NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2021

by | May 25, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 25, 2021

The Jets sweep the Oilers with a triple-overtime victory, the Islanders put the Penguins on the brink in double overtime, the Panthers and Wild stave off elimination and the Leafs take a 2-1 series lead over the Canadiens. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets got a triple-overtime goal by Kyle Connor to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 and sweep their opening-round series in four games. Mark Scheifele scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves for the win. Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Alex Chiasson tallied for the Oilers while defensemen Darnell Nurse logged over 62 minutes of ice time. Oilers forward Josh Archibald missed this game serving a one-game suspension. The Jets await the winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Montreal Canadiens series.

Kyle Connor was the triple-overtime hero for the Winnipeg Jets as they swept the Edmonton Oilers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers dominated the Jets during the regular season but they struggled in the heavier going of postseason play. Their lack of secondary punch also didn’t help matters.

Remember that late-season speculation suggesting Jets coach Paul Maurice could lose his job? We can put that to rest now. The Jets’ previous postseason experience also made a difference here. Their offense got a boost from Nikolaj Ehlers return from injury midway through this series. This was the first-ever NHL playoff sweep in Jets history and the first time they’ve eliminated the Oilers.

A double-overtime goal by Josh Bailey gave the New York Islanders a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ilya Sorokin kicked out 48 shots for the Isles, who hold a 3-2 lead in this first-round series heading back to Long Island on Wednesday. Bryan Rust and Kris Letang each had two points for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bailey’s goal came off a horrible turnover by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry. Sorokin, meanwhile, has backstopped the Isles to consecutive wins since returning to the net in Game 4.

The Florida Panthers staved off elimination by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in Game 5 of their first-round series. Panthers rookie goaltender Spencer Knight made 36 saves in his NHL playoff debut while Patric Hornqvist and MacKenzie Weegar each had a goal and an assist while Mason Marchment netted the game-winner. The Lightning holds a 3-2 series lead as the series returns to Tampa Bay for Game 6 on Wednesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knight gave up the early goal but was unbeatable after that. He’s earned the start for Game 6.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Cam Talbot made 38 saves as his club avoided elimination by doubling up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. First-period goals by Kirill Kaprizov, Zach Parise and Jordan Greenway paved the way for Minnesota’s victory as they had just 14 shots on goal in this game. Wild defenseman Carson Soucy missed this game with an undisclosed injury. The series returns to Minnesota on Wednesday for Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights dominated most of this game. Talbot came through for his teammates, especially in a second period where they were outshot 22-1.

The Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. All the scoring took place in the second period with William Nylander and Morgan Rielly tallying for the Leafs and Nick Suzuki replying for the Canadiens. Leafs center Nick Foligno sat out this game with a lower-body injury while Canadiens center Eric Staal was sidelined by an undisclosed injury. Habs winger Artturi Lehkonen left the game following a first-period collision with Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin. Game 4 goes tonight in Montreal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game saw an evenly-matched first period, the Leafs dominating the second and the Canadiens controlling the third. The goaltending was outstanding for both clubs, with Montreal’s Carey Price and Toronto’s Jack Campbell making some big saves.

William Nylander has scored in each game and leads the Leafs with four points. Habs rookie Cole Caufield made his playoff debut, generating a couple of quality scoring chances and earning more playing time as the game went on.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NEWSOBSERVER.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov is struggling to score in his club’s series with the Nashville Predators. He has just one goal on 21 shots and that was an empty-netter in Game 1.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger Ondrej Kase (upper-body injury) and defenseman Steve Kampfer (hand surgery) are sidelined for the rest of the playoffs.

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: The Anaheim Ducks hired former Los Angeles Kings executive Jeff Solomon as their new senior vice president of hockey operations.

 










NHL Playoffs: Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets Game 4

by | May 24, 2021

NHL Playoffs: Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets Game 4

 










NHL Playoffs: Pens, Isles look for crucial edges, series lead in Game 5

by | May 24, 2021

NHL Playoffs: Pens, Isles look for crucial edges, series lead in Game 5

 










NHL Playoffs: Questions on Panthers goaltending and Kucherov’s availability dominate lead-in to Game 5

by | May 24, 2021

NHL Playoffs: Questions on Panthers goaltending and Kucherov’s availability dominate lead-in to Game 5

 










NHL Playoffs: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens Game 3 Preview

by | May 24, 2021

NHL Playoffs: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens Game 3 Preview

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2021

by | May 24, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 24, 2021

The Bruins eliminated the Capitals, the Avalanche sweep the Blues, the Jets rally to put Oilers on the brink, and the Predators tie their series with the Hurricanes. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrice Bergeron scored twice and Tuukka Rask made 40 saves as the Boston Bruins defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 to win their opening-round series 4 games to 1. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for the Bruins

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were strong on the power play and penalty kill in this series. Core veterans like Bergeron, Rask, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak led the way while Charlie McAvoy continues to grow as an elite defenseman.

The first three games of this series were very close and could’ve gone either way, but Washington failed to recover from their double-overtime loss in Game 3. Changes could be in store for the Capitals following three straight first-round playoff exits.

The Colorado Avalanche swept the St. Louis Blues in four games with a 5-2 victory. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen each had a goal and an assist. Vladimir Tarasenko scored both goals for the Blues, who played without sidelined forward David Perron and defensemen Justin Faulk, Robert Bortuzzo and Vince Dunn.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The absence of those key players contributed to the Blues’ demise. Even if they had been in the lineup, however, they might’ve only delayed their club’s elimination by a game or two. Led by MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen, a deep blueline corps featuring Cale Makar and goaltender Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche were just too powerful for St. Louis.

An overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers capped a four-goal rally as the Winnipeg Jets downed the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series. Ehlers scored twice while Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 44 saves. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and Connor McDavid collected three assists. The Jets can close out the series in Game 4 tonight. Oilers forward Josh Archibald faces a hearing with the NHL department of player safety for clipping Jets defenseman Logan Stanley.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was a stunning collapse by Edmonton. They had a 4-1 lead early in the third period and seemed to have this game under wraps.

The turning point was the Archibald penalty. The Jets tallied three goals in just over a three-minute span, including two goals 16 seconds apart by Blake Wheeler and Josh Morrissey to force the extra frame. The Oilers now face the daunting challenge of trying to overcome a 3-0 series deficit.

Nashville Predators winger Luke Kunin’s double-overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to even their series at two games apiece. Kunin also scored the game-opening goal while teammate Juuse Saros made 58 saves for the win. Brock McGinn scored twice for the Hurricanes. The series shifts back to Carolina for Game 5 on Tuesday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the most entertaining game of the day for me. It was a see-saw contest as both clubs pushed hard for the win. With back-to-back double-overtime victories, the Predators overcame a 2-0 series deficit.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri will appeal his eight-game suspension for his hit to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber was fined $5,000.00 by the league for crosschecking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds in Game 2 on Saturday.