Ayres is Just the Latest in a Long Line of NHL Emergency Backup Goaltenders

Ayres is Just the Latest in a Long Line of NHL Emergency Backup Goaltenders

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 24, 2020

Capitals defenseman John Carlson reaches a franchise milestone, the Detroit Red Wings trade Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers. and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals snapped a four-game losing skid and regained sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Division by downing the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3. Carl Hagelin scored twice while John Carlson surpassed Calle Johansson for the most points (475) by a defenseman in Capitals history. Following the game, the Capitals acquired winger Ilya Kovalchuk from the Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins (80 points) sit two points behind the Capitals. Pittsburgh forward Dominik Kahun (leg injury) was a late scratch.

Detroit Red Wings trade Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers (Photo via NHL Images).

Two goals by Andrew Mangiapane powered the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Flames (70 points) hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth. Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Red Wings, who traded defenseman Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers following the game for LTIR forward Kyle Brodziak and a conditional draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An affordable move by the Oilers, bringing experienced depth to the defense corps as they push to secure a postseason berth. Green isn’t the offensive presence he once was and hasn’t had a good season with the floundering Wings, but his performance could improve with the Oilers.

The conditional pick is a fourth-rounder in the 2020 draft. If the Oilers reach the Western Conference Final and Green plays in half of the games, it becomes a third-rounder in 2021. The Wings also picked up half of Green’s $5.373-million salary-cap hit.

Speaking of the Oilers, Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists in his return from a quad injury as his club doubled up the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. The Oilers (73 points) moved past the Vancouver Canucks into second place in the Pacific Division.

Shea Theodore’s overtime goal lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Anaheim Ducks 6-5. William Karlsson tallied a hat trick for the Golden Knights, while Ducks forwards Adam Henrique and Nick Ritchie each scored two goals and collected two assists. The Golden Knights (76 points) opened a three-point lead over the Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their fourth straight win by beating the Minnesota Wild 4-1. With the win, the Blues (82 points) opened a three-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche for the top spot in the Central Division and the Western Conference standings. It was also announced that both clubs will face off in Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Winter Classic at Target Field on New Year’s Day.

Anton Khudobin made 31 saves as the Dallas Stars edged the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1. Tyler Seguin tallied the game-winner for the Stars (78 points), who sit one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for second place in the Central Division.

Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo scored both goals in his club’s 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. The win moves the Sabres (66 points) within six points of the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic division. With 69 points, the Jets remain one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Anders Lee scored twice to lead the New York Islanders over the San Jose Sharks 4-1. The Isles (76 points) hold the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

CBS SPORTS: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce could be sidelined long-term because of an upper-body injury suffered during Saturday’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Hurricanes, they intend to honor David Ayres, the emergecy goalie who backstopped them over the Leafs.

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes recalled goaltender Darcy Kuemper from his AHL conditioning stint.

SPORTSNET: The Maple Leafs placed forward Dmytro Timashov on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 23, 2020

Alexander Ovechkin tallies his 700th career goal, the Toronto Maple Leafs lose to a Zamboni driver, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin became the eighth player in NHL history to score 700 career goals in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. A power-play goal by Devils defenseman Damon Severson snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period. With the loss, the Capitals (80 points) remain tied for first place with the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division, with the Penguins holding a game in hand.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is the eighth player in NHL to score 700 career goals (Photo via NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved milestone for The Great Eight. The next one is overtaking Mike Gartner (708) for seventh on the all-time list. The Capitals, however, have won just three of their last 10 games. With Ovechkin’s chase for 700 goals now over, perhaps it will bring about a shift in their focus.

The Penguins, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to take a two-point lead over the Capitals by dropping a 5-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres. Jack Eichel scored twice, despite a midsection ailment preventing him from bending over to take faceoffs. Evgeni Malkin scored both Penguins’ goals. The Sabres (64 points) are eight behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division. Earlier in the day, they officially terminated defenseman Zach Bogosian’s contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eichel has 35 goals on the season. The young Sabres captain is doing everything he can to keep the his club’s playoff hopes alive.

Speaking of the Maple Leafs, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Carolina Hurricanes, who pressed into service 42-year-old emergency backup (and Zamboni driver) David Ayres when regular goaltenders James Reimer and Petr Mrazek were sidelined. Ayres made eight saves on 10 shots to preserve the win. The Hurricanes (74 points) moved into a tie with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, holding two games in hand over the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: For Ayres, this was a moment he and his family and friends will never forget. The Hurricanes did a fine job putting him at ease, as well as checking the Leafs to a near-standstill in the third. That was perhaps the most embarrassing regular-season defeat in Leafs history. I’ll leave it to Steve Dangle to summarize this debacle.

The Philadelphia Flyers (77 points) doubled up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2, widening their lead over the New York Islanders for third place in the Metro by three points. Scott Laughton scored two goals and Justin Braun collected three assists. Following the game, the Flyers got a visit from teammate Oskar Lindblom, who’s battling Ewing’s sarcoma. “Really good, really good to see him,” said Laughton. The Jets (69 points) hold a one-point lead over the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Lindblom in his ongoing treatments. Here’s hoping he make a full recovery.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price turned in a 30-save shutout to blank the Ottawa Senators 3-0. Max Domi scored twice for the Habs (66 points), putting them six behind the Leafs in the Atlantic. Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left the game with an injured left leg in the first period, but coach D.J. Smith believes it wasn’t anything serious.

The New York Rangers also kept their playoff hopes alive by edging the San Jose Sharks 3-2. Jesper Fast scored twice and Igor Shesterkin kicked out 44 shots for the Rangers (70 points), who’ve won seven of their last eight contests and sit just four points out of a wild-card berth in the East. Joe Thornton scored both goals for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ surge of late raises questions over whether GM Jeff Gorton will be a seller at the trade deadline. Until recently, it was assumed he’d start peddling some pending free agents like Fast and Chris Kreider. That might not be a certainty now.

Conor Garland and Clayton Keller each scored twice as the Arizona Coyotes upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3. With 70 points, the Coyotes hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Earlier in the day, they revealed defenseman Jakob Chychrun could miss multiple games with a hip injury. Meanwhile, goaltender Darcy Kuemper was assigned to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are winless in eight straight games after dropping a 4-3 shootout decision to the Nashville Predators. Jusse Saros turned aside 40 shots for the Predators while Rocco Grimaldi netted the game-winning goal. The Predators (68 points) sit one back of the Jets for the final Western wild-card berth.

Tyler Toffoli scored his first two goals with the Vancouver Canucks in a 9-3 thrashing of the Boston Bruins. J.T. Miller also collected three assists for the Canucks (72 points), who sit two behind the Pacific Divison-leading Vegas Golden Knights. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored twice and leads the league with 45 goals. The Bruins remain the overall league leaders with 90 points.

The Golden Knights, meanwhile, picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Florida Panthers 5-3. Reilly Smith scored twice and Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves for Vegas. The Panthers (70 points) remain two behind the Leafs. They’ve won just three of their last 11 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are blowing a golden opportunity to pass the struggling Leafs and secure a grip on the final playoff spot in the Atlantic. They’re also in danger of being overtaken by the Canadiens and Sabres.

Joonas Donskoi’s shootout goal gave the Colorado Avalanche a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. The Avs (79 points) sit one back of the St. Louis Blues for first place in the Western Conference. Earlier in the day, the Kings re-signed Martin Frik to a two-year contract extension.