NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 12, 2025
The Oilers clinch a playoff berth, the Senators widen their lead for the first Eastern wild card, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES
NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff berth by doubling up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Connor McDavid collected assists on all four goals and Corey Perry scored the winning goal for the Oilers, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 97 points. Will Smith and Henry Thrun replied for the Sharks, who dropped their eighth straight game.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Oilers as defenseman Mattias Ekholm and winger Zach Hyman left the game with injuries. Ekholm might not return for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Sharks announced that sidelined defenseman Mario Ferraro suffered a broken ankle during their 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday but he won’t have to undergo surgery.
Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto scored twice in a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist as the Senators opened a five-point lead over Montreal for the first wild-card berth with 92 points. Christian Dvorak and Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, who hold the final wild-card spot with 87 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal needed a regulation win to clinch their first postseason berth since 2021. They’ll get another opportunity on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler won the Mike Richter Award as this season’s best goaltender in US college hockey.
The Detroit Red Wings kept their playoff hopes alive by nipping the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3. Marco Kasper tallied two goals (including the winner in overtime) for the Red Wings, who sit six points behind the Canadiens with 81 points. Gage Goncalves scored twice for the Lightning (98 points), who remain two points behind the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Luke Glendening missed this game with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for their remaining regular-season games. The Lightning got some good news on Friday as their top prospect Isaac Howard won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in US college hockey.
A 4-2 victory by the Calgary Flames (90 points) over the Minnesota Wild moved the former within three points of Minnesota and St. Louis Blues in the race for a Western Conference wild-card berth. Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund scored for the Flames as they have a game in hand over the Wild and Blues, who have two games each remaining in their schedule.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf tied Mike Vernon for the most starts by a Flames rookie goaltender (51). Meanwhile, Wild captain Jared Spurgeon left this game after taking a puck to the throat in the second period and feeling lightheaded afterward. The Wild expect top prospect Zeev Buium to sign his entry-level contract and join their roster soon.
The Pittsburgh Penguins scored four unanswered goals to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist. Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat scored for the Devils, who are third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils expect sidelined defenseman Dougie Hamilton to be available for their upcoming first-round playoff series with the Carolina Hurricanes.
HEADLINES
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog’s comeback took a big step forward on Friday with a solid performance skating for their AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles in a 2-0 win. The 32-year-old winger saw just over 15 minutes of ice time with the Eagles in his first game since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. He’s since been recovering from multiple knee surgeries that threatened to end his playing career.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche were said to have “guarded optimism” that Landeskog could return to the lineup for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs. His performance with the Eagles suggests that could become a reality.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars center Tyler Seguin hopes to see some regular-season play before the postseason begins. He underwent hip surgery four months ago and hasn’t played since Dec. 1.
TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs will face the Canadiens on Saturday with only five defensemen as Oliver Ekman-Larsson is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The Leafs lack the cap space to call up a replacement from their AHL affiliate.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes prospect defenseman Alexander Nikishin signed a two-year entry-level contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 6’4”, 220-pound Nikishin could be in the Hurricanes lineup for their remaining regular-season games.
Although I sincerely believed Montreal would win that game last night, simply based upon the premise that, given the situation (Ottawa just clinched – Montreal still in a dog fight and, so, more motivated, I did post a caution … “However, don’t rule out a determined approach to the game by Ottawa, who haven’t beaten Montreal so far this season, along with the Habs experiencing a well-established (over the years) difficulty by many teams in notching the necessary clinching points. We should know by the early minutes how this one will play out.”
The game itself certainly had all the attributes of a playoff game with a divided crowd loudly into it, and physicality and feistiness displayed by both sides, including a fight. But unfortunately for the Habs the caution outlined above is more or less exactly how it played out.
Now they have to go into Toronto tonight and beat – or at least get a point out of a team that is still in a battle to lock up first place in the Division. Because, although the Habs still have a 6-point cushion over the teams still with any hope of catching them, Columbus does have a game in hand, and after Toronto they return home to host Chicago on Monday and Carolina on Wednesday. Absolutely needing a win in either of those games can play Hell with the performance of a young team.
Where Ottawa is concerned, they get a bit of a “schedule reward” after that whacky, multiple back-to-backs extended road trip in late December/early January in that the Flyers on Sunday, Chicago on Tuesday and Carolina on Thursday will each be playing the second of a back-to-back.
Most of that late season angst for the Habs can, however, disappear even before the opening face-off in Toronto. This afternoon if, in regulation time, the Flyers beat the NYI, Washington tops the Blue Jackets in Columbus, and the Hurricanes, at home, down the Rangers, all 3 of those pursuers are eliminated.
That would leave only Detroit still with a chance to catch them, and they don’t play again until Monday at home to Dallas, who will finish in 2nd in the Central regardless. After that, Detroit’s final 2 games are back-to-backs in NJ and Toronto on April 16/17.
George, one team looked like they were hungry, the other befuddled.
The Habs’ slow starts have settled into their repertoire, and I thought it would lead to their downfall.
If they have another poor start it won’t matter if the Leafs only ice the Three Stooges as their D.
As much as I don’t like fights “to energize” one’s team (why does a pro team need that?), full marks to Pezzetta for taking on a much bigger opponent and trying to breath life into a flat team.
Your boys are home and cooled for the rest of the season. Good for them.
Will we see Demidov tonight?
Well, so far anyway, Columbus isn’t going quietly into the night, as they lead the Capitals 3-0. Beautiful goal by Werenski who ended an 18 game goal-scoring drought – and set a team record.
OK – now 6-0. Safe to say that one is in the bag and with 79gp their 83 points will put them within 4 of Montreal. If they lose in Toronto tonight, the Blue Jackets will again have a game in hand, which they’ll make up tomorrow in Washington in the second of a back-to-back. They’ve no doubt pissed off the Capitals as it is, and if they keep adding to that embarrassment today that could work against them tomorrow.
Lyle
Re “Ekholm might not return for the playoffs.”
Is that a possibility for the entire playoffs (which would be very bad for Oilers) ; or did you mean “Ekholm might not return IN TIME for the playoffs.”?
McD certainly making up for lost time; 7 points out of last 8 Oilers goals
I’m going by what the report said.
“He fell twice, aggravated something and felt it wasn’t best for him to return,” said Knoblauch, who didn’t have any further updates other than one of them (likely Ekholm) might not be back for the playoffs. “There is a possibility but we’ll wait and see.”
https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/edmonton-oilers-clinch-playoffs-injuries
Listening to knoblauch post game it sounded more like the question and answer was If one of them may be in jeopardy of missing game 1 , not the entire playoffs . That was my takeaway anyways . Rishaug thought the same , who asked the question a second time after getting nothing on the first .
“Do you have any concern that either of those guys have the type of injury that could potentially push in to the playoffs?”
Was the question , not are they I jeopardy of missing the playoffs .
Knoblauch basically said it’s a possibility for one of the two but won’t know until the doctors have time to examine and update .
Thanks Lyle and Craig
If its a no go for entire playoffs for at least one of Ekholm or Draisitl; odds deepen substantially for a return to the SCF
8787
It’s ekholm and Hyman the two being discussed , not draisaitl.
Rishaug who was reporter from TSN asking the question followed up with a tweet.
“Knoblauch wouldn’t say which one but between hyman and ekholm , one of them could be in jeopardy for game 1 of the playoffs”
GeorgeO,it will be interesting to see how your Sens and the Habs handle the second season. Both groups have made great runs this year.As you know the 2nd season is much different than the. First.there is more clutching and grabbing,and the ref s swallow the whistle so the players can decide the game.With Boston going thru their inevitable rebuild I will watch closely Wild,Toronto Fla. Colorado and Edmonton to watch all the ex Bruins in the playoffs. Last but not least I hope Ullmark has a great playoff and in Boston the fans hold the Tkaczuk family in their Hearst because of their father’s Boston connection. You Montreal guys get to watch2 more Hutson brothers playing in the college national championship game tonight.
Habs played a stinker of a game last night and it seems like a collective fatigue has set in before getting the job done.
Hutson seemed stuck in low gear, Matheson has his toi catching up to him in the past few games.
Admit it or not, just like the playoffs, the games down the stretch during the last two months is a marathon preparing for a marathon.
Which Hab team will show up tonight, tired or second wind?
Interesting next few games and a reminder that you can’t count your chickens till they’re hatched.
Keep an eye on those afternoon games habfan30. I’m sure the Habs won’t mind “backing in” … it didn’t bother the Senators
Well, two of the chasers were added today to those eliminated – both NY City teams – leaving only Columbus and Detroit still within catching distance, although Detroit is as good as gone.
The Blue Jackets, however, have moved uncomfortably close to the Habs, and after tonight – if Montreal doesn’t win in Toronto – they’;; have a game in hand with 3 to go while Montreal is down to 2 – Chicago and Carolina.
They simply cannot lose that Chicago game at home.
Habfan30,that can happen the other way where a no.1 seed doesn t play a meaningful game in months,Boston 2023, then they get run over in the first round by a hungry team that is playing in desperation trying to make the playoffs.
Perhaps fatigue is an issue, HF30, But the CBJs schedule looks the same in terms of # of games played this month/days off.
To my eyes, teams are focusing on taking away Hutson’s time and space as they know he generates a lot of break outs.
Suzuki and linemates need to have a much better game, particularly from Slavkovski who says he want to play like Brady. Unfortunately he had the same presence last night as Brady did. His inconsistency if frustrating.
LOL LJ. When I first read your post above I thought you were inferring that Brady is also inconsistent. Then I read it again – Brady didn’t play last night.
But go easy on them. Their situation is quite similar to that of Ottawa’s over the past few seasons of their re-build in that a young team is still learning how to deal with the pressures of a playoff race once push comes to shove as the season wears down.
The thing is with the Habs, they are way ahead of the Senators at the same stage of the two re-builds.
Exactly a year ago today they were well out of the race after 79 gp with a 30 36 13 73 pts .390 % pace and 224gf 274ga -50.
This season they’ve improved by 9 wins, 5 fewer losses, 14 more points, 14 more goals and 16 fewer relinquished, and their points % pace has improved from .390 at this stage last season by a margins of .161 to .551.
Not too shabby for a young team … and they are not out of it yet.
No point trying to talk sense into me, George. It can’t be done – ask my wife.
The part of me that sees, and agrees, with your logic is overtaken by the part of me that is bumfuzzled by a pee poor showing in an important game. The Habs haven’t been starting games on time for some time now and I haven’t been as optimistic about them actually getting into the playoffs as others here have been. So it’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop …
That said, an explanation is that the Sens are on the upswing, hungry and didn’t want to be swept for the season in their own building.
But that would be talking sense, and what’s the point in that?
LJ
“bumfuzzled”
My dad and my uncle use that all the time; but I’ve never heard anybody else say it
Were you born in the late ‘40s and raised in Western PA as well?
8787, nope. Not that old, and reside in the Great White North.
First came across the word in a West Wing episode. Thought it was a great word and have held onto it since.