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 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.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 19, 2024

by | Apr 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 19, 2024

The Oilers and Kings have another first-round series, the Golden Knights face the Stars in the opening round, the Board of Governors approves the relocation of the Coyotes to Salt Lake City, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings clinched third place in the Pacific Division following a 5-4 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Adrian Kempe tallied the game-winner, Viktor Arvidsson scored twice and Quinton Byfield netted his 20th goal of the season for the 44-27-11 Kings (99 points), who’ll face the Edmonton Oilers in the opening round for the third straight year.

The Vegas Golden Knights dropped a 4-1 decision to the Anaheim Ducks to finish in the final wildcard in the Western Conference. Jack Eichel scored his 31st of the season for the 45-29-8 Golden Knights (98 points) as they’ll meet the Dallas Stars in the first round. Ducks winger Frank Vatrano scored a hat trick to finish the season with a career-high 37 goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Promising Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier collected an assist in his first NHL game.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon picked up two assists to set the franchise single-season scoring record (140 points) in a 5-1 victory over the Oilers. Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals and Mikko Rantanen netted his 42nd of the season. The Oilers scratched Connor McDavid and Leon Draistaitl to rest them for the upcoming playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs’ previous single-season points record was 139 points set by Peter Stastny in 1981-82 when the franchise was called the Quebec Nordiques.

The Winnipeg Jets ended the regular season with their eighth straight win by doubling up the Vancouver Canucks 4-2. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets while Canucks winger Conor Garland potted his 20th goal of the season. The Jets will face the Avalanche in the first round of the upcoming playoffs while the Canucks square off against the Nashville Predators.

Seattle Kraken winger Yanni Gourde scored two shorthanded goals in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 46th of the season for the Wild.

The Calgary Flames defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-1. Flames forward Blake Coleman reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time while teammate MacKenzie Weegar had his first 20-goal season. Fabian Zetterlund scored his 24th of the season for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And with that, the 2023-24 regular season is over. The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Saturday, Apr. 20 with the New York Islander facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes while the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Boston to meet the Bruins. You can see the updated first-round schedule here.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City, Utah. The board also approved a plan that renders the Coyotes franchise inactive, with a right to reactivate if owner Alex Meruelo has fully constructed a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL franchise within five years.

Effective at closing, the Coyotes franchise will transfer the totality of its existing hockey assets, including its full reserve list, roster of players and draft picks, and its hockey operations department to the Utah franchise.

Ryan Smith, the owner of Smith Entertainment Group and owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, is now the owner of the Utah franchise. While located in Salt Lake City, the club will be named after the state. Smith indicated the team will take time to determine its name, logos and colors.

DAILY FACEOFF: Smith said the Utah franchise has already sold over 11,000 season-ticket deposits in their first few hours on the market.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Coyotes franchise and its history and brand remain in Meruelo’s hands for the next five years. After speaking with governors around the league, LeBrun and colleague Darren Dreger said few have confidence that Meruelo can get that arena built.

The NHL still wants a franchise in Arizona. However, LeBrun isn’t sure it’ll be with Meruelo as the owner.

LeBrun also reported Smith won’t rush to decide on a team nickname. They’re looking for fan reaction and have hired a firm to look into branding. Smith is willing to start next season without a team nickname if that’s how long is needed to find an appropriate one.

Travis Yost explains why an NHL team will work in Salt Lake City. The city only has a quarter of a million residents but the county is five times that size while neighboring Utah County is a 30-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City. That’s a total population base of nearly 2 million.

Yost also noted Salt Lake City and Utah are booming economically plus its tourism market draws a lot of winter sports enthusiasts. He also pointed out Salt Lake City is expected to win the bid for the 2034 Olympic Winter Games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salt Lake City still needs a proper NHL-caliber arena but it’s expected that a state-funded one will be built soon to accommodate Olympic hockey and Smith’s Utah franchise.

The success of the NHL in Utah will depend on how much Smith is willing to invest in making this team a winner. It’ll also rely on how well-managed the franchise will be. The shine could come off this Utah franchise if they spend years as a pretender rather than a contender.

Current general manager Bill Armstrong was doing a good job rebuilding the Coyotes with affordable young talent on a shoestring budget. However, they need an infusion of talented veterans who can mentor those youngsters and turn the club into a perennial playoff team.

Armstrong could find some of that talent in the free-agent market if Smith is willing to spend to the salary cap. If he has the cap room, he can draw on his considerable depth in draft picks and prospects for trade bait to land a veteran star or two.

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov finished the season with a league-leading 144 points to win the Art Ross Trophy for the second time since 2018-19.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews won his third Maurice Richard Trophy as this season’s goal-scoring leader with 69 goals. He and Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin are the only players to win that award at least three times.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck earned his first career William M. Jennings Trophy as the netminder who played at least 25 games for the team that allowed the fewest goals.

SPORTSNET: The final odds for the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery are confirmed. The San Jose Sharks have the best odds (25.5 percent) while the Buffalo Sabres have the lowest odds (3.0 percent). Click the link provided for the complete list.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he intends to meet at some point with general manager Kyle Dubas to discuss a contract extension. He has one year remaining on his current deal and his future has become the source of media speculation.

Crosby didn’t indicate how many more years he intends to play. In the shorter term, he’s uncertain if he’ll suit up for Canada in next month’s World Championships in Czechia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby has plenty of time to sign an extension with the Penguins. He and Dubas will likely want that sorted out before the start of next season to avoid the situation becoming an unnecessary distraction.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen underwent surgery to repair a torn triceps muscle two months following his injury. He’ll require three months of rehab and recovery but is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some are questioning why it took so long for Ristolainen to have surgery and why the Flyers provided no updates on his condition until now.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

by | Apr 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2024

Alex Ovechkin sets a scoring record, Auston Matthews reaches another goal milestone, hat trick performances by Nathan MacKinnon, Steven Stamkos and Juraj Slafkovsky, and the Predators clinch a playoff berth. The details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin set an NHL scoring record in a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Ovechkin became the first player in NHL history to reach the 30-goal plateau 18 times. The Capitals improved to 37-30-11 and regained the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season for the Red Wings, who slipped to 38-32-8 to sit one point back of the Capitals.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin had a slow start to this season with just nine goals in 44 games before the All-Star Break. He’s had 21 goals in his last 31 games. Red Wings forward Andrew Copp suffered a broken cheekbone after being struck by a high stick by Capitals winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel. No penalty was called on the play.

Auston Matthews is the only active NHL player to score 66 goals in a season as his Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2. Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and collected an assist for the Leafs (46-23-9) as they sit ninth in the overall standings with 101 points. Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (37-37-5) as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is also the first player in the salary-cap era to exceed 65 goals. With four games remaining in the regular season, he has time to become the first player in 31 years to reach 70 goals. Meanwhile, Devils star Jack Hughes missed this game and will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. It’s been that kind of season for the Devils as they struggled through a disappointing follow-up to last season’s promising performance.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon tallied a hat trick to reach the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Jonathan Drouin each had three points for the 49-24-6 Avalanche as they sit sixth overall with 104 points. Matt Boldy had a goal and an assist for the 37-32-9 Wild, who were officially eliminated from the playoff race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 137 points, MacKinnon sits two back of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With 51 goals, he’s the fourth player to reach 50 this season.

Speaking of hat tricks, Steven Stamkos scored three goals to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Kucherov picked up three assists to lead the scoring race with 139 points for the Lightning (44-27-7), who hold the first Eastern wildcard spot with 95 points. Kirill Marchenko scored both goals for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 39 goals, Stamkos is poised to reach the 40-goal plateau for the seventh time. The Lightning extended their points streak to six games and are 11-2-1 in their last 14 contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky potted his first career NHL hat trick in a 9-3 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak each scored two goals for the Canadiens. Owen Tippett and Erik Johnson collected two points each for the Flyers, who slipped to 36-32-11 (83 points) and sit two points out of the final Eastern wildcard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Canadiens announced defenseman Arber Xhekaj will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. He had similar surgery last season on his right shoulder. Meanwhile, the Flyers are winless in their last eight games (0-6-2), leaving head coach John Tortorella somberly observing his club has reached “rock bottom.” They overachieved for most of this season but are running out of gas as the schedule winds down.

The Nashville Predators dropped a 4-3 decision in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets but picked up a point to clinch a playoff berth. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and Connor Hellebucyk kicked out 45 shots for the Jets (48-24-6), as they sit in eighth place in the overall standings with 102 points. Predators captain Roman Josi collected assists on goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O’Reilly as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra frame. With a record of 45-29-5, the Predators hold the first Western Conference wildcard with 95 points.

A three-goal first period powered the New York Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers. Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson picked up two points each and Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves for the 36-27-15 Islanders, who hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 87 points. Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (53-22-4) as they hold first place in the overall standings with 110 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette was furious following the game over a pair of what he deemed “vicious hits” on forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The hit on Zibanejad appeared to be accidental but the one on Trocheck was deliberately hit from behind by Dobson. Both players escaped injury but Zibanejad was shaken up after the collision with Adam Pelech.

The Dallas Stars moved to within one point of the league-leading Rangers by nipping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2, eliminating the latter from postseason contention. Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for his eighth straight win while Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Joe Pavelski scored for the 50-20-9 Stars. Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch replied for the Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres set the NHL record for the longest playoff drought. Buffalo is a great hockey town but their fans continue to be disappointed by years of mismanagement and bad coaching.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov tallied a lacrosse-style goal and collected an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Teuvo Teravainen, Jake Guentzel and Seth Jarvis also scored for the 50-22-7 Hurricanes (107 points), who moved ahead of the Bruins into third place in the overall standings. Charlie McAvoy replied for the 46-18-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the third straight season the Hurricanes have reached the 50-win mark.

The Florida Panthers blanked the Ottawa Senators 2-0. Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves for the shutout. Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins were the goal scorers as the Panthers improved to 49-24-6 and sit seventh overall with 104 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators will finish the schedule on a high note in terms of attendance. Despite another disappointing season, they enjoyed the fourth-highest change in attendance (5.9 percent). They’ve played to 95 percent capacity, averaging 17,536.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped 36 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras were the goal scorers. Akil Thomas netted the only goal for the 41-26-11 Kings (93 points) as they hold third place in the Pacific Division.

The Seattle Kraken blanked the Arizona Coyotes 5-0. Philipp Grubauer made 39 saves while Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand each picked up two assists. Earlier in the day, the Coyotes announced defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Andrei Kuzmenko gave the Calgary Flames a 3-2 decision over the San Jose Sharks. Kuzmenko and Nazem Kadri each had two points for the Flames. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 37 shots for the Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers captain Connor McDavid is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The club recalled forward Dylan Holloway as McDavid will decide if he’ll play on Wednesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. His injury is not the same one that forced him to miss two games earlier this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history to reach that plateau. Nevertheless, the priority for the Oilers is to ensure their captain is healthy for the upcoming playoffs. They have six games left in the regular season.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could miss the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2024

by | Apr 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2024

The Jets clinch a playoff berth, Bruins captain Brad Marchand reaches a scoring milestone, the battle for the final Eastern Conference wildcard continues, and the latest on the Coyotes in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Calgary Flames 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth. Gabriel Vilardi tallied a hat trick and Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for the Jets (46-24-6), who sit third in the Central Division with 98 points. Dustin Wolf stopped 40 shots for the 34-36-5 Flames (73 points), who were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames rookie Connor Zary was a healthy scratch from this game. His teammate Martin Pospisil could face supplemental discipline after being ejected in the second period for elbowing Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey in the face. Morrissey was not injured.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand scored his 400th career NHL regular-season goal in a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen each had a goal and an assist and Jeremy Swayman turned aside 28 shots for the 45-17-15 Bruins, who’ve won three straight and sit third in the overall standings with 105 points. Jake Guentzel replied for the Hurricanes (47-22-7) as they sit sixth overall with 101 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins forward Justin Brazeau missed this game with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s win against the Nashville Predators. He’s listed as week-to-week.

The New York Islanders moved into the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth after doubling up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Noah Dobson broke a 2-2 tie and Kyle Palmieri netted his 25th goal of the season for the Islanders, who’ve won three straight and improved to 34-27-15 (83 points). Kirill Marchenko had a goal and an assist for the 25-39-12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a collision with teammate David Jiricek. There was no postgame update regarding his condition. Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau missed this game due to illness.

A 30-save performance by Alex Nedeljkovic (including 16 in the first period) backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Kris Letang and Reilly Smith each collected two assists for the Penguins (35-30-11), who extended their points streak to seven games and sit two points behind the Islanders. Alex Ovechkin scored for the 36-29-10 Capitals as they slipped one point back of the Isles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger T.J. Oshie (undisclosed) missed this game and has been ruled out for Friday’s contest with the Hurricanes.

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos each collected three assists to beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-4 and eliminate the latter from playoff contention. Stamkos and Nick Paul each tallied twice as the Lightning improved to 43-26-7 (93 points) as they hold the first Eastern wildcard and sit two points behind the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Joel Armia scored two goals and Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal and an assist for the 29-34-12 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a hit from behind by Kucherov. No penalty was called on the play and no postgame update was provided about Guhle’s condition. Kucherov sits atop the points race with 133 and reached the 90-assist plateau for the first time. Meanwhile, his teammate Tanner Jeannot missed this contest with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Justus Annunen kicked out 44 shots in a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin collected three points each for the Avalanche (48-22-6), who sit fifth overall with 102 points. Filip Gustavsson stopped 31 shots for the 36-30-9 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon (130 points) remains in second place in the points race.

The Florida Panthers got a 30-save shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky to blank the Ottawa Senators 6-0. Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 53rd goal of the season for the Panthers (48-24-5) as they sit seventh in the overall standings with 101 points. The Senators dropped to 33-38-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers announced before this game that defenseman Aaron Ekblad will likely miss the remainder of the regular season with an undisclosed injury. The club is confident Ekblad will be ready to go for the start of the playoffs.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored two goals and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Juuse Saros made 44 saves for the 44-28-4 Predators, who hold the first Western Conference wildcard spot with 92 points. Brandon Saad, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou replied for the 40-32-4 Blues.

Rookie Akil Thomas’ first NHL goal was the game-winner as the Los Angeles Kings nipped the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Adrian Kempe scored his 25th of the season for the Kings (40-25-11) as they hold the final Western wildcard with 91 points. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the 17-50-8 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has reportedly spoken to multiple potential buyers within and outside Arizona to gauge their interest in purchasing the franchise from him.

Meruelo reportedly seeks USD 1 billion for the franchise he purchased in July 2019. He is believed to have recently met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman regarding the Coyotes’ future.

On Thursday, the club told Arizona Sports that Meruelo and the team are “solely focused on the land auction (for a new arena) and winning the bid. And to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.”

Speaking of the land auction, the date is set for June 27.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Any attempt to sell the team to new owners willing to keep the franchise in Arizona will depend on whether Meruelo and the Coyotes win that land auction. If they fail, relocation is the next step. Whether he’ll get $1 billion for the franchise could depend on the location of the bidders and the size of their fortunes.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers captain Sean Couturier (upper-body injury) will miss the club’s back-to-back games with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday and the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Flyers, they’re working on a “longer-term contract” for goaltender Ivan Fedotov. The 27-year-old Fedotov can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.