NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2025
Alex Ovechkin within four goals of becoming the all-time goal-scoring leader, the Golden Knights clinch a playoff berth, the Blues pick up their 10th straight win, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 891st NHL regular-season goal in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Third-period goals by Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson enable the Capitals (105 points) to hold off the Bruins, moving to within one point of the first-overall Winnipeg Jets. David Pastrnak scored twice to reach 37 goals on the season for the Bruins, who are 0-8-1 in their last nine games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin needs four more goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals have eight games remaining in their regular-season schedule.
The Vegas Golden Knights dropped a 3-2 decision to the Edmonton Oilers but became the fourth team to clinch a playoff berth. Second-period goals by Jake Walman, Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson gave the Oilers (91 points) the win, moving them two points behind the second-place Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division. Nicolas Roy and Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific with 98 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights signed top prospect Trevor Connolly yesterday to a three-year entry-level contract.
An overtime goal by Cam Fowler lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Detroit Red Wings 2-1, extending their win streak to 10 games. Fowler also assisted on Jordan Kyrou’s 32nd goal of the season as the Blues moved one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild into the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points. J.T. Compher scored for the Wings (75 points), who sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
Speaking of the final Eastern wild card, the Montreal Canadiens (79 points) opened a two-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Nick Suzuki scored the tying goal with nine seconds remaining in the third period and the winning goal 29 seconds into overtime. Lane Hutson collected assists on all three goals for the Canadiens as they swept their season series with the defending Stanley Cup champion. Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers, who sit third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points.
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson became the 10th rookie defenseman in league history to reach the 60-point plateau, finishing the game with 62 points. The 21-year-old blueliner leads this season’s rookie class with 57 assists, 62 points, power-play points (25) and ice time per game (22:40).
Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in an 8-4 drubbing of the Nashville Predators. Sean Monahan scored twice and added two assists and Adam Fantilli netted two goals and an assist as the Blues Jackets kept pace with the Canadiens in the Eastern wild-card race. Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored his 29th goal of the season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders 4-1. Nikita Kucherov had two assists to extend his points streak to nine games as the Lightning (93 points) moved one point ahead of the Panthers into second place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who sit five points behind the Canadiens in the wild-card chase.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh became the eighth player in NHL history to reach the 2,000 blocked shots milestone. Meanwhile, Islanders coach Patrick Roy singled out winger Anthony Duclair for his poor play, calling him “god awful”.
Los Angeles Kings forwards Anze Kopitar, Andrei Kuzmenko and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. The Kings sit second in the Pacific Division with 93 points. Cole Perfetti scored for the Jets, who remain first overall with 106 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’ll have to call Kopitar, Kuzmenko and Kempe the “AK Line” if they keep producing together at that pace.
Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored to extend his goal streak to five games as his club upset the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who’ve won five of their last six games. Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson scored for the Senators (84 points), who sit five points ahead of the Canadiens in the first Eastern wild-card spot.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk missed this game with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the club is close to a deal with Canadian Tire to extend their arena naming rights agreement by another five years.
The Utah Hockey Club dealt a blow to the Calgary Flames’ playoff hopes with a 3-1 victory. Karel Vejmelka stopped 33 shots while Kevin Stenlund, Barrett Hayton, and Clayton Keller scored for Utah. Rasmus Andersson replied for the Flames (82 points), who are six points behind the Wild for the final Western wild-card berth.
A shootout goal by Mason McTavish lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks 4-3. McTavish also had three assists in regulation time. Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored his first goal of the season for the Sharks.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, and St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington are the league’s Three Stars for March 2025. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was named Rookie of the Month.
ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal (lower body) is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Capitals.
ESPN.COM: Vancouver Canucks center Filip Chytil might miss the rest of the season as he attempts to recover from another concussion.
TORONTO SUN: Former NHL goaltender Mark Laforest died suddenly on March 31 at 62. He spent six seasons in the NHL between 1985-86 and 1993-94 with the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. He had a record of 25-54-4 in 103 games played with two shutouts, a 4.23 goals-against average and a .868 save percentage.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Laforest’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches.
Well, I predicted a 3-goal deficit for the Senators – at home – against Buffalo – I figured 4-1, but it ended 5-2, so at least I got the deficit correct. And I would NOT consider it an “upset” – the Sabers have had their number all season, winning the series 4-0.
And it only gets tougher from here on for Ottawa to finally clinch a playoff berth.
Go Ovie.
Go Habs!
B’s are 1 & 2 against the Sabres as well George. That is less surprising then the Sens, but still. They get another shot at them on Sunday. It sucks hoping for them to lose against them, but I’ll deal with it.
Sabres give the Oil problems as well. Plenty of talent on that team, but yet, still the Sabres. Hard to figure that situation.
Bruins last in the East! Watch your back Seattle, we’re coming for you next. Today sitting at #5.
With the way the standings are today Sens would play the Leafs, that would reignite an old rivalry from 20 plus years ago. Those series, like many others, were heated.
Must see TV in Canada. Go Sens, they owe the Leafs a few if I recall.
A bit of good news today – Nick Cousins could well be back before the end of the regular schedule and so, in the line-up somewhere for the playoffs.
He’s a pain-in-the-butt type to play against and that’s one ingredient that can be of extra value in playoff hockey.
He’s strictly a 3rd/4th line type, but his availability would give Green a few more options in roster-juggling.
https://ottawasun.com/ottawa-senators/cousins-may-return-this-season
If he does return. any play-by-play voice will need to differentiate between Cousins and Cozens by including first names – especially over radio – 🙂
Lyle, very interesting that you’re dubbing the Kings line as the AK line. I don’t know if you have familiarity with the Yiddish language, but AK is used to refer to a broken down old man. May want to re-think that one.
My reference was to the initials of each of their names. It’s was also gun-related after a certain type of Soviet assault rifle (AK-47). And for anyone wondering about the gun reference, I’m ex-military and well-acquainted with firearms so that’s what popped into my head after I noticed the similarity in their initials.
I see I shall have to be more deferential with you Lyle.
A Habs fan and an ex-military guy. Good combination.
3K or Triple K……but not KKK………I guess “AK” might be offensive to less people…….🤔
Well George
Leafs are 0-3 this year against the Senators
Try and figure that 1 out ?!?!?
I can’t Ken!
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But what it suggests is, if they can raise their game to the level needed to beat a top team consistently, why can’t they do the same – at least partially if not consistently – when playing those below them?
Hence the ongoing frustration.
Florida must have the same frustration with Habs, who swept them this season 4-0.
Last night was a bitter pill for them, Habs tied it with under 10 seconds and winning in 29 sec.
Meanwhile the Bruins are next up for the Habs and I hope they don’t take the night off again 0-2 vs B’s.
Heh, yeah … and that’s the LAST team Florida would want to meet in Round 1.
Habfan30, Don t do something foolish and lose to Boston with the AHL lineup they are tanking with.
Montreal – Florida in series 1 – What might be exactly what the Dr ordered
Leafs hopefully dont have to play Florida in the second round if Montreal eliminates them !!!!!!!!!!!!
🤗😃🫠