NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2026
Recapping Thursday’s Olympic Men’s hockey action and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Jordan Binnington turned in a 26-save shutout as Canada defeated Czechia 5-0 in the second day of the Men’s Hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.
Team Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington (TSN).
Connor McDavid had three assists, Sidney Crosby had two helpers, and Macklin Celebrini scored what proved to be the winning goal. Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nick Suzuki also scored for Canada. Lukas Dostal stopped 31 shots for Czechia.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadian defenseman Josh Morrissey left this game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update regarding his status.
Brock Nelson tallied twice for the United States in a 5-1 victory over Latvia. Brothers Quinn and Jack Hughes each had two assists, Matthew Tkachuk also had two assists, and his brother Brady was among the goal scorers for the USA. Auston Matthews and Tage Thompson also scored for the Americans.
Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves, and Renars Krastenbergs scored for Latvia.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Latvians successfully challenged two American goals during the first period. A Quinn Hughes tally was called back as Nelson was offside, while a goal by Nelson was overturned due to goaltender interference by J.T. Miller. The latter would’ve been considered a goal by NHL standards, but the IIHF has a zero-tolerance policy for contact in the goal crease.
A two-goal performance by Tim Stutzle gave Germany a 3-1 win over Denmark. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist, and Philipp Grubauer kicked out 37 shots for the Germans. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves, and Seattle Kraken prospect Oscar Fisker Molgaard replied for Denmark.
Timo Meier had two goals as Switzerland blanked France 4-0. JJ Moser and Damien Riat also scored, and Leonardo Geroni had a 27-save shutout. Washington Capitals prospect Antoine Keller made 39 saves for France.
IN OTHER NEWS…
SPORTSNET: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said his league will follow the lead of the IIHF regarding the potential participation of Russia and Belarus in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
Russia has been formally banned from IIHF competition since 2022 in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.
RG.ORG: Montreal Canadiens prospect Alexander Zharovsky is having a strong rookie season with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), leading the team with 36 points in 44 games.
Zharovsky is under contract with Salavat Yulaev through 2026-27. Club general manager Rinat Bashirov said he wouldn’t oppose the young forward heading to Montreal at the end of his contract if he feels he’s ready. Zharovsky said that the topic hasn’t been discussed with his agents.
DAILY FACEOFF: Italian law enforcement arrested a man planning to attend Slovakia’s opening 4-1 win over Finland on a warrant issued 16 years ago.
I’ll just drop this here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSGTmSZEbpE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
Cheers!
JZ that add has aired in the US for over 2 weeks prior to the games!
Heh. Well, if their aim is “a fresh batch of Canadian tears” I guess ours is to deny num-nuts a mugging photo opportunity like he had anything to do with it.
The.Morrisey injury is the first of an NHL player in the Olympics. Let s hope there aren t any more.
LOL a 16 year old warrant. Interpol alive and well I see over there.
No worst that the longest-tenured FBI’s most wanted. https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7V6ydyF4W/
D. B. Cooper must be getting up there!
That was 1971 George, so longer.
You made me check.
Must not be on the most wanted list since they don’t even know what is real name is.
DB Cooper is just what they call him due to some reporter mistake.
He’s either dead or go away with it.
still wonder about that one George. He’s probably living on an island with Biggy, Elvis and Princess Di.
Should be a good game against the Swiss today.
And living in posh facilities built by Jimmy Hoffa!
Coop on deciding on starting Binnington: ‘probably 358 days ago’.
Gotta say he played well Johnny. Good news! So far anyway.
Proves guys like me who were concerned don’t really understand it from afar.
Cooper trusted him, thought he would step up, and he did. Pays to know the man I guess.
Kinda makes you wonder why he has struggled so much this year, bad team or not, and he has.
Ray Bark, for what its worth I’ve watched plenty of Blues games and follow local blogs so here’s my 2 cents.
There have been many games where Binnington has been outstanding and at the end of the first period or second period the team is down by 3 or 4 goals because of deflection s from out of position teammates or opposition players being left completely uncovered in the prime scoring areas. I’m not talking occasionally that happens to everyone I’m talking about game after game. At some point it must be hard for any player to rally themselves when you’re the only one giving the effort. And for sure he doesn’t get up to the level he’s playing at in the Olympics when the team is playing meaningless games which is basically the only games they are playing. And he’s not the only one.
My theory is the Blues entire identity and confidence was destroyed after the inexplicable melt down in game 7 against the Jets. Management thought that the summer break would allow them to move on for this year and from training camp through today its clear the not only didn’t move on they carried the stench of that loss all year.
And you can add Montgomery to the top of the problem list because starting in camp and all through the season he has juggled lines and players like some sort of mad scientist. Not just game to game or period to period but shift to shift. Consequently the team lacks confidence and continuity. That also has lead to Binnington and Hofer’s poor play. They are never sure where the dmen or backchecking is going to be.
Again only my opinion but I think Armstrong sees this as well and that is why he’s willing to trade core players to get in fresh blood that doesn’t have last year’s collapse in their head.
I should add concerning Montgomery his unwillingness to play young talent and live with their inevitable mistakes hurts as well. First mistake reduced toi second mistake to the bench you go and then to the press box for a few games. Meanwhile his veterans that he prefers make the same mistakes and play 20 minutes a game. Rant over.
Solid rant Snold49!
Hofer’s #’s are significantly better than Binnington’s. Basically playing like an average tender, while Binnington is literally worst in the league for starting tenders. But that’s just the #’s.
Monty was with my B’s for quite a while. Seems like he might be a coach that wears out his welcome sooner than some others. Players stop responding to him for whatever reason.
Tough loss, I get it, but man, have to think they would want to get back into the dance and get another crack at it? I don’t understand that either.
Just a wild guess, but from the outside looks like a situation where it is something other than the talent of the players that is the issue. You go from up and coming solid team, to kinda brutal really fast.
Sometimes that means a culture problem. The only way to solve a culture problem, is to get rid of the problem people.
But again, just me guessing form far away in Edmonton.
Thank God hockey is not a “judged” event at the Olympics.