NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2025

by | Nov 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 5, 2025

Cutter Gauthier leads the Ducks over the defending champion Panthers, a milestone game for the Kings’ Adrian Kempe, Drew Doughty, and Corey Perry, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks sophomore forward Cutter Gauthier tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Florida Panthers. Gauthier also had an assist for his first four-point game for the 8-3-1 Ducks, who picked up their fourth straight win and moved into first place in the Pacific Division with 17 points. Evan Rodrigues had a goal and an assist as the Panthers dropped to 6-6-1.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Leo Carlsson received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for a blindside hit to Rodrigues’ head early in the third period, sending the Panthers forward out of the game.

The Los Angeles Kings (6-4-4) got a 23-save performance from goaltender Darcy Kuemper to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Adrian Kempe tallied his 200th career NHL regular-season goal, and Drew Doughty scored his 162nd career goal to surpass Rob Blake for the most by a defenseman in franchise history. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 23 of 25 shots as his club’s three-game win streak ended, giving them a record of 9-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a notable game for Kings winger Corey Perry, who became the fourth active player to play 1,400 career regular-season NHL games.

Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen scored twice and picked up an assist in a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Wyatt Johnston scored the shootout winner and collected three assists in regulation for the 7-3-3 Stars. Connor McDavid and Jack Roslovic each collected two points for the 6-5-4 Oilers, who held a 3-1 lead in the third period until the Stars rallied.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Alec Regula was activated off injured reserve after missing 12 games with an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 25 saves in his season debut to blank the New York Rangers 3-0, leaving the latter winless at home (0-5-1). Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first goal with the Hurricanes (8-4-0). Igor Shesterkin turned aside 29 of 31 shots for the Rangers, who dropped to 6-6-2.

The Vegas Golden Knights nipped the Detroit Red Wings 1-0. Akira Schmid had a 24-save shutout, and Ivan Barbashev tallied the only goal for the 7-2-3 Golden Knights. John Gibson made 33 saves for the 9-5-0 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights activated defenseman Noah Hanifin off injured reserve for this contest. He missed the past 10 games with an undisclosed injury.

Colorado Avalanche winger Victor Olofsson scored twice in a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Scott Wedgewood kicked out 22 shots for the 8-1-5 Avalanche, who extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2) to sit atop the Central Division with 21 points. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point replied for the Lightning (6-5-2) as their win streak ended at five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning activated defenseman Max Crozier off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined since Oct. 14 with an undisclosed injury.

The Philadelphia Flyers blew a 3-0 lead but rallied to nip the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout by a score of 5-4. Bobby Brink tallied twice and Trevor Zegras scored the winning goal after collecting two assists in regulation for the Flyers, who improved to 7-5-1. Kirby Dach scored two goals and Sam Montembeault stopped 38 of 42 shots for the 9-3-1 Canadiens, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 19 points.

An overtime goal by Clayton Keller lifted the Utah Mammoth to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Nick Schmaltz also scored for the Mammoth (9-4-0). Noah Ostlund replied for the Sabres (5-4-4), who got a 33-save effort from goalie Alex Lyon to extend their points streak to five games (1-0-4).

Boston Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov scored the tying goal and the game-winner in a shootout to defeat the New York Islanders 4-3. Jeremy Swayman made 29 saves for the 8-7-0 Bruins, who extended their win streak to four games. Bo Horvat tallied two goals for the Islanders, who dropped to 6-5-2.

The Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 on an overtime goal by Marcus Johansson. Johansson and Kirill Kaprizov each finished with two points for the 5-6-3 Wild. Steven Stamkos sent the game into overtime for the 5-6-4 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johansson’s goal was controversial as it was scored after the net was dislodged. Officials ruled that Predators goalie Justus Annunen caused the net to be knocked off its moorings before the puck crossed the goal line.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Sidelined Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz are expected to return to the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Utah Mammoth.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed goaltender Tristan Jarry and forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari on injured reserve. They recalled goalie Sergei Murashov, demoted defenseman Owen Pickering, and recalled blueliner Ryan Graves.

THE MERCURY NEWS/DAILY FACEOFF: Sharks forward William Eklund (lower-body injury) is expected to miss his second straight game on Wednesday when his club faces the Seattle Kraken. Meanwhile, rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson will remain with the Sharks for the rest of the season.

STLTODAY.COM: Milan Lucic has signed a professional tryout offer with the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks have released winger Vitali Kravtsov from his contract, enabling him to return to the KHL.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2025

by | Nov 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2025

Oilers captain Connor McDavid reaches a notable points milestone, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to reach 1,100 career points in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Jack Roslovic and Andrew Mangiapane gave the Oilers (6-5-3) a 2-0 lead, but the Blues (4-7-2) rallied on goals by Dalibor Dvorsky, Robert Thomas, and Pius Suter to end their seven-game losing skid.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 1,100-point milestone, doing so in 726 games. Wayne Gretzky holds the record at 464 games, followed by Mario Lemieux (550) and Mike Bossy (725 games). Meanwhile, Blues rookie Dvorsky tallied his first NHL goal.

The Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. William Nylander tallied twice, and Bobby McMann netted the winning goal for the 7-5-1 Maple Leafs. Ben Kindel scored two goals for the 8-4-0 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins forward Noel Acciari left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Brock Boeser gave the Vancouver Canucks a 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators. Boeser and Evander Kane each had two goals for the Canucks as they improved to 7-7-0. Filip Forsberg and Michael Bunting each had a goal and an assist for the 5-6-3 Predators, who overcame a 4-2 deficit to send the game to overtime.

The Seattle Kraken beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Joey Daccord stopped 29 shots and Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist for the 6-2-4 Kraken, who moved into first place in the Pacific Division with 16 points. Andre Burakovsky scored for the Blackhawks as their record dropped to 5-5-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blackhawks announced that forward Jason Dickinson (shoulder) has been placed on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, Ottawa Senators winger Drake Batherson, and San Jose Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 2, 2025.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Dallas Stars will host an outdoor game at AT&T Stadium as part of the 2027 NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 20, 2027. Their opponent will be announced at a later date.

NEW YORK POST/OTTAWA SUN: Ottawa Senators forward Arthur Kaliyev has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars from his ex-girlfriend, model Lauren Mochen, to pay his gambling debts.

Mochen said she filed a report with the police in her Michigan hometown, and she is considering pressing charges against Kaliyev. No charges have been laid, and none of the allegations have been proven in court. A Senators spokesperson said the club is deferring all comment to the league.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins center Elias Lindholm is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois will miss “an extended period of time” with a lower-body injury.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Tyson Foerster (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

CBS SPORTS: The New York Rangers have shifted forward Matt Rempe (upper body) to injured reserve.

TSN: Winnipeg Jets captain Adam Lowry will make his season debut on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. He’d been sidelined by offseason hip surgery. Meanwhile, teammate Morgan Barron is week-to-week with an unspecified injury.

TSN: Former NHL forward Klim Kostin has signed a one-year contract with the KHL’s Omsk Avangard.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2025

by | Nov 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2025

A history-making performance for Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer, Penguins center Evgeni Malkin faces league discipline, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer made league history as his club overcame a 2-1 deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Schaefer scored twice (including the tying goal) to become the youngest defenseman to have a multipoint game. Simon Holmstrom scored the winning goal at 19:22 of the third period for the 6-5-1 Islanders. Miles Wood and Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets (7-5-0) as their three-game win streak ended.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Schaefer has had an impressive opening month. He was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October.

The Tampa Bay Lightning collected their fifth straight win with a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth. Jake Guentzel scored the winning goal and collected an assist for the Lightning as they improved their record to 6-4-2. Lawson Crouse and Kailor Yamamoto replied for the 8-4-0 Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of the Lightning’s demise as a playoff contender after their franchise-worst 1-4-2 start to this season were greatly exaggerated.

Anaheim Ducks forwards Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier each had a goal and an assist to lead their club over the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Lukas Dostal made 32 saves as the Ducks improved to 7-3-1, moving into first place in the Pacific Division. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils (9-4-0), who remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

A shootout goal by James van Riemsdyk lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider also scored for the Red Wings (9-4-0) as they’ve won three of their last four games. Rookie defenseman Sam Dickinson scored his first NHL goal for the 4-6-3 Sharks.

Calgary Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau scored two goals as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Dustin Wolf stopped 17 shots for the 3-9-2 Flames, who remain last in the overall standings with eight points. Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers, who dropped to 6-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh was in the lineup for his 10th NHL game, which means this season counts as the first year of his three-year entry-level contract. There was speculation they would return Parekh to his OHL club before that game.

Flyers forward Tyson Foerster missed this contest after suffering a lower-body injury while blocking a shot during Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s expected to miss the next several games.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin was fined $5,000.00 by the league’s department of player safety for slashing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on Saturday.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators placed team captain Roman Josi (upper body) on injured reserve. He has not played since Oct. 23. His injury is not related to his POTS diagnosis. They also announced that forward Cole Smith will be out three to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev returned to Toronto on Sunday after spending Saturday night under observation in a Philadelphia hospital. He was stretchered off the ice during Saturday’s game against the Flyers with a suspected second head injury in less than two weeks.

RG ORG: Former NHL goaltender Ilya Samsonov recently signed a two-year contract with KHL club HC Sochi. The deal enables him to return to the NHL in 2026.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

by | Nov 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 2, 2025

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee, we recap a busy Saturday schedule, plus the three stars and the Rookie of the Month for October are revealed.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets got two goals from Kyle Connor to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each had two points for the 9-3-0 Jets as they picked up their third straight win. Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte replied for the 8-3-2 Penguins as their points streak ended at eight games (6-0-2).

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Scheifele took over the scoring lead, becoming the first player to reach 20 points this season. Penguins winger Justin Brazeau missed this contest with an upper-body injury.

A shootout goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Marchand also scored in regulation, as did teammates Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett for the Panthers, who improved to 6-5-1. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and Sam Steel had three assists for the 6-3-3 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand returned to the Panthers’ lineup after taking a leave of absence to be with his friend and trainer, J.P. MacCallum, following the death of his daughter. Marchand immediately pointed skyward after he opened the scoring. Reinhart’s goal was the 300th regular-season goal of his NHL career.

San Jose Sharks forward Philipp Kurashev tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, in a 3-2 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Macklin Celebrini scored to extend his points streak to seven games while Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 37 shots for the 4-6-2 Sharks, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Nathan MacKinnon netted his 10th goal of the season for the 7-1-5 Avalanche, who picked up a point to sit atop the overall standings with 19 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren left this game with an upper-body injury after being struck by a puck while sitting on the bench. Avalanche call-up Taylor Makar made his debut, marking the first time he and older brother Cale Makar played together in the NHL. Taylor was returned to Colorado’s AHL affiliate after this game.

The Montreal Canadiens got an overtime goal from Alex Newhook for a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki extended his points streak to 11 games with two assists, and Cole Caufield scored his 10th goal of the season for the Canadiens (9-3-0), who sit first in the Atlantic Division with 18 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who dropped to 6-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Batherson ended up being the goat in this game, as his errant pass in overtime was picked off by Newhook, who made no mistake on the breakaway.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom turned in a 43-save performance to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Dawson Mercer has two goals for the 9-3-0 Devils as they move into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Andrei Kuzmenko had the only goal for the Kings as they dropped to 5-4-4 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Connor Brown was ruled out for this game with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, the Kings placed winger Warren Foegele (upper body) on injured reserve.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson had a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs got their first road victory of the season with a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Rookie Easton Cowan tallied his first career NHL goal, and John Tavares had two assists as the Maple Leafs improved to 6-5-1. Christian Dvorak and Tyson Foerster replied for the 6-4-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was stretchered off the ice with a suspected head injury in the third period after being inadvertently hit from behind by Flyers winger Matvei Michkov. After the game, Leafs coach Craig Berube said they will know more about Tanev’s condition after he undergoes more tests, but added that the defenseman was moving. Berube thinks Tanev will be okay.

An overtime goal by Evan Bouchard lifted the Edmonton Oilers (6-4-3) over the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-2. Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to eight games with a goal and an assist, and Connor McDavid assisted on all three Oilers goals. Andre Burakovsky had a goal and an assist for the 5-4-3 Blackhawks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stopped 27 shots to backstop his club over the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Bruins improved to 7-7-0. Alexander Nikishin scored for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of their last four games and dropped to 7-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis returned to action in this game after leaving Thursday’s 6-2 win over the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist as his club nipped the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Jet Greaves made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets as they improved to 7-4-0. Justin Faulk and Nick Bjugstad scored for the Blues, who dropped to 3-7-2.

A shootout goal by Bowen Byram gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each netted their fifth goals of the season, and rookie Isak Rosen scored his first NHL goal for the 5-4-3 Sabres. Aliaksei Protas potted his fifth of the season for the Capitals (6-5-1), who are winless in their last four (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle scored in overtime to give his team a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Cuylle finished with two points, and teammate Adam Fox collected two assists for the 6-5-2 Rangers as they picked up their third straight win. Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist as the 5-2-4 Kraken extended their points streak to four games (2-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko was held scoreless against his former team in his season debut after suffering a broken hand in a preseason game.

Minnesota Wild winger Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists as his club snapped a five-game winless skid to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Filip Gustavsson stopped 26 shots for the 4-6-3 Wild. Drew O’Connor tallied twice as the Canucks slipped to 6-7-0.

The Nashville Predators ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Michael Bunting had a goal and two assists in the first period for the 5-6-2 Predators. Jonathan Huberdeau and Joel Farabee scored for the Flames, who sit last in the overall standings with a record of 2-9-2.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes are the three stars for October 2025. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named Rookie of the Month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2025

by | Nov 1, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 1, 2025

Recaps of Friday’s action, the Devils re-sign Jacob Markstrom, and the latest notable injury updates in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Anaheim Ducks got a four-point performance from Leo Carlsson (one goal, three assists) in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Troy Terry tallied twice and picked up an assist for the Ducks (6-3-1), who’ve won four of their last five games. Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist each for the 8-4-0 Red Wings as their three-game win streak ended.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was John Gibson’s first game in Anaheim since being traded by the Ducks to the Red Wings this summer. He gave up four goals on 31 shots.

Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Cale Makar had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who improved to 7-1-4 and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 18 points. Golden Knights forwards Tomas Hertl and Mitch Marner each had a goal and an assist as their club dropped to 6-2-3, but remain atop the Pacific Division with 15 points.

The New York Islanders got a 22-save performance from Ilya Sorokin in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Bo Horvat, and Mathew Barzal were the goal scorers as the Islanders improved to 5-5-1. Tom Wilson replied for the 6-5-0 Capitals, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jacob Markstrom agreed to a two-year contract extension with the New Jersey Devils on Friday. The 35-year-old goaltender was slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July. Markstrom will earn the same average annual value ($6 million) as his current contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not a surprise that the Devils got their starting goalie under contract. What is surprising is that Markstrom settled for a short-term deal. Reports were claiming he sought a long-term contract, but the Devils preferred the shorter option given his age.

The deal ensures the Devils’ current goalie tandem of Markstrom and Jake Allen remains intact. Allen was signed to a five-year deal this summer.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins center Elias Lindholm will be out of the lineup for “a few weeks” after suffering a lower-body injury during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes placed defenseman K’Andre Miller (lower body) on injured reserve, and activated goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov off IR.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: The Sabres placed forward Zach Benson (undisclosed) on IR and recalled forward Isak Rosen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2025

by | Oct 31, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 31, 2025

The Penguins’ strong start continues, Trevor Zegras is settling in well with the Flyers, the Avalanche re-signs Martin Necas, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ surprisingly strong start to this season continued with a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, pushing the Penguins into first place in the overall standings with 18 points (8-2-2). Bryan Rust and Ryan Shea each had a goal and an assist, and Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for the win. Kirill Kaprizov scored for the Wild, who dropped to 3-6-3 in their first 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Projected to finish near the bottom of the standings, the Penguins have defied expectations thus far. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has 17 points, sitting second to Gordie Howe for the most points by a 39-or-older player through his first 12 games. Howe had 20 points in his first dozen games of the 1968-69 season.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras (NHL Images).

Philadelphia Flyers forward Trevor Zegras had two goals and an assist to lead his club over the Nashville Predators 4-1. It was Zegras’ second three-point game in his last three contests. Dan Vladar stopped 32 shots for the Flyers (6-3-1) as they extended their home win streak to five games. Rookie Matthew Wood tallied his first NHL goal as his Predators (4-6-2) have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Sean Couturier left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Flyers placed goaltender Sam Ersson (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Winnipeg Jets improved to 8-3-0 and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 16 points with a 6-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Jets center Jonathan Toews had an assist in his first game against his former team, Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and collected an assist, and Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each had three points for the Jets. Connor Bedard and Connor Murphy each had two assists for the 5-4-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Gustav Nyquist left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood scored an NHL hat trick, and Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winner in a shootout to nip the St. Louis Blues 4-3. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 36 shots for the 6-6-0 Canucks. Pius Suter had a goal and an assist for the 3-6-2 Blues, who are winless in their last six (0-4-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks winger Brock Boeser left this game early in the first period after being struck by a puck in the “midsection”, which is a polite way of saying he took a shot in the balls.

The Carolina Hurricanes downed the New York Islanders 6-2. Andrei Svechnikov and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and an assist as the Hurricanes improved their record to 7-3-0. Matthew Schaefer and Simon Holmstrom replied for the Islanders, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1) as their record dropped to 4-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis left the game in the third period after blocking a shot with his left foot. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it “doesn’t look great”, and added that Jarvis will be reevaluated on Friday. Meanwhile, Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was a healthy scratch after he was late arriving at the rink.

An overtime goal by Marat Khusnutdinov lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Joonas Korpisalo turned aside 37 shots, David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist, and Morgan Geekie extended his goal streak to six games for the 6-7-0 Bruins. Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (4-4-0).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins center Elias Lindholm left this game in the second period with an injured left leg following an accidental knee-on-knee collision with Sabres forward Jordan Greenway. Earlier in the day, the Bruins announced that defenseman Jordan Harris underwent surgery on Monday for a right ankle fracture and will be sidelined for the next two months.

The San Jose Sharks scored three straight goals to open the first period as they upset the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Alexander Wennberg and Philipp Kurashev each had a goal and an assist for the 3-6-2 Sharks. Dawson Mercer scored both goals for the 8-3-0 Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Sharks placed forward Adam Gaudette (upper body) on injured reserve.

A shootout goal by Lucas Raymond gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Marco Kasper tallied two goals as the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead, but the Kings rallied to tie it on two goals by Corey Perry. The Red Wings moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with 16 points (8-3-0), while the Kings dropped to 5-3-4.

Shootout goals by Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Calgary Flames 4-3. Jake Sanderson scored the tying goal late in the third period, and Lars Eller had a goal and an assist for the 6-5-1 Senators. Devin Cooley stopped 35 shots for the 2-8-2 Flames.

An overtime goal by Anthony Cirelli gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars. Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who have won four straight and improved to 5-4-2. Jake Oettinger made 30 saves for the 6-3-2 Stars as they extended their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller scored in overtime to lead his team over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves for the 5-5-2 Rangers. Darnell Nurse scored twice for the 5-4-3 Oilers.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Martin Necas agreed to an eight-year contract extension with the Avalanche on Thursday. The 26-year-old winger was slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He will earn an average annual value of $11.5 million starting in 2026-27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having acquired Necas from the Hurricanes in January’s Mikko Rantanen trade, the Avalanche couldn’t risk losing him to free agency next summer. Fortunately for them, he’s proven to be a good fit alongside superstar center Nathan MacKinnon on the Avalanche’s top line with seven goals and 13 points in his first 11 games of this season.

After ponying up $11.5 million annually for Necas, some observers wonder why the Avalanche let Rantanen go in the first place, pointing to the former Avs winger signing with the Dallas Stars for $12 million annually. That’s because he was reportedly seeking a deal comparable to what Leon Draisaitl got from the Edmonton Oilers (eight years, $14 million AAV), which prompted Avalanche management to trade him.

RG.ORG: Sergey Pryahkin examines the cost of winning the Stanley Cup, revealing that frugal clubs rarely end up hoisting hockey’s holy grail.

Championship teams allocate over 93 percent of their salary-cap payroll, with some teams exceeding this amount. The age sweet spot for Cup-winning teams is between 26 and 30, with Cup rosters dedicating one-third of their cap payroll to three players and half toward five players, with elite centers being the most valuable asset.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link for a more detailed breakdown of Pryahkin’s findings.