NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2022

by | Dec 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2022

The Leafs’ Mitch Marner extends his points streak while the Stars’ Jason Robertson’s comes to an end, the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon is sidelined for a lengthy period, an update on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner collected an assist to extend his points streak to 20 games in a 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. Matt Murray turned in a 44-save shutout while Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist as the Leafs improved their record to 16-5-6. The Stars’ Jason Robertson had his points streak end at 18 games as his club’s record falls to 14-7-5.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Victor Mete left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice and Tristan Jarry kicked out 38 shots to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the 14-8-4 Penguins. Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Blue Jackets, who fall to 8-14-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some good news for the Penguins as defenseman Kris Letang skated yesterday morning in full gear for the first time since suffering a minor stroke last week. There’s still no timetable for his return.

The New Jersey Devils picked up their 10th home win of the season by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Vitek Vanecek got the shutout by stopping 24 saves while Dougie Hamilton led the way with a goal and two assists as the Devils (21-4-1) vaulted into first place in the overall standings with 43 points. The Blackhawks (7-14-4) sink to second-last in the overall standings with 18 points.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso made 44 saves, including 28 in the third period, as his club doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Andrew Copp and Filip Hronek each had two assists as the Wings improved to 13-7-5 while the Lightning (15-9-1) got goals from Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game in Tampa Bay for former Lightning assistant coach Derek Lalonde, who was hired by the Wings as head coach during the offseason.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each scored twice to down the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Connor Hellebuyck picked up the win for the Jets (16-7-1) with a 39-save performance. The Panthers fell to 12-10-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets spoiled the homecoming of Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, who was returning to Winnipeg for the first time since stepping down as the Jets bench boss a year ago.

The St. Louis Blues ended a four-game losing skid with a 7-4 win over the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss made 36 saves and Noel Acciari scored twice as the Blues improved to 12-14-0. Zach Parise and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the 16-11-0 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues went into this game without Torey Krug and Pavel Buchnevich. Krug has an upper-body ailment while Buchnevich has a lower-body injury. No word yet as to how long they could be sidelined.

Two goals within seven seconds by Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson in the second period powered the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Jake Allen stopped 31 shots as the Canadiens improved to 13-11-2. Rookie Shane Wright tallied his first career NHL goal for the 15-7-3 Kraken.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar collected three assists and winger Viktor Arvidsson tallied twice to down the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Kings goalie Pheonix Copley stopped 31 shots for his first NHL win since 2019 as his club improved to 14-10-4. Tim Stutzle had two assists for the 10-14-1 Senators.

An overtime goal by Ryan Strome lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. John Gibson made 34 saves for the Ducks (7-17-3) while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 26 shots for the 14-6-6- Hurricanes.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: The injury-depleted Colorado Avalanche got more bad news yesterday as center Nathan MacKinnon will be sidelined for four weeks with an upper-body injury. The Avs are already missing Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Evan Rodrigues, Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson, Bo Byram, Darren Helm, Kurtis MacDermid, Jean-Luc Foudy and Shane Bowers.

CBC NEWS: Carey Price issued a statement yesterday saying he was aware of the anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal after the Canadiens claimed he was unaware of it. Price and the Canadiens were responding on Monday to a social media post by the goaltender supporting a guns rights group that recently used “POLY” as a promotional discount code.

Price’s initial social media post was in support of the group’s opposition to an upcoming Canadian government bill that could put restrictions on hunting rifles. He said he was unaware of the group’s use of the offensive promo code and didn’t support it.

On Tuesday, Price apologized for the timing of his original post. He said that he would never cause any intentional pain to victims of gun violence.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens really aren’t very good at handling controversial issues that arise involving one of their players. Rather than face the issue and address it honestly, they tried to give Price an out by denying his awareness of the Polytechnique Massacre and its upcoming anniversary. Not a good look for the storied franchise.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

by | Dec 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

The Golden Knights snap the Bruins’ home win streak, the Canucks rally from a 4-goal deficit to down the Canadiens, the three stars of the week are revealed and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins’ 14-game home winning streak came to an end as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated them 4-3 on a shootout goal by Reilly Smith. Vegas had jumped to a 3-0 lead with Paul Cotter scoring twice but the Bruins rallied to tie the game on goals by Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall. Logan Thompson made 40 saves for the Golden Knights (19-7-1) as they lead the Western Conference with 39 points. The Bruins (20-3-1) picked up a point to hold first place in the overall standings (41 points) with a game in hand over the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy picked up the win in his first game against the Bruins since they fired him as head coach in the off-season. He received a standing ovation from Boston fans during a video tribute in the first period.

Jack Eichel missed this game for the Golden Knights as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Teammate Alex Pietrangelo missed his fourth straight game due to personal reasons.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored in overtime as his club overcame 4-0 and 6-5 deficits to beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-6. Pettersson finished the night with three points while Ilya Mikheyev scored twice as the Canucks improved to 11-12-3. Nick Suzuki and Jordan Harris each had two points for the 12-11-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens entered this game with winger Brendan Gallagher sidelined for two weeks with a lower-body injury and defenseman David Savard out with an upper-body injury. Center Sean Monahan left the game in the second period and was spotted after the game wearing a walking boot cast on his right foot. He’s been nursing that injury since the start of this road trip.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 5-3. Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim each had two points and Carter Hart made 29 saves for the Flyers (9-12-5). Alex Newhook tallied twice for the Avalanche (13-9-1), who also lost center Nathan MacKinnon in the first period with an apparent wrist injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no update on MacKinnon’s condition following the game. The Avalanche went into this game already shorthanded with Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog, Bo Byram, Evan Rodrigues, Darren Helm and Kurtis MacDermid among their sidelined players.

Three unanswered third-period goals by K’Andre Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck finished the night with two points apiece as the Rangers improved to 12-10-5. Jordan Kyrou had two points for the Blues (11-14-0) as they’ve dropped four straight.

A third-period goal by Nic Dowd snapped a 2-2 tie as the Washington Capitals nipped the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Lars Eller and TJ Oshie also scored for the 11-12-4 Capitals. Stuart Skinner stopped 47 shots for the Oilers (14-12-0) while Connor McDavid scored to extend his points streak to six games. He leads the league with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kailer Yamamoto returned to action after missing 11 games with an undisclosed injury.

The Calgary Flames downed the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on a third-period power-play goal by Nazem Kadri, who finished the night with three points. Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (7-12-4) while the Flames improved to 12-10-3.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 4, 2022.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek acknowledged his playing days might be over due to concussion symptoms. The 33-year-old winger said he has a history of head injuries. He added there’s a slim chance he might be able to resume his playing career but it won’t be happening anytime soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Voracek has a year remaining on his contract but he’ll likely finish that on long-term injury reserve. He’s had a productive career with 806 points in 1,058 NHL games over 15 seasons but he has to put his health and well-being first.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have placed winger Patric Hornqvist on LTIR after he suffered a concussion during Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. He’ll be sidelined for at least 10 games and 24 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move also provides the Panthers with some short-term salary cap relief for Anthony Duclair’s expected return to action later this month.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub could be sidelined for a month with a broken jaw. He suffered the injury when he was struck in the face by a puck during Friday’s game against the New York Rangers. Zub missed eight games earlier this season with an upper-body injury.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have recalled Shane Wright from his stint with their AHL affiliate in time for Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice dramatic touch by Kraken management. The Canadiens passed over Wright during the opening round of the 2022 NHL Draft, using the first-overall pick to select Juraj Slafkovsky, who’ll be in the lineup for this contest.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens and Carey Price have apologized for the goaltender’s recent support of a pro-gun organization on social media just days before the Dec. 6 anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal. On that date, 14 women were killed and another 10 were wounded by a lone gunman armed with a legally purchased semi-automatic rifle.

Over the weekend, Price posted a message on Instagram expressing his support of the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights’ opposition to a proposed federal gun control bill (C-21). The bill originally targeted handguns but an amendment was tacked on that would focus on a number of rifles used for hunting. The government is still listening to feedback to ensure the bill doesn’t target hunting rifles or shotguns.

Price faced a backlash for his remarks over both the timing of his post and for supporting the CCFR, who recently ran a promo code “POLY” for 10 percent off merchandise purchases. According to a survivor of the Polytechnique shooting, the promo code mocked the massacre.

In their apology, the Canadiens announced they would make a donation to the “Week of the White Rose” campaign. The team also claimed Price was unaware of the Polytechnique anniversary. Meanwhile, Price followed up on social media claiming he meant no disrespect and didn’t agree with the CCFR’s promo code campaign. An avid hunter, he said he stood by his fellow hunters and sport shooters who have legally purchased firearms and use them safely.

Unlike the United States, Canadian citizens do not have a constitutional right to bear arms.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Commenters are asked to limit their replies to this story to Price’s remarks and the Canadiens’ response. I don’t want to see this derail off-topic into a broad debate on your personal views about gun control.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2022

by | Dec 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 5, 2022

Jason Robertson and Kirill Kaprizov extend their points streaks, Johnny Gaudreau is playing well with the injury-depleted Blue Jackets, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild overcame blowing a four-goal lead to defeat the Dallas Stars 6-5 on a shootout goal by Frederick Gaudreau. Kirill Kaprizov scored in regulation to extend his points streak to 12 games as the Wild improve their record to 13-9-2. Dallas winger Jason Robertson had two points to extend his streak to 18 games while Roope Hintz tallied a hat trick and Joe Pavelski added three assists. The Stars are 14-6-5 on the season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

The Winnipeg Jets scored five unanswered goals to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Saku Maenalanen and Nate Schmidt each had a goal and an assist while Connor Hellebucyk made 28 saves for the Jets (15-7-1) while the last overall Ducks drop to 6-17-3.

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov stopped 21 shots to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Matt Martin, Zach Parise and Brock Nelson tallied for the 16-10-0 Islanders while the Blackhawks fall to 7-13-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Blackhawks announced that goaltender Petr Mrazek will be sidelined for at least a week with a groin injury.

The Detroit Red Wings doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 to snap a three-game losing skid. Ville Husso kicked out 32 shots while David Perron, Filip Hronek and Olli Maatta each collected two assists for the Red Wings (12-7-5). Boone Jenner had two assists for the 8-13-2 Blue Jackets.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Quinn scored twice while teammate Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist and Dylan Cozens collected three helpers in a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Sabres improve to 11-13-1 while the Sharks (8-16-4) have lost six of their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thompson’s been drawing considerable attention for his scoring feats but Cozens has also been garnering notice for his production this season. Now in his third NHL campaign, the 21-year-old center’s 24 points in 25 games have him on a path to far exceed last season’s 38 points.

HEADLINES

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Johnny Gaudreau is still producing well despite the high number of injuries depleting the Blue Jackets’ lineup this season. He’s on pace for franchise records in assists (63) and points (93) over a full 82 games. The 29-year-old left winger has drawn praise from Jackets coach Brad Larsen for his production and poise.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a disappointing season thus far for the injury-ravaged Blue Jackets but Gaudreau has been among their few bright spots. His production would undoubtedly be higher if he had healthier, consistent linemates. He continues to prove himself as an elite offensive player.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights will be without defenseman Alex Pietrangelo when they face off tonight against the Boston Bruins. It’s the fourth straight game he’s missed due to personal reasons. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel will be a game-day decision as he’s nursing an apparent leg injury suffered during the Golden Knight’s 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou was angered at Jacob Trouba after the New York Rangers defenseman laid him out with a high hit on Saturday. Athanasiou was unhurt on the play but accused Trouba of deliberately attempting to injure opponents.

“That’s his game; that’s what he does,” said Athanasiou. “He’s an $8 million man with zero goals, so he has to figure out how to do something when making that much. If you can’t help the team, I guess you try to hurt guys on the other team.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trouba does have a reputation for high hits, with the most notable examples being those he laid out on Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby last season. The Rangers’ captain has only been suspended and fined once in his career and that was back in 2017 when he was with the Winnipeg Jets.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Martin Fehervary are both listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

SPORTSNET: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is expected to miss two weeks with a groin injury.

NHL.COM: The NHL has rescheduled two Nashville Predators games recently postponed by flooding at Bridgestone Arena. Their game against the Blue Jackets which was originally scheduled for Nov. 26 will take place on Jan. 17, 2023 while their contest against the Colorado Avalanche (originally scheduled for Nov. 25) will occur on Apr. 14, 2023.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Former Oilers head scout Barry Fraser passed on Sunday at age 82. He was the architect of the Oilers dynasty of the 1980s as his scouting led to the club selecting such notables as Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and Grant Fuhr.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Fraser’s family, friends, former co-workers and the Oilers organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2022

by | Dec 4, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2022

Mitch Marner sets a Leafs record, the Devils set a franchise road record, the Bruins continue their winning ways, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored twice to set a franchise record for the longest points streak (19) but his club fell 4-3 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Killorn scored the game-winner while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves for the Lightning (15-8-1). William Nylander also scored for the 15-5-6 Maple Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils held off the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 3-2 to set a franchise record with their 11th straight road victory. Jack Hughes scored what proved to be the winning goal while Akira Schmid kicked out 31 shots for the 20-4-1 Devils as they sit atop the overall standings with 41 points. Travis Konecny and Lukas Sedlak tallied for the Flyers as their record falls to 8-12-5.

Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic each scored two goals in a 5-1 rout of the Colorado Avalanche. The Bruins (20-3-0) extended their home-record win streak to 14 games and sit one point behind the Devils in the overall standings. Andrew Cogliano scored the only goal for the Avalanche (13-8-1), who lost winger Artturi Lehkonen in the first period to an upper-body injury after being slammed to the ice by Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Avalanche placed defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) on injured reserve.

The Vegas Golden Knights improved to 18-7-1 by dropping the Detroit Red Wing 4-1. Phil Kessel led the way for the Golden Knights with a goal and an assist while Adin Hill stopped 24 shots. Vegas sits atop the Western Conference with 37 points. Oskar Sundqvist replied for the 11-7-5 Red Wings, who’ve dropped three straight games.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each collected four points in a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Nick Suzuki tallied his 13th goal of the season for the Canadiens as they fall to 12-11-1 while the Oilers improved to 14-11-0. Draisaitl became the second player to reach 20 goals this season. Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson was ejected in the second period for cross-checking Oilers winger Zach Hyman in the head.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane collected three points to become the second player in franchise history to reach 1,200 career points in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Max Domi also had three points for the Blackhawks as they improved to 7-12-4 and end an eight-game winless skid. Artemi Panarin and Mike Zibanejad each had two points for the 11-10-5 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek left this game in the second period with a groin injury. No word as to the severity or how long he might be sidelined. The Rangers, meanwhile, played without Filip Chytil as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

A hat trick by Kasperi Kapanen powered the Pittsburgh Penguins over the St. Louis Blues 6-2. Bryan Rust had a four-point game while Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker collected three points each as the Penguins improved to 13-8-4. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington got the hook in the second period after giving up four goals on 17 shots and received a 10-minute misconduct for inciting after he yelled some choice words at the Penguins bench. The Blues fell to 11-13-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t the first time Binnington’s lost his temper this season. Blues coach Craig Berube seems to be losing patience with his goaltender’s antics. “It’s got to stop,” he said in a post-game interview. “It doesn’t help anything. Just play goal. Just stop the puck.”

The Minnesota Wild got shootout goals by Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Kaprizov also scored the game-tying goal to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Wild improved to 12-9-2. John Gibson made 46 saves while Trevor Zegras, Troy Terry and Mason McTavish each had two points for the 6-16-3 Ducks as they sit last in the overall standings with 15 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that center Isac Lundestrom will be sidelined for six weeks with a broken finger.

Ottawa Senators winger Claude Giroux scored twice and collected an assist in a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Anton Forsberg stopped 32 shots for the Senators (10-13-1) as they’ve won four of their last five games. Tomas Hertl scored both goals for the 8-15-4 Sharks.

The Calgary Flames (11-10-3) defeated the Washington Capitals (10-12-4) by a score of 5-2. Adam Ruzicka had a goal and two assists, Michael Backlund collected three assists and Andrew Mangiapane tallied twice for the Flames. Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Michael Fehervary both left the game with upper-body injuries in the second period.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and Sam Bennett had three assists in a 5-1 win over the Seattle Kraken, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Spencer Knight made 35 saves as the Panthers improved to 12-9-4 while the Kraken (15-6-3) sits in second place in the Western Conference with 33 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas and winger Patric Hornqvist left this game with injuries. Earlier in the day, the Panthers revealed that Anton Lundell would miss this contest with an undisclosed injury suffered during Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Carolina Hurricanes (14-6-5) picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Martin Necas and Brent Burns each had two points while Pyotr Kochetkov made 31 saves for the Hurricanes. Arthur Kaliyev and Samuel Fagemo replied for the 13-10-4 Kings.

An overtime goal by Bo Horvat lifted the Vancouver Canucks over the Arizona Coyotes 3-2. It was Horvat’s second goal of the game and his 19th on the season. Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks (10-12-3). Christian Fischer and Jakob Chychrun replied for the 7-11-4 Coyotes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

by | Dec 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 3, 2022

Recaps of Friday’s games featured a big night for Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, the latest on Joe Thornton plus updates on the injury statuses of Thatcher Demko, Jakub Voracek, Tyler Bertuzzi and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk had a “Gordie Howe hat trick” to a 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers. Tkachuk scored the tying and winning goals, collected an assist on Tim Stutzle’s goal, and fought Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Tkachuk’s game-tying tally was also his 100th career goal as the Senators improved their record to 9-13-1. Vitali Kravtsov and Mika Zibanejad replied for the 11-9-5 Rangers.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was a scary moment prior to Kravtsov’s goal when he fired a shot that struck Senators defenseman Travis Hamonic in the throat. Hamonic left the game but returned in the second period and played the remainder of the contest.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrick Laine scored twice to lead his club over the Winnipeg Jets by a score of 4-1. Laine had missed the previous seven games with an ankle injury. Johnny Gaudreau collected three assists and Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves for the Blue Jackets (8-12-2). Pierre-Luc Dubois replied for the 14-7-1 Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blue Jackets announced that winger Jakub Voracek is out indefinitely with a concussion. Defenseman Zach Werenski underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum and will be sidelined for six months while blueliner Jake Bean (shoulder surgery) is out for four-to-six months.

The Nashville Predators picked up their third straight win by downing the New York Islanders 4-1. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 48 shots for the win and Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists as the Predators improved to 12-9-2. Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders as they sit at 15-10-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi had a goal and an assist in this game. With 562 career points, he’s just four points away from David Legwand’s franchise record of 566 points.

HEADLINES

THE MERCURY NEWS: Joe Thornton has been seen attending San Jose Sharks practices and home games with members of the team’s front office in recent weeks. Thornton, 43, hasn’t announced his retirement as an NHL player but is said to be carefully considering his next move.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My guess is Thornton will officially bring his playing career to a close once he decides what his off-ice career will be. One of the greatest playmakers in NHL history, he’s a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer.

DAILY FACEOFF: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is expected to miss at least six weeks with a lower-body injury suffered during Thursday’s 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fate of the Canucks’ playoff hopes could rest upon the performance of backup Spencer Martin and call-up Collin Delia.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Oft-injured Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi will spend six more weeks on injured reserve. He underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair damage to his left hand after being struck by a shot from teammate Ben Chiarot during Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

CBS SPORTS: The Carolina Hurricanes removed Teuvo Teravainen (upper body) from injured reserve on Friday. His availability for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings remains to be determined.

TSN: The Tampa Bay Lightning placed defenseman Philippe Myers on waivers. He was acquired last summer from the Nashville Predators and signed to a two-year contract by the Lightning. Myers has appeared in 11 games this season.

The New Jersey Devils have recalled winger Andreas Johnsson.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2022

by | Dec 2, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 2, 2022

The Lightning’s Steve Stamkos reaches a scoring milestone, the Stars’ Jason Robertson extends his points streak, the three stars and the rookie of the month for November are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos became the first player in franchise history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Stamkos assisted on the second of Nick Paul’s two goals to reach the milestone while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves as the Lightning improved their record to 14-8-1. Travis Konecny replied for the Flyers as they fall to 8-11-5.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos’ teammates poured off the bench to congratulate their captain on his achievement. The 32-year-old forward shows no signs of slowing down, leading his club with 13 goals and sitting second in points with 28.

Konecny and Tony DeAngelo returned to the Flyers’ lineup after being briefly sidelined by injuries. Earlier in the day, general manager Chuck Fletcher said Ryan Ellis will not play this season. He’s been sidelined since last November by what could be a career-threatening back injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson extended his points streak to 17 games by tallying a hat trick as his club blanked the Anaheim Ducks 5-0. Jake Oettinger made 31 saves for the shutout while Miro Heiskanen collected three assists. The Stars (14-6-4) have 32 points and hold a three-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division. The Ducks (6-16-2) sit dead last in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson is the first player to score 20 goals this season.

Colorado Avalanche center scored two goals and set up three others in a 6-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. J.T. Compher scored twice and collected two assists as the Avalanche improved to 13-7-1. Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the 10-13-1 Sabres.

The Nashville Predators blew a 2-0 lead but rallied to down the league-leading New Jersey Devils 4-3 in overtime. Ryan Johansen tallied twice, including the game-winner as the Predators improved to 11-9-2. Jack Hughes and Erik Haula each collected two assists for the Devils (19-4-1) as their 39 points put them one up on the Boston Bruins in the overall standings.

Third-period goals by Jake Guentzel and Kasperi Kapanen lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3. Guentzel, Kapanen and Brock McGinn each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (12-8-4). Logan Thompson made 43 saves and Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the 17-7-1 Golden Knights as they sit atop the Western Conference with 35 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby credited sidelined teammate Kris Letang as inspiration for his club’s win. Letang is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a minor stroke on Monday. Letang went for a brief skate on his own yesterday morning but it was more for his mental health than anything else. His condition is not considered career-threatening but there’s no timetable for his return.

The Seattle Kraken improved to 15-5-3 and moved to within two points of the Golden Knights with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals. Matty Beniers scored the winner as the Kraken overcame a 2-0 deficit while Andre Burakovsky and Vince Dunn each picked up two assists. Alex Ovechkin collected two assists as the Capitals fell to 10-11-4.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook tallied a hat trick in a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. Brent Burns picked up two assists for the 13-6-5 Hurricanes while Vladimir Tarasenko and Pavel Buchnevich each had two points for the Blues, who drop to 11-12-0.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists to lead his club over the Edmonton Oilers 5-3. Kaprizov set a franchise record for consecutive games with assists (nine) while extending his points streak to 10 games while the Wild improve to 11-9-2. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist for the 13-11-0 Oilers. McDavid leads all NHL scorers with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Wild recalled defenseman Andrej Sustr to replace Jonas Brodin, who’s out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan collected two assists while Jake Allen kicked out 45 shots in a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield scored for the Canadiens (12-10-1) while Elias Lindholm replied for the 10-10-3 Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was Monahan’s first game in Calgary against the Flames since he was traded to the Canadiens in the offseason. He received a video tribute from his former club and a standing ovation from Flames fans. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced that winger Brendan Gallagher would miss the game with a lower-body injury while winger Mike Hoffman (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

The Florida Panthers got two goals from Sam Bennett and three points from Matthew Tkachuk to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 and improve their record to 11-9-4. Dakota Joshua replied for the Canucks (9-12-3), who also lost goaltender Thatcher Demko in the first period with an apparent injury to his right leg. No word as to the severity of Demko’s injury.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored twice, including the winning goal in the third period, to lead his club over the Arizona Coyotes 5-3. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist for the Kings (13-9-4). Rookies Dylan Guenther and Matias Macelli each collected two assists for the Coyotes, who fell to 7-11-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings goaltender Cal Petersen cleared waivers yesterday and was sent to the Kings’ AHL affiliate.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Stars winger Jason Robertson, Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner are the NHL’s three stars for November 2022. Golden Knights goalie Logan Thompson is the rookie of the month for November.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings placed forward Tyler Bertuzzi on injured reserve with a hand injury.

OTTAWA SUN: The deadline for the Senators to reach an agreement on a new contract with restricted free-agent winger Alex Formenton passed yesterday without a deal. Formenton, 23, is now ineligible to play in the NHL for the remainder of this season but his rights are still held by the Senators.

TSN: Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok is expected to miss some time after leaving Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks with a groin injury.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks placed defenseman Jarred Tinordi (hip) on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 27 and recalled blueliner Ian Mitchell from their AHL affiliate in Rockford.

Former Buffalo Sabres center Riley Sheahan has signed with EHC Biel in Switzerland. Sheahan and the Sabres mutually agreed to terminate his contract earlier this week after he decline demotion to their AHL affiliate.