NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2024

by | Apr 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 26, 2024

The Lightning and Islanders are on the brink of elimination, broadcasting legend Bob Cole has passed away, and further playoff updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers have pushed the Tampa Bay Lightning to the brink of elimination with a 5-3 victory in Game 3 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves for the Panthers as they’ve taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Steven Stamkos, Tyler Motte and Nick Paul replied for the Lightning. The Panthers can wrap things up in Game 4 on Saturday, Apr. 27 starting at 5 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a deeper, more experienced Florida team than the one the Lightning faced in the last two series between these clubs. That was evident when they reclaimed control of this game after the Lightning went up 2-1 in the second period.

The Panthers successfully hemmed the Bolts in their own zone before scoring the tying and go-ahead goals. They also killed all four Lightning power-play opportunities and forced 14 giveaways.

Kyle Okposo made his postseason debut for the Panthers. He collected an assist in his first playoff game since 2016 with the New York Islanders.

Speaking of the Islanders, they’re also on the verge of elimination after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their first-round series. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots and Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes. Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson replied for the Islanders. Game 4 is Saturday at 2 pm EDT with the Hurricanes holding a 3-0 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders rebounded after goaltender Semyon Varlamov replaced Ilya Sorokin in the second period after he gave up three goals on 14 shots. However, the Hurricanes wore them down and won most of the puck battles in the third period. Andersen also made several big saves to preserve this win for the Canes.

Before this game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour announced that winger Jesper Fast is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs with an upper-body injury.

BOB COLE 1933-2024

NHL.COM: Legendary hockey play-by-play man Bob Cole died Wednesday night in his hometown of St. John’s, NL at age 90.

Former Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play man Bob Cole (NHL.com).

Cole spent five decades calling games on CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada”. He started on radio in 1969, moved to television in 1973, and became their lead play-by-play man from 1980 to 2008. He called his final NHL game in 2019.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cole was the last of the great national NHL broadcasters in Canada that spawned icons such as Foster Hewitt (Cole’s idol and mentor) and Danny Gallivan. He rose to prominence in an era before cable television when the CBC was the only source in Canada for hockey coverage. Cole was an instantly recognizable symbol of the game, beloved by players as much as fans.

Like Hewitt and Gallivan, he had a distinctive delivery instantly recognizable to hockey fans. In his prime, he called many great games, capturing spectacular moments that have become cherished memories among Canadian hockey fans, sometimes punctuated with his memorable catchphrase, “Ooooh, baby!”

Few of today’s play-by-play broadcasters can match Cole’s delivery. He brought out the excitement and drama of a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Cole’s coverage began to falter during his final years behind the mike. His delivery slowed and at times he would forget players’ names. However, Cole truly was the voice of Saturday Night for Canadian hockey fans during his prime from 1980 to 2009.

Everyone has their favorite Bob Cole game. Mine is his coverage of Game 5 of the 1984 Patrick Division semifinal between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. The Isles were four-time defending champions that year but the Rangers proved a worthy foe in this series. Cole’s call of that game was the perfect complement to the on-ice action in one of the greatest playoff games I’ve ever seen.

My condolences to Cole’s family, friends and broadcasting colleagues. Hockey has lost one of its greatest voices but his memory will live on.

NHL PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko isn’t expected to return from a suspected knee injury until the Western Conference Final if the Canucks make it that far. Backup Casey DeSmith takes over as their starter in Demko’s absence.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander is suffering from a migraine issue so severe that team doctors tested him for a suspected concussion. He first experienced the symptoms the day after his club’s final regular-season game. It’s hope he’ll return to action for Game 4 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: There’s concern among Oilers followers over the goaltending of Stuart Skinner. He’s given up nine goals in the club’s first two games of their opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars rookie Logan Stankoven was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Year for 2023-24. The 21-year-old forward led the league with 57 points before his call-up to the Stars on Feb. 24.

CBS SPORTS: Washington Capitals forward Sonny Milano could miss Game 4 of his club’s first-round series against the New York Rangers on Friday. He’s nursing an undisclosed injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: The Blackhawks signed Alex Vlasic to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $4.6 million. The 22-year-old defenseman exceeded expectations this season, establishing himself as one of the club’s core players.

THE SCORE: National NHL broadcasts on Monday nights will be seen exclusively on Amazon in Canada starting next season and for 2025-26 in partnership with Rogers Communications. Rogers remains the NHL’s primary rights shareholder for national broadcasts in Canada.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2024

by | Apr 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 25, 2024

The Kings tie their series with the Oilers, the Bruins regain the lead over the Leafs, and the Golden Knights widen their lead over the Stars. Get the details plus the latest news from around the league in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored his first playoff overtime goal since 2012 in a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, tying their opening-round best-of-seven series at a game apiece. Kopitar also collected two assists and Adrian Kempe tallied twice for the Kings. Oilers forward Dylan Holloway scored his first two NHL playoff goals. The series moves to Los Angeles for the next two games with Game 3 slated for Friday, Apr. 26 at 10:30 pm EDT.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings recovered well from their 7-4 blowout loss in Game 1, reminding everyone that this series could be another slog like the last two between these clubs. The 36-year-old Kopitar set franchise records with his third playoff overtime goal and was the club’s oldest player to score an overtime postseason goal.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand scored the winning and insurance goals to lead his club over the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2, taking a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Trent Frederic and Jake DeBrusk also scored and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots for the Bruins. Matthew Knies and Tyler Bertuzzi replied for the Leafs. Game 4 is in Toronto on Saturday, Apr. 27 at 8 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe claimed Marchand was getting favorable calls from the referees. This is the same Brad Marchand who is the most suspended player in NHL history, whose reputation rarely sees him get the benefit of the doubt from on-ice officials.

Keefe is justified to be upset over Marchand getting away with a blatant trip on Tyler Bertuzzi leading to Frederic’s game-tying goal. The officiating was lousy in this game. However, the Leafs have themselves to blame for this loss. They failed to score with five power-play opportunities while the Bruins went two for three with the man advantage. Toronto goaltender Ilya Samsonov was shaky in this game after a solid effort in Game 2.

The Vegas Golden Knights expanded their series lead to 2-0 over the Dallas Stars with a 3-1 victory in Game 2 of their first-round series. Jonathan Marchessault, Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel were the goal scorers and Logan Thompson stopped 20 shots for the Golden Knights. Jason Robertson scored for the Stars. The series moves to Las Vegas for the next two games with Game 3 on Saturday at 10:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the Stars was they scored the opening goal, something that’s been an issue for them throughout this season. The bad news is the Golden Knights rallied back while neutralizing the Stars’ offense.

Stars forwards Mason Marchment and Radek Faksa left the game with injuries in the third period. Golden Knights defenseman Nic Hague missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce is expected to miss the remainder of his club’s first-round series with the New York Islanders. He suffered a non-contact lower-body injury in Game 2 on Monday. The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round series.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, Ilya Sorokin will replace Semyon Varlamov in goal for Game 3 on Thursday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers center Sam Bennett (hand injury) will miss Games 3 and 4 of his club’s series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s expected to be sidelined for a week.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks fired head coach David Quinn on Wednesday. He had a record of 41-98-25 in two seasons with the rebuilding Sharks after 96-87-25 with the New York Rangers from 2018 to 2021.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks went 19-54-9 this season but that’s not on Quinn. The roster was gutted during the offseason and further depleted by injuries to core players Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, with the latter traded to the Golden Knights at the trade deadline.

Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News included former NHL bench bosses Craig Berube, Dean Evason, Gerard Gallant and Jay Woodcroft among his possible candidates to replace Quinn.

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek indicated his club could name a new captain for next season. The position has been vacant since Ryan Getzlaf’s retirement in 2022.

THE SALT LAKE CITY TRIBUNE: A capacity crowd at the Delta Center welcomed former Arizona Coyotes players, coaches and management as they were welcomed to Salt Lake City for the first time. The Coyotes are moving to Utah and will play in the Delta Center starting next season.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators still hope to make a deal with Ottawa’s National Capital Commission to build a new downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. However, hurdles remain for both sides to get a deal done.

Negotiations are ongoing between the two sides. The Senators are concerned about room for public parking on the site. They also hope to have space for an arena district with bars and restaurants.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Al Shaver, the play-by-play voice of the Minnesota North Stars from the club’s inception in 1967-68 until their relocation to Dallas in 1993, died on Monday at age 96.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Shaver’s family, friends, colleagues, and North Stars fans who enjoyed his coverage of their team.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2024

by | Apr 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2024

The Panthers and Rangers take 2-0 series leads while the Avalanche and Predators tie their first-round series. Get the details and the latest on the other playoff clubs and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Carter Verhaeghe lifted the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the Panthers, who hold a 2-0 series lead. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 34 shots and Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos replied for the Lightning. The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4 with Game 3 on Thursday, Apr. 25 at 7 pm ET.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made an acrobatic stop on a backhander by Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba that could be considered an early favorite for “save of the playoffs.”

Bennett left this game in the second period after being struck in the hand by a slapshot from teammate Brandon Montour. There was no update on his condition following the game.

New York Rangers forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the Washington Capitals 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals while teammate Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the second straight game. The series moves to Washington for Games 3 and 4 with the third game set for Friday, Apr. 26 at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Special teams made the difference in this game as the Rangers got power-play goals from Zibanejad and Jack Roslovic and a shorthanded tally by K’Andre Miller. Meanwhile, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said he felt Ovechkin was struggling to get scoring chances in part because of the Rangers’ shot blocks.

A four-goal second period carried the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their series with the Winnipeg Jets, tying their opening-round series at a game apiece. Miles Wood, Artturi Lehkonen, Zach Parise and Josh Manson were the second-period goal scorers while goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves. David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets. Games 3 and 4 will be held in Denver with Game 3 on Friday at 10 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was redemption for Georgiev following his brutal performance in Game 1. The Jets did themselves no favors with their sloppy defensive play in the second period.

The Nashville Predators tied their first-round series with the Vancouver Canucks at one apiece with a 4-1 win. Filip Forsberg and former Canuck Anthony Beauvilier each had a goal and an assist for the Predators while Nikita Zadrov scored for the Canucks. The series heads to Nashville for Games 3 and 4 with the third game starting at 7:30 pm on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Casey DeSmith suited up for Vancouver as starting goalie Thatcher Demko is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said it is unrelated to the knee injury that sidelined Demko for 14 games this season. Nevertheless, the Canucks will be without their starting goalie for perhaps the remainder of this series.

Demko wasn’t the only Canuck on the shelf for this game. Defenseman Tyler Myers is sidelined with the flu.

DeSmith wasn’t to blame for the Canucks loss in this game. His teammates went 0-4 on the power play, had 32 shots blocked and missed the net 31 times.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted it was possible William Nylander might return to action in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday in Toronto. The 27-year-old winger missed the first two games of this series with an undisclosed injury as the club has kept mum on his condition.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Bruins, defenseman Andrew Peeke is week-to-week with an upper-body injury (finger) suffered during Game 2 against the Leafs. The Bruins recalled defenseman Mason Lohrei from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

IN OTHER NEWS…

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan reports Alex Meruelo has a steep hill to climb to convince anyone he should remain as owner of the Arizona Coyotes.

Public opinion of Meruelo in Arizona is at an all-time low. His method of operation has burned many bridges with local politicians, business leaders and community leaders. There is skepticism he can get a new arena built to meet the league’s five-year timeline to bring back the Coyotes as an expansion franchise.

Morgan also reported that Meruelo must reactive the franchise at least 18 months before the end of that five-year window. He can do it earlier but the new arena must be at least 50 percent completed at the time he reactivates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Morgan’s report. He details the number of issues dogging Meruelo that raise questions about his efforts to construct a new arena and bring the NHL back to Arizona and his suitability as an NHL owner.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey looks at the potential consequences if Meruelo fails to meet the league’s timeline for arena construction.

Meruelo still technically owns the Coyotes as part of the recent agreement that relocates the franchise to Salt Lake City. The team is considered inactive until Meruelo gets a new NHL-suitable arena within five years.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Craig Morgan that the NHL will not entertain competing bids for the Coyotes as long as Meruelo owns the rights. Once he no longer does, Arizona would become like any other expansion team.

Muruel intends to bid on a parcel of land for his new arena project at an auction on June 27. If he loses that auction he could have other options but it would be a significant setback for his plans.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports a record 11 NHL teams will carry salary-cap overages into 2024-25. Multiple teams are expected to carry over more than $2 million in penalties.

Some overages were pre-planned as the clubs knew the salary cap would significantly rise for next season. Other overages are due to younger players reaching their performance bonuses this season.

The Edmonton Oilers top the list with projected overage penalties of $3.45 million, followed by the Dallas Stars ($2.595 million) and the Washington Capitals ($2.252 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link provided for the complete list. The flattened cap for this season put some of those teams into this bind regarding those players reaching their performance bonuses.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Timo Meier underwent voluntary arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder yesterday. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be available for the start of the Devils’ training camp in September.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed goaltender Ivan Fedotov to a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension. He appeared in three games with the Flyers this season after finally being allowed to leave the KHL to pursue his NHL career.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL winger Jakub Voracek announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 34-year-old winger was in the final season of his contract but didn’t play due to concussion issues.

Voracek spent 15 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 223 goals and 583 assists for 806 points in 1,058 regular-season games. He also had 28 points in 49 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Voracek’s contract was traded last year to the Coyotes. He returned to Czechia and has taken up coaching there.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs goaltender Ed Chadwick has passed away at age 90. He spent five seasons with the Leafs from 1955-56 to 1961-62, including back-to-back 70-game seasons. In 184 career games, he had a record of 57 wins, 92 losses and 35 ties with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. From 1982 to 2001, he was a scout with the Edmonton Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Chadwick’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2024

by | Apr 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2024

The Oilers and Golden Knights win the opening games of their first-round series, the Hurricanes rally back to beat the Islanders and the Leafs even their series with the Bruins. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected five assists in a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their best-of-seven opening-round series with the Los Angeles Kings. Zach Hyman had a hat trick and an assist and Evan Bouchard had four helpers for the Oilers. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Game 2 goes on Wednesday at 10 pm ET in Edmonton.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers took a 4-0 lead and never looked back. The Kings cut the lead in half by the end of the second period but third-period power-play goals by Leon Draisaitl and Hyman put this out of reach.

McDavid became the eighth player in NHL history to pick up five assists in a playoff game. The record is six held by Mikko Leinonen (1982) and Wayne Gretzky (1987).

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-3, taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook scored nine seconds apart in the third period with the tying and winning goals and Seth Jarvis had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes. Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves for the Islanders. The series heads to UBS Center in Belmont Park for Games 3 and 4 with the third game on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played well in the first period. However, the momentum shifted in the Hurricanes’ favor in the second period after Teuvo Teravainen’s power-play goal got them on the board. This loss cannot be hung on Varlamov as he did all he could to help his team hang onto their lead. The Isles managed just one shot in the third period while the Hurricanes peppered Varlamov with 17.

Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen was the hero in his club’s Game 1 victory. He was shaky in this one, giving up three goals on 12 shots. Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce left the game with a lower-body injury. There was no word regarding his status for Game 3.

Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned to action after missing Game 1 with a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored the game-winner and had two assists in a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins, tying their first-round series at a game apiece. Max Domi had a goal and an assist and Ilya Samsonov stopped 27 shots for the Leafs. Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves. This series shifts to Toronto for Games 3 and 4 starting Wednesday at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A much better effort for the Leafs compared to their debacle in Game 1. Matthews answered his critics as his teammates rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits. Leafs winger William Nylander remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery praised Ullmark’s performance, citing several big saves he made during this contest. He blamed the loss on his club’s lack of production.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 to take Game 1 of their first-round series. Mark Stone opened the scoring in his first game since Feb. 20 and teammates Jonathan Marchessault and Tomas Hertl netted their first goals of this postseason. Joel Oettinger gave up four goals on 15 shots while Jamie Benn, Jason Robertson and Mason Marchment scored for the Stars. Game 2 is on Wednesday at 9:30 PM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars spent this game chasing the Golden Knights but ran out of time to get the equalizer. It’s a trend that’s carried over from the regular season. Half of their total wins came after falling behind early. The Golden Knights special teams made the difference, going two-for-two on the power play while killing off both of the Stars’ power-play advantages.

HEADLINES

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres announced yesterday that Lindy Ruff will become their next head coach. Ruff previously coached the club from 1997-98 to 2012-13, guiding them to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t a nostalgia hire by the Sabres. General manager Kevyn Adams said he was looking for a new coach with NHL experience. Few are more experienced than Ruff. He’s fifth all-time in wins with 864 and 1,775 games coached with the Sabres, Stars and New Jersey Devils. Ruff won the Jack Adams Award in 2006 and was a finalist for the award in 2007 and 2023.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Despite Alexandar Georgiev’s poor performance against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1, the Avalanche starter could get the nod in Game 2. Backup Justus Annunen is battling an illness. Third-stringer Arvid Holm could back up Georgiev if Annunen can’t play tonight.

DAILY FACEOFF: Washington Capitals defenseman Vincent Iorio is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of their opening-round series on Sunday.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken general manager Ron Francis said he intends to open contract talks with Matty Beniers and Eeli Tolvanen soon. Both are restricted free agents on July 1. Beniers is completing his entry-level contract while Tolvanen has arbitration rights.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2024

by | Apr 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 22, 2024

The Canucks, Jets, Panthers and Rangers win the opening games of their first-round series, plus updates on William Nylander and Evander Kane in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: It was ’80s night for the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche as the Jets held off the Avs 7-6 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven opening-round playoff series. Kyle Connor and Adam Lowry each scored two goals and Connor Hellebuyck made 40 saves for the Jets while Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche. Game 2 goes on Tuesday in Winnipeg starting at 10:30 pm ET.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I wasn’t kidding about this game being a throwback to the wide-open scoring of the 1980s. NHL Media indicates this was the second playoff game in league history where both teams combined for six-plus goals in multiple periods. The last time that happened was Game 1 of the 1982 division semifinals between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.

Makar set a franchise record as the all-time leading playoff scorer among Avalanche defensemen with 68 points. He broke Sandis Ozlolinsh’s record of 65 points.

The Jets deserved this win but the Avalanche dominated the play. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s poor play was their undoing. As Colorado Hockey Now’s Evan Rawal noted, the even-strength stats were in the Avs’ favor, out-shooting the Jets 39-19 and leading them in scoring chances (28-16) and high-danger scoring chances (10-7).

Hellebucyk was solid but gave up six goals as the Avs exploited the Jets’ porous defense. With better goaltending for the Avalanche, the outcome of this game might have been different.

Jets head coach Rick Bowness agreed. Following this game, Bowness said he’ll take the win though this game didn’t go as they drew it up.

The Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1 to draw first blood in their opening-round series. Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe opened the scoring with his first NHL playoff goal and Jimmy Vesey had a goal and an assist. Martin Fehervery replied for the Capitals while team captain Alex Ovechkin was held without a shot. Game 2 is Tuesday night in New York at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers took control of this game with three quick goals in the second period. Their depth advantage was apparent in this contest, effectively neutralizing the Capitals’ offense and successfully exploiting defensive breakdowns.

Capitals defenseman Vincent Iorio left this game in the second period with an apparent shoulder injury following a hit from Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere.

Third-period goals by Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk enabled the Florida Panthers to hold off the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Game 1 of their first-round series. Sam Reinhart opened the scoring for the Panthers while Brandon Hagel and Steven Stamkos replied for the Lightning. The two clubs face off again on Tuesday at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were the better team through most of this game, especially in the first period. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy kept this game close, giving his teammates a chance to rally back when they were on their heels during the first 16 minutes of this game.

The Vancouver Canucks got three goals in the third period (two from Dakota Joshua) to overcome a 2-1 deficit and earn a 4-2 series-opening win over the Nashville Predators. Quinn Hughes collected two assists for the Canucks, who were playing their first playoff home game since 2015. Jason Zucker and Ryan O’Reilly replied for the Predators. Game 2 will be Tuesday at 10 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: After the game, Predators head coach Andrew Brunette blamed the loss on a defensive breakdown after the Canucks tied the game. He said it reminded him of his team’s similar problem earlier this season with shifts following a goal, blaming a lack of focus at a key moment.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Chris Johnston reported sources claiming William Nylander awoke on Thursday morning with an issue that needed attention. There’s no indication it was the result of on-ice play during the final games of the regular season or an off-ice incident.

The Toronto Maple Leafs winger remained “pretty stiff” 48 hours later when his club faced off in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Boston Bruins.

Nylander skated in the Bruins practice rink on Sunday. However, Johnston indicated he appeared to be laboring early in the session and frequently hunched over while regrouping between drills.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs aren’t providing updates regarding their sidelined players. That’s generating speculation about the nature of the injury and its severity. It remains to be seen if Nylander will be ready to suit up for Game 2 on Monday at 8 pm ET.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers winger Evander Kane revealed he’s been dealing with a sports hernia this season. The ailment recently flared up as his club prepares for their opening-round playoff series with the Los Angeles Kings, leaving him questionable for Game 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would also explain why Kane’s performance has been inconsistent this season.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier isn’t ruling out the possibility of a coaching change after his club finished last in this season’s overall standings. Asked if head coach David Quinn would return for a third season, Grier said he was still gathering information and would review everything before a decision is made.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A depleted roster this season didn’t make Quinn’s job any easier. Part of it was due to Grier’s offseason trades and injuries to key players such as Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, with the latter traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 8.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2024

by | Apr 21, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 21, 2024

The Bruins downed the Leafs and the Hurricanes beat the Islanders in the opening games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Get the details plus the latest on other postseason clubs in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk scored twice and collected an assist as his club rolled to a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman kicked out 35 shots as David Kampf was the only Leaf to score in this contest. Game 2 of this series goes Monday night in Boston.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs’ efforts to establish a physical presence against the Bruins backfired. They were undisciplined, took too many bad penalties and were sloppy defensively against savvy opponents who emerged victorious by sticking to their game plan.

Leafs forwards William Nylander and Bobby McMann missed this game due to injuries. We have no more details because the Leafs won’t have daily injury updates during the playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes drew first blood against the New York Islanders by beating them 3-1 to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round series. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 33 shots while Evgeny Kuznetsov and Martin Necas each had a goal and an assist. Kyle MacLean replied for the Islanders. Game 2 is Monday in Carolina.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders dominated large stretches of this game defensively, especially in the second period. However, they were unable to capitalize offensively. Andersen played a big part in that but the Isles best scorers didn’t get more quality scoring chances against him.

PLAYOFF NOTES

NHL.COM: Four other first-round series begin on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Lightning face off against the Florida Panthers (12:30 ET), the Washington Capitals meet the New York Rangers (3 PM ET), the Colorado Avalanche square off against the Winnipeg Jets (7 pm ET) and the Nashville Predators face the Vancouver Canucks (10 pm ET).

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche announced on Saturday that winger Jonathan Drouin will miss the series against the Jets with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break for Drouin and the Avalanche. The 29-year-old winger enjoyed a career-best 56-point performance this season.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (lacerated spleen) and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (appendectomy) are good to go for Game 1 of their first-round series against the Dallas Stars on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon sought to address critics for his club placing Stone on long-term injury reserve for the second straight year. They used the salary cap savings to bring in Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl before the trade deadline.

It was originally reported that Stone wouldn’t be ready to return until later in the playoffs if the Golden Knights advanced past the first round. His clearance for Game 1 of their opening-round series drew accusations of salary-cap circumvention from their critics.

McCrimmon said the NHL is “100 percent involved in any of these LTIR situations”, pointing out the league had access to all medical information on Stone’s condition.

The Golden Knights did nothing wrong. Per the collective bargaining agreement, every NHL team can use LTIR for salary-cap relief whenever their players are sidelined for at least 10 games and 24 days of the regular season. Every club has at some point since LTIR was implemented in 2005.

Nevertheless, these instances have drawn grumbling in some corners that could lead to changes in LTIR rules, perhaps by making the salary cap count during the playoffs. Those changes, however, won’t occur until the next round of collective bargaining between the NHL and NHL Players Association in 2026.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks captain Logan Couture hopes that next season is better for him than the current one. The 35-year-old center missed all but six games due to a deep groin injury revealed to be Osteitis pubis.

Couture plans to resume skating in July. He said he’s drawn encouragement from other players around the league who suffered a similar condition. The Sharks medical staff are optimistic he’ll be ready for training camp in September.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Chicago Blackhawks rookie star Connor Bedard will suit up for Canada at next month’s IIHF World Championships in Czechia.