of the NHL.

    Meanwhile, the calm, unflappable Merilainen, taken in Round 3, 71st overall in 2020, looks like he’s here to stay. He has a big test coming up next in NY when they play the Islanders, like Buffalo another team the Senators inexplicably and repeatedly have sputtered against.

    • Re Sen’s

      Leevi Merilainen

      Has put up some nice Inpresive numbers for the young Fin, @ G6 GA 2.34 SV% 0.913
      Helping them with Win and getting them back in Towards a playoff spot while L.U. is still out injured. in mid to late Feb, if Foresterg is waved a few time there are teams that need other back out there the Whole Team is rallying around him and the look confident…
      just like they do with L.U.

      After playing very well and beating the Red Hot Dallas Stars & offenccive Pen’s…Tomorrow Tuesday they play the NYI, @41 points with 4 games in hand over the Sen’s who are on a 3 game win streak.. with 45 points so the Sens reall need to win this game tomorow…🤔

      Yesterday they said 33 yr old Big C Ryan O’Reilly could be avalable…? He would be a Great help to the Captian 25yr old Brady Tkachuk if O’Reilly was running the 3rd line centre and help All the Young kids out…..👍

      • williew, where do you get the notion the Islanders hold 4 games in hand over the Senators? They’ve both played 42 games.

      • And just to clarify, Ottawa is on a 2-game winning “streak” – Pittsburgh and Dallas – after losing at home 4-0 to Buffalo.

        Re Ullmark, whenever he does get back I hope he has the sense to opt out of that asinine 4Nations Cup. We don’t need a repeat of the Hasek episode which might have cost us the Cup in 2007.

      • Perhaps the boo’ing off the ice was a wake up call to the coach to play the hot hand in nets despite it being a *GASP* back-to-back situation. Stop with following the other coach sheep and look after your club your way. If that means going for it on fourth down—every time (washington NFL) maybe it’s not going for it anymore. Maybe it’s just using all your downs to offensively move the ball.

        maybe you play your players until they’re tired or can’t play…not by some pre-conceived notion of play one then the other on a NHL approved clock.

        I liked Staois comments. No need to go out and get anyone until you’re securely IN a play off spot and even then. Perron hasn’t delivered for a myriad of reasons. Mostly out of his contol.

      • Very true. And I agree 100% re back-to-backs.

        Perron, at just 9 gp, has been non-existent to this point, but his grit and secondary goal-scoring skills will be like completing a trade for a solid bottom 6 F in the second half. Same – but not quite as pronounced since he hasn’t been out as long – with the versatile Amadio.

        The emergence of Merilainen removes any pressing need to shore up the nets and he should be a fixture b/o Ullmark once he returns. That, to this observer anyway, reduces Staios’ search to acquiring a decent 5-6 experienced D due to the longer absences of Hamonic and Bernard-Docker.

      • Williew, if you are dreaming about O Reilly you better be willing to give up Norris or at least Batherson!

      • He George

        Your right i’m thinking Boston and
        writing NYI,🙈
        Teams behind the sen’s # 9,10,11, 13, 14 all have played 42 games
        All have between 41 to the Sen’s at 45 Point’s

        Boston lack a scoring LW in the top 6
        if the Bruins pick up a scoring LW that would help out Pasta & Pavel Zacha on the top line, may cost them a 1st pick & Top Prospect to land really good scorer like a
        Jonathan Marchessault who over the past 3 year Scores 35 goals per year and Or someone like that…🤔

  2. Is it too much to ask for a 60 minute performance by players?

    Great , actually excellent , first period.

    Then (AGAIN) all defensive mindset to s thrown out the window; and again a goalie is left out to dry

    This has got to stop

    I get it. We don’t have 6 Marcus Petterssons

    But, Sully has to do something

    Please put Grzylcyck in the press box for a couple of games.

    On the ice again for 2 of the 3 non EN goals; and a hair away from causing 4 more goals against

    Sully has sat other players and for long stretches

    At this point, what’s there to lose? Pens a week and a bit ago were in a playoff spot; and now sitting 24th (and falling) in the League (by winning percentage)

    • And that whole conference is so tight. I loved that the Sens went 2-0 on the weekend but the didn’t really make up or lose any ground at all. Just 4 points to keep them in the meaty middle with the rest of the teams. It’s nuts how close it is.

      My one thought on the Penguins Sens game was the absence of Malkin matters. He might not be on a huge tear point wise but he just forces different match ups that free up other players in the Pens line up.

      I noticed him gone.

      • Yes agree that Malkin absence does create different matchups and scenarios; but Pens lost because (1) Sens played very well; but more importantly (2) Pens absolutely threw the defensive minded game book out the window.

        Sens are the better team for sure; but Pens just made it easy for a superior team to trounce them

        The final couple weeks of the season will be very interesting with a likely 4 (to as many as all of) of the following; still with the ability to end up IN the playoffs AND also on the cusp of a potential top 10 pick. In no particular order

        Sens
        Jackets
        Habs
        Bruins
        Wings
        Rangers (don’t count them out)
        Islanders (quite a long shot; but it could happen)

        The only way now that Pens join the potential WC list (as at last 2 weeks of season) is by (1) positive trade(s) by Dubas AND (2) Sullivan properly dressing the right 20 and properly assigning line combos/D-pairings/appropriate TOI

        Trading away Pettersson and Sullivan continuing to reward absolutely awful defensive play will ensure Pens miss the playoffs for the 3rd straight season

      • Dark G, back in the pre-season when I posted my thought that the East would see the tightest race from the WC slots down to the last-place team than we’ve seen in many years, I didn’t reckon on that crushing 14-game winless streak experienced by Buffalo. And I still find it puzzling because they are not a “bad” team.

        They have scored 132 goals – more than the NYI, NYR, Montreal, Detroit, Ottawa, Boston and just 3 less than Toronto and Pittsburgh and the same number as Philadelphia. Their 146 goals against are less than Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Columbus, and just 4 more than Boston and 6 more than Montreal. Their overall goal differential of -14 is less than Philadelphia, NYI, Pittsburgh, Boston, identical to that of Montreal, and only 2 more than Detroit and 5 more than the NYR.

        And yet all those teams sit with more points in the standings. Clearly, the ingredients are there for more consistently better results, and that could manifest itself in the 2nd half with the early pressure to win off their backs (in their past 10 they have gone 5-4-1, matching Florida, Tampa and NJ and better than Ottawa, Boston, Pittsburgh, NYR, NYI and Philadelphia).

  3. We are seeing the Sens, Wings and Habs emerging, all within striking distance and all with games in hand. All three are young and continue improving, their core players are just going to be getting better for a number of years.

    The restructuring of the East is full blown. Tampa, Boston and Pittsburgh have had their last hurrahs. Each of them have some excellent players but they are done ascending

    Interestingly one team that continues to do well and keeps growing into itself, TML.

    Finally the comments are no longer filled with TML bashing just for the sake of bashing.

    • Agree Habsfan30 re your take on Sens,Wings, Habs and on Lightning,Bruins, Pens

      Don’t forget the great showing by Jackets this year, in spite of their tragic loss and other injuries.

      However re Leafs: “Interestingly one team that continues to do well and keeps growing into itself, TML.”

      This Spring will be 11 years of the Shanaplan rebuild; and Leafs have not even won a 2nd round yet.

      Improved? Yes

      Do they look strong enough this year to best Panthers to get to the Conference finals?

      Can they do it? Yes anything is possible.

      That said, I would not have confidence in that bet.

      If they are ousted again pre round 3; and they face losing their top point getter this summer; is there a Shanaplan part Deux ?

      • Let’s not lose sight of the fact Columbus is right there in the mix as well, currently holding down the 2nd WC slot with 46 points, just 1 back of the Bruins and with 2 games in hand.

      • 8787 If you watched TML this weekend you wouldn t be saying that! Matthews was -7 over 2 games Ouch! He must be saving himself for the 4 Nations Tournament!

      • Hi Sr

        Didn’t catch the Leaf games

        But your stats re Mathews (-7 over 2 games) just backs my point even further… that being not betting on Leafs to get past Panthers and into the Eastern Conference Finals

        And if Mathews plays like that at the 4 Nations our chanced arr diminished big time (Hellybuck can only do so much, he can’t score for us)

      • George

        I mentioned Jackets

      • So a failure is “11 yrs” after a complete tear down and rebuild of an organization from the very top to the bottom, making the playoffs the very next year since finishing dead last after years of sucking every year since but have (to me, understandingly) struggle to find success in the postseason with their young inexperienced players and then rookie coach?

        I guess people like you forget the all facts and pick a choose whatever fits your narrative ignoring the fact that 10 or more years after a rebuild is when teams that took on a rebuild start to look like cup contenders and get in the postseason regularly. As I’ve mentioned and ignored, the Leafs never had their growing pains most teams like the Sens, Wings or even the Oilers had battling to earn a postseason birth.

        I think it really shows a lack of intelligence to not realize that the Leafs shouldn’t have been able to qualify for the postseason the following year they picked Matthews first overall and have qualified every year since, taking each series the distance while never being swept by an opponent who has been a cup finalist.

        But I just people that use words like Shanaplan are just people who can’t understand what they are seeing and turn towards making such ‘witty’ catch phrases that only undermine a potential discussion and exploration of hockey.

      • Correction. *…I guess people, not I just.

      • @Sr I`m willing to bet that you never watched those games. While yes the Matthews line did stink for a couple of games. You make it sound like it`s a major problem. While Matthews isn`t Bergeron in his consistency for playing a complete 200 ft game, Bergeron isn`t in the same class for playing a 200ft game and scoring goals as is Matthews. Like a lot of other players Matthews is dealing with an injury that affects his play, but to say the guy is saving it for the 4 nations cup is a cheap shot and just tells us what kind of person you are. To criticize a player for a poor performance is one thing, but to suggest he`s doing it on purpose is another

    • And I see below you have wisely added CLB in that group. Let’s see how all 4 do in the last half of the season before we put them in the ascending category. No awards are given 1/2 a season in.

      But I am on board with the descent of Tampa, Boston and the Pens.

      Comments here about the Leafs just for the sake of bashing? In previous years the comments have been based on their performance, particularly in the playoffs. I recall none that were over the top. This year Leafs management has made a few solid additions and they are playing well. But let’s wait and see how they do when it counts, in the playoffs.

      Ask Bruins fans how they view the regular season vs playoff results.

      • LJ. re the Leafs, I think what Habfan30 was alluding to is things like the juvenile “Laffs” moniker and the excessive gloating when they come up with a stinker – as if no other team lays the occasional egg.

        At the moment they are missing Stolarz more than they might have figured when assembling their goaltending group, since Woll seems to be in a bit of an unanticipated funk, and Hildeby simply doesn’t have the required NHL experience to be a factor (just 5 games).

        Berube has them playing a completely different style than we’ve been used to seeing in recent seasons under Sheldon “I Don’t Believe In Matching Lines” Keefe, and if they’re healthy entering the playoffs this spring I wouldn’t want to be the team facing them in the opening round.

      • Right, George. Actually, I recall we once used to be subjected to taunts about Tavares. So HF30, I now see your point.

  4. George O… I know you talk about back to backs often, and how they effect teams… this was only the Stars 2nd back to back so far this season, but after watching the Senators outplay the Stars in the 2nd and 3rd period, it was painfully obvious, that the Sens younger squad had much more energy and fight than the Stars had. Their gaps looked good most of the time, they were much more physical than the Stars, and their breakouts looked clean and crisp and they were able to spend more time in the O- zone… where as the Stars just looked slow and tired last night… Congrats on the win!

    • Starsfan., one significant difference about the dual back-t0-back situation, is that.for the Stars, there was no let-up in the pace of their game in Montreal. When you play the Habs you better be ready to skate for 60 minutes, because there’s no let-up from their side.

      The pace was completely different for Ottawa in Pittsburgh, plus there was the added incentive not to lay another egg at home after that embarrassing 4-0 loss to Buffalo.

      • And, just to be clear, I’m not suggesting they “shouldn’t be losing to the likes of Buffalo.” Not by a long shot, as I indicate elsewhere today about the Sabres puzzling season to date, given the talent they have.

        I’m referring to the way the Senators came out totally flat in the game with absolutely no consistent effort. Listless is the best way to describe it.

  5. I can’t say enough about how completely different the wings are playing now compared to early in the season. They are really fun to watch. They play with energy and an expectation they will win. Before the coaching change, they were playing such a cautious game, they were boring and were just plain lucky if they actually won a game. It’s a great time to be a sports fan in Detroit. The Wings are playing great, the Lions have had an amazing season so far, and even the Pistons are playing well!