NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2026
The Sabres and Golden Knights advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Lightning force Game 7 with the Canadiens, the Jack Adams Award nominees are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPPING FRIDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ACTION
NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres picked up their first playoff series win since 2007 by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 6 to win their best-of-seven first-round series four games to two. Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Zach Benson each had two points, Mattias Samuelsson scored the winning goal, and Alex Lyon stopped 25 shots for the Sabres, who await the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens series. David Pastrnak replied for the Bruins.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo’s speed and scoring depth made the difference in this series against the defensive-minded Bruins. Alex Lyon also stabilized the goaltending for the Sabres, replacing a struggling Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the starter after Game 2 and winning three of the next four games.
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was ejected from the game late in the third period for slashing Benson after the latter slewfooted him to the ice. Following the game, Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov told reporters he played through a torn MCL suffered during Game 3 of this series.
Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).
Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner scored twice and collected an assist to lead his club to a series-winning 5-1 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth. Brett Howden extended his goal streak to three games while Carter Hart made 22 saves for the Golden Knights, who took this series in six games and will face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. Kailer Yamamoto scored for the Mammoth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner silenced critics of his playoff performance with a clutch effort in this contest. It was a heartbreaking lopsided loss for the young Mammoth, who had played well through the first five games, but the Golden Knights’ experience and solid defensive play tilted this series in their favor.
The Tampa Bay Lightning nipped the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game 6 of their first-round series, forcing a seventh and deciding game back in Tampa Bay on Sunday. Gage Goncalves scored in overtime while Andrei Vasilevskiy had a 30-save shutout for the Lightning. Jakub Dobes stopped 32 shots for the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This has been the best series of the opening round. This physical, fast-paced, closely contested tilt between these evenly matched teams should be going the distance. Every game has been decided by one goal, with four of them requiring overtime. Each contest could have gone either way.
HEADLINES
NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Game 1 of the second-round series between the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes is Saturday in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman Alexander Nikishin are expected to play in Game 1 against the Flyers. Both players were injured during the Hurricanes’ first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
NHL.COM: Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dan Muse of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year, as voted by the National Broadcasters’ Association.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to three worthy finalists. Cooper has never won this award despite his many years of success with the Lightning. Muse is a finalist in his first-ever season as an NHL head coach. Ruff won the award in 2005-06 during his first tenure with the Sabres.
TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he hasn’t thought about signing a contract extension this summer. The 38-year-old superstar has completed the first season of his two-year contract. “I haven’t thought that far ahead, but we’ll wait and see,” Crosby said.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby likely wants to find out what general manager Kyle Dubas’ offseason roster plans will be, and whether they include negotiating an extension.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Evgeni Malkin said he’ll sign with another NHL team if the Penguins don’t re-sign him this summer. The 39-year-old forward is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Crosby reacts if his long-time teammate ends up signing elsewhere this summer.
THE ATHLETIC’s Josh Yohe reported Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs was dealing with a knee injury during the first-round series against the Flyers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Yohe observed, you’d never know Silovs was playing hurt based on his performance in that series.
SPORTSNET: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov in Game 6 of their first-round series on Thursday. The Wild won that game and eliminated the Stars.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues signed winger Dylan Holloway to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7.75 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway signed a two-year offer sheet with the Blues two years ago that went unmatched by the Edmonton Oilers. It was a costly loss for the Oilers, as the speedy 24-year-old winger has been a good fit with the Blues. He netted a career-high 63 points in 77 games last season, and had 51 points this season despite missing 23 games with an ankle injury.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks center Connor Bedard won’t be playing for Canada in the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The 20-year-old center is currently rehabbing a shoulder injury.
SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs had hoped to interview Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois as part of their ongoing search for a new GM. However, the Lightning denied them permission.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced they are parting ways with assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon and senior advisor Chuck Fletcher.
THE ATHLETIC: Jed Ortmeyer is out as the New York Rangers’ director of player development.
Bruins fans reality set in last night. No one can argue that Buffalo was a better,more skilled team. Boston overachieved all year and got the most out of a roster that was probably about 12-18 in talent. What stood out to me in the series was how slow the Bruins defensemen were in going back to pick up pucks. Mcavoy the only one who skates well.Honestly Jokiharu is probably their next best skater,puck handler and passer on D. I know Zadorov was playing hurt. Hampus Lindholm has really slowed down. Will leave forwards for another time!
Sr, over the season Boston averaged 3.3 goals scored per game – in the playoffs that dropped to 2.0 – while their goals against per game over the season rose from 3.1 to 3.3.
Buffalo averaged 3.5 goals per game over the season and that dipped slightly to 3.3, but their goals against per game over the season dropped from 2.9 to 2.0.
Better goal-tending/better overall D.
For all the grief that Norris gets from critics due to his unavailability, he still has value in critical moments like last night’s game. He stepped up his performance along with Doan and Benson and really set the tone with their relentless forecheck.
The level of compete Doan showed on that goal he set up for Benson was incredible. Why exactly did the Utah GM want to include him in the trade for Peterka again?
I hear the Red Sox may have an open spot on their roster if McAvoy wants to try out for the team.
Wally, I don’t know that I’d term it “grief” – or that observations on his absences come from “critics.” The facts speak for themselves. He does miss a lot of games due to injury – and they’re not always related to his chronic left shoulder woes. In his time in Ottawa that necessitated 3 surgeries between 2019 and 2024. Then, following his trade to Buffalo, he suffered a torn oblique and various upper-body /rib issues limiting his availability.
That said, the fans and teammates in Ottawa loved his play and really felt sorry for the kid when he kept popping that shoulder – always just as he seemed to be getting into a solid offensive groove. I sincerely hope he remains healthy for the rest of the playoffs AND that the Sabres go deep.
The Sabres were better up and down the lineup. The only advantage the B’s had, on paper, was in net, and Lyon played great when given the duties.
The Sabres D is top notch and has it all. Big, can skate, have skill, can defend and push offense from the back end. The heart of the team IMO.
Wave after wave of fast skilled forwards on a mission and willing to go where you need to to score. You can see why they had the best record in the NHL since early December.
I was a fan of Benson’s game, plays hard and has some rat in him. But to do that when the game is basically over deserved the reaction it got from McAvoy.
Having said that, McAvoy also deserves to be suspended. He shouldn’t have taken such a big swing. But I get why he was that pissed off. He’s a ultra competitive and intense player, already pissed that they were out, and he snapped. He will pay the price.
Guessing 5 games to start next season?
Live by the sword die by the sword Ray Bark. McEvoy is pretty dirty player. How about the low knee shot he gave when game 2 was over. No need for that.
Also, Benson can call that retribution for the 20 hard cross checks he took to back of neck all series.
NHL has to crack down on that garbage. Easily done too. How is cross checking a guy in the back a hockey play? No attempt to play the puck. Just a scum move. Always gave a reciprocal cross check to the teeth when I got it. That was just as much of a hockey play as the first, and tended to act as a deterrent from it happening again.
Agree with the live by the sword analogy Eagle.
I would argue that’s what happened to Benson, who also plays on the edge, just like McAvoy. Both did all series.
Every D-man in the league cross checks guys in front of the net, especially in the playoffs. And to your point, they don’t call it.
So then if a D-man doesn’t, and the other team is giving it to your guys at the other end then your not doing your job correct? Can’t sit back and let your guys take it and not give it back, that won’t fly in the room.
No offence, but that’s just the way it is and it won’t change until the league decides to call it. Let the teams know, and then do it.
I played the game too Eagle, for over 40 years, and if the reaction to a cross check in the back is to take a guys teeth out, my guess is you’re missing a few teeth as well. I have 2 implants myself.
Watching the Tampa/Habs game last night felt like the clock struck midnight for the Habs, they failed to seal the deal.
MSL has to come up with a solution for Cooper’s use of the pick, the refs won’t call it considering ho there were huge blatant fouls that weren’t called.
Just to name two, a Guhle high stick that was seen as a follow through which is ridiculous as he was swatting at a puck in the air.
A Cirelli can-opener on Demidov which not only took away a scoring chance, got Demidov penalized.
That’s the 2nd OT game where Dach was picked setting op the game winner.
I don’t have the answer but Cooper is exploiting a weakness that needs correction.
I expect game 7 to not be a one goal game.
I had a feeling the series slipped away last night too, HF30. But we’ll see. And I consider the Habs playing the Bolts to a standstill in a 7 game series where, as Lyle said, every game is a toss up, to be a victory win or lose.
I repeat: this year was about gaining experience and evaluating need for next season.
As always LJ, well said. And can I add mission accomplished. I’m expecting Montreal’s season will come to an end tomorrow night. But so many positives this year. Caufield gets 51, Suzuki gets 100 points, Slav gets 30 goals, Demidov has a solid rookie year, Hutson showed he wasn’t a 1 year wonder, Dobes emerges as a number 1 goalie (really felt bad for him last night) with Fowler showing his game can translate to the NHL. Yes some positions to improve on and I just preach patience to management and hope they don’t sell the farm to get someone who won’t move the needle. McDavid signed as a UFA in a couple of years would go a long way to bringing Lord Stanley back home.
LJ & habfan30, in all the opening rounds there are no 2 teams closer than the Habs and Lightning in just about every aspect.
On the season they each finished with 106 points and were very close in both goals scored (both averaged 3.5 goals scored per game) and allowed (both averaged 2.3 goals against per game).
So far, over 6 games in the playoffs, they’ve scored 14 goals each (or 2.3 goals per game – identical to their season averages. You just can’t get more closely matched than that.
The 7th game has all the earmarks of sliding into OT … possible more than 1.
Yep, Habsman67 and George, you both have summarized things very well.
I am very confident that Hughes and Gorton will stay with their view that the next acquisition has to be made to improve the team now without mortgaging the future.
Nervous as heck in Tampa. AS I drive to the game on Sunday, most of the radio show callers will be talking about a 2-11 home playoff record recently, the need for the Big Cat to stand on his head again as they keep giving up 2 on 1’s, and why can’t Kuch Score? (because Montreal’s defence on him has been superb) . We are also sitting on a string of three consecutive first round exits, and think will have more nervous energy in the building the the joy that was in Montreal at the start of game six. Many fans are just waiting for something bad to happen. I hope the Lightning players are not. Andreychuk was on the local TV call last night and we reprised the speech he gave in 2004 after Martin ST Louis game six overtime game winner in Calgary…”we haven’t won anything yet”. Thougt Perry would be giving the same message on the plane home. Darn shame one of these teams has to go out in round one.
Spoken like a gentleman, Richard.
BTW, Kucherov looks off, and not just because of how the Habs are defending against him. I have wondered if he is hurt.
Hf30,you guys are knocking on the door.Don t concede game 7 you belong there and deserve it. Anaheim and you guys aren t that far away! Don t expect to lose game 7 because you are to young. Sometimes you get there before you expect it.
Can’t say I’m surprised the better team won.
The bruins didn’t have enough. I have a feeling Lohrei and a few others maybe more have played their last game as a Bruin. Pumped for next Tuesday’s draft lottery. Bs luck has to change re. Leafs pick. Lady Luck wasn’t with them last years draft lottery. I know some teams pick the best player available I’m hoping they go for a d in the first pick.
Well John, there are plenty of quality D in the top 10. Some lotto luck would be swell.
If the pick doesn’t drop out of the top 5, we likely won’t be using it until 2028 draft. Which, in theory, could be a top 5 pick. But who the heck knows how the Leaf’s do 2 seasons from now. Fair to say they have some challenges over next couple seasons. Here’s hoping they struggle.
But like you, would prefer the bird in hand.
Dead in Ray Bark. Should get good D man in draft. Love Lohrei’s skating, but brain couldn’t keep pace in this series. Will it ever? Don’t know that I’d be ready to give up on him yet. Big guys seem to take a bit longer to get there.
Albert Smits should be a good pro. I’d take him at 6.
Eagle, I agree with you about McAvoy. He got what he deserved from Benson.The Bruins and McAvoy made it there business to target Benson. Benson is a rat like Marchand and Linesman and got under the skins of the Bruins.Boston started it though in the first game.They got away with cross checks to the head and neck and a lot of punches in those scrums.First 2 games the Bruins had 7 goals. Last 2 games they had 5 goals.
George, as far as Josh Norris ,it came out after he played only 3 games last season for the Sabres that he was injured when he was traded but Norris and the Sabres thought he could play through it. It didn’t happen.
Norris could have played in game 5 but the way Noah Ostlund played they decided to keep him out.
Norris is injury prone but when healthy he was the best player in the trade.
I don’t know if I’d go quite THAT far, Gary. Cozens hasn’t missed game, and with his size and physical style of play (he had over 200 hits and in the face-off circle he won just over 52%) he’s a presence out there that Norris probably can’t be due to his injury tendencies.
Cozens has also completed a season with 28 goals – 13 on the pp – placing him in the top 55 among NHL players. His shooting percentage for the season was13.4%.
On what do you base your contention that “when healthy he was the best player in the trade?”
Cozens is a defensive liability which is one of the main reasons the Sabres traded him. Yes, Cozens did have a nice scoring season ,but he only had one good season with Buffalo. He has been a minus player his whole career,playing with some bad teams,but I believe at one point early in the season Cozens was a plus 10 and still ended up once again a minus 7. He had become a defensive liability with all his turnovers with Buffalo.His play took a nosedive when he decided to take on Garnet Hathaway and got his face pulverized. He is more of a power play specialist right now.
Norris for all his injuries,had a productive season.He had 13 goals and 21 helpers in 44 games. He is a player who can play in all situations unlike Cozens. Do I think the Sabres overpaid for Norris? Yes. Kevyn Adams, Jarmo Kekalainen , and especially Lindy Ruff were all in lockstep on the trade. The question is can Norris stay healthy? The rumor was that Jarmo would not include Norris in a trade for Robert Thomas. It was also stated by a number of Sabres beat reporters that the Sens were not too thrilled with Cozens defensive short comings.
Gary, there is certainly room for continued improvement in Cozens’ defensive game, but much of the stark criticism to that end came in the 2024-25 season, often leading to debates as to his effectiveness as a top 6 C.
But statistics from January 2026 do indicate a noticeable improvement in his (and Batherson’s) defensive play to the extent that Cozens was ranked 19th out of 594 players in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes.
And it’s whose line your out against the majority of the time that has to factor into things as well.
My earlier comment about the clock striking midnight for the Habs gave the wrong impression as I look back.
It is how I felt before and during the game, with number of missed opportunities and the occasional breakdowns and I fully respect Cooper’s gameplan and gamesmanship.
I said I don’t think game 7 will be a one goal game or going into OT, I’ll add that I don’t think it will be a defensive struggle.
I’m not naive to think MSL doesn’t realize the picks and tactical moves of Cooper or that he is either not smart enough or adaptable to counter.
This young team follows MSL all the way and my expectation is that Sunday he’s going to let them pin their ears back and take it to them playing a ride or die game.
Game 7 at this stage of growth means have fun, no regrets, play to your strengths and I’d dress Laine.
Gallagher had toi of 5m and 6m the last two games, give those minutes to Laine on the powerplay which has been anemic, that would turn Tampa pk on it’s head.
This TB fan would love to defend Laine rather than Gallagher, who we have “hated” and admired for a long time. Gallagher can play for me any time, especially if I have a younger team. Winnipeg thought they had 2 stars but Ehlers playing for Car while Laine sits for Mon proves they had only one.
The Habs have both Slavkovski and Demidov for one timers on the PP. The Bolts have been as good as the Habs in neutralizing one timers. I don’t see activating Laine for that reason, and the fact that its been, what, two months since he played?