NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

by | Mar 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2024

Four-assist performances from the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov and the Oilers’ Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov assisted on each of his club’s goals in a 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Brayden Point scored twice to reach the 40-goal mark as the Lightning extended their win streak to five games. With a record of 38-25-6, they hold the first Eastern Conference wildcard berth with 82 points. William Eklund replied for the 16-46-7 Sharks.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov leads the scoring race with 122 points, opening a five-point gap over Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. Lightning winger Anthony Duclair scored against his former team, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career. Since being acquired by the Lightning before the March 8 trade deadline, Duclair has four goals and seven points in five games.

The Edmonton Oilers erupted for five unanswered third-period goals to crush the Buffalo Sabres 8-3. Connor McDavid collected four assists while Zach Hyman and Mattias Ekholm scored two goals each for the 42-21-4 Oilers, who sit second in the Pacific Division with 88 points. JJ Peterka tallied two goals for the 33-33-5 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hyman is just two goals away from reaching the vaunted 50-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (Hyman’s former teammate) leads the league this season with 57 goals.

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected the third hat trick of his NHL career in a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Rangers (46-20-4) moved within one point of the league-leading Bruins with 96 points. Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist for the 41-15-15 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Quick picked up his 391st career win to tie Ryan Miller for the most NHL victories by an American-born goaltender.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored twice in his triumphant return to the lineup to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, leaving the latter winless in their last six games (0-5-1). Andrew Copp also had two goals and Christian Fischer had a goal and two assists for the Red Wings (36-28-6) as they opened a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 78 points. Mathew Barzal netted his 21st goal for the 29-25-15 Islanders as they slipped five points behind the Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury. During his absence, the Wings went into a tailspin that threatened to derail their playoff hopes. They’re a different team when their captain is in the lineup.

The Vancouver Canucks gained ground on the Bruins in the overall standings with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Zadorov scored two goals for the Canucks (44-18-8) as they sit one point behind the league-leading Bruins. Juraj Slafkovsky scored to extend his points streak to six games for the Canadiens (25-32-12), who are winless in their last four games (0-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Slafkovsky remains a bright spot for the Canadiens this season. He had just eight points in his first 31 games but now has 30 points in his last 38 contests. Speaking of the Canadiens, they announced that Joshua Roy will be sidelined for four to six weeks with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of gaining ground in the overall standings, the Carolina Hurricanes moved to within three points of the Bruins by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on an overtime goal by Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots for the 44-20-6 Hurricanes (94 points) as they’ve won five straight games. Travis Konecny netted his 28th goal of the season for the Flyers (35-26-9), who remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers captain Sean Couturier was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Flyers head coach John Tortorella declined to discuss Couturier during a pregame interview. However, benching his captain has drawn plenty of media attention as rumors grow of a possible rift between the two.

The Nashville Predators continue to tighten their grip on the first Western Conference wildcard berth as they blanked the Florida Panthers 3-0. Kevin Lankinen kicked out 33 shots for the shutout and Filip Forsberg tallied twice for the 41-25-4 Predators (86 points) as they extended their points streak to 16 games with their fourth straight win. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 34 shots for the 45-20-4 Panthers (94 points) as they’ve lost three straight and sit three points behind the Bruins in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers were without team captain Aleksander Barkov as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Western Conference wildcard spots, the Vegas Golden Knights cling to the final berth following a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Keegan Kolesar snapped a 1-1 tie and Chandler Stephenson netted the insurance goal for the 37-25-7 Golden Knights (81 points). Jaden Schwartz replied for the 28-28-12 Kraken.

The New Jersey Devils got two power-play goals from Jack Hughes to defeat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier each had a goal and two assists for the 34-32-4 Devils. Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (44-20-5) as they remain in first place in the Central Division with 93 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou had a goal and two assists to keep their playoff hopes alive in a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jake Neighbours scored twice and Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 37-30-3 Blues (77 points) as they sit four points behind the Golden Knights for that final Western wild-card berth. Mark Kastelic and Dominik Kubalik scored for the 28-36-4 Senators.

The Anaheim Ducks snapped a seven-game losing skid by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Lukas Dostal stopped 29 shots for his first NHL shutout while Alex Killorn scored two goals for the 24-43-3 Ducks. Arvid Soderblom made 21 saves for the 19-46-5 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Leo Carlsson left this game in the second period following a knee-on-knee collision with the Blackhawks Alex Vlasic. There was no postgame update on his condition.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson was offered an in-person hearing by the NHL department of player safety for high-sticking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor on Thursday. Wilson faces the possibility of a suspension beyond five games.

CALGARY SUN: Flames goaltender Dan Vladar will undergo season-ending hip surgery next week. He’s expected to be ready for the start of next season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2024

by | Feb 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2024

Team Matthews defeats Team McDavid to win the 2024 All-Star Game. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored two goals to lead his team to a 7-4 victory over Team McDavid to win the 2024 NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. His team was awarded a check for $1 million.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

In the best-of-three format, the captain of Team Matthews finished the three-on-three tournament with four points, becoming the first Leaf in 33 years to be named MVP of the All-Star Game. His team eliminated Team Hughes 6-5 in a shootout while Team McDavid needed a shootout to eliminate Team MacKinnon 4-3.

Matthews is the fifth Leaf to be named MVP, joining Vincent Damphousse (1991), Bruce Gamble (1968), Frank Mahovlich (1963) and Eddie Shack (1962). He also became the 11th player in NHL All-Star Game history to win MVP honors in his home arena.

Five players on Team Matthews finished with at least four points. Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat (3 goals, 3 assists) and New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (1 goal, five assists) lead the way with six points each, followed by Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points), and Matthews and Arizona Coyotes winger Clayton Keller (1 goal, 3 assists) with four points apiece.

Team McDavid forward Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) led his club with five points (1 goal, 4 assists) while teammate David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) had 2 goals and 2 assists for four points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the usual friendly pond-hockey style affair though the results weren’t as lopsided as we’ve seen in previous All-Star games. The fans in attendance seemed to have a good time, which is what matters here. The NHL All-Star Game is more of a benefit for the host city.

ESPN.COM: New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said he’s close to returning to action. He’s been sidelined for a month with an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Devils as they’re struggling to remain in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. With a record of 24-20-3 (51 points), they’re seven points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Colorado Avalanche placed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov on waivers while the Vegas Golden Knights did the same with defenseman Brayden Pachal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Putting Prosvetov on waivers has raised speculation that the Avalanche will bring in a replacement backup goalie for Alexandar Georgiev via trade or their farm system. Stay tuned…

THE ATHLETIC: recently released the results of an anonymous player poll on a variety of topics.

Of note was Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov being named the league’s most underrated player, Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras chosen as the most overrated, Panthers forward Nick Cousins was considered the player whose face they’d most like to punch, and Wes McAuley was named the best referee.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Follow the link above for the full results if you have a subscription. I just picked out the ones that interested me. The other topics had predictable results (the current captain of the Edmonton Oilers being named best player and it wasn’t even close).










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2024

by | Jan 20, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2024

Recaps of Friday’s games, the Canucks sign hockey ops president Jim Rutherford to a contract extension, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Minnesota Wild tallied five power-play goals to upset the Florida Panthers 6-4. Kirill Kaprizov (two goals and an assist) and Brock Faber (one goal, two assists) each had three points while Ryan Hartman tallied twice for the 19-21-5 Wild. Aaron Ekblad had a goal and three assists for the Panthers (27-14-4) as they remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 58 points.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Wild as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury suffered an upper-body injury and center Connor Dewar a lower-body injury. Both will be reevaluated today. Meanwhile, the Panthers sat out captain Aleksander Barkov for the second straight game as he continues to deal with a lower-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Martin Necas and Michael Bunting each had two points for the 25-14-3 Hurricanes (55 points), who sit one point behind the second-place Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division. Alex Lyon made 26 saves for the Red Wings (23-17-5) as they slipped into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes placed goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (concussion) on injured reserve and claimed netminder Spencer Martin off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

A four-goal second period powered the New Jersey Devils to a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nico Hischier and Alexander Holtz each tallied their 12th goal of the season while Vitek Vanecek stopped 29 shots for the 23-17-3 Devils (49 points) as they sit two points behind the Red Wings. Cole Sillinger replied for the 14-22-9 Blues Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Devils placed defenseman Brendan Smith on injured reserve with a sprained knee.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the New York Islanders 4-3 on an overtime goal by Seth Jones. Joey Anderson, Jason Dickinson and Boris Katchouk each had a goal and an assist for the 14-30-2 Blackhawks. Kyle Palmieri and Noah Dobson each had two points for the Islanders (19-15-11) as they sit behind the Devils with 49 points with the latter holding two games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles are winless in their last four games (0-3-1) and have just two wins in their last 10 games.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The Vancouver Canucks signed Jim Rutherford to a three-year contract extension as their president of hockey operations.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rutherford was hired in December 2021 by a club in turmoil as it had struggled through a period of front office in-fighting, questionable decisions by management, and inconsistent performances by their players.

Over two years later, Rutherford has stabilized management and the coaching staff, leading to considerable on-ice improvement. They’re currently sitting in first place in the overall standings with stars such as Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser on pace for career-best seasons.

The next challenge for Rutherford and his general manager Patrik Allvin is re-signing Pettersson, who intends to wait until the end of this season to open contract negotiations. Sitting among the NHL’s top-10 scorers, he’ll command a significant raise on his next deal that could make him one of the league’s highest-paid players.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals signed forward Aliaksei Protas to a five-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.375 million. In his third season with the Capitals, the 23-year-old Protas has 10 goals and 42 points in 133 games.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators signed center Shane Pinto to a one-year, $775K contract on the eve of his return from a 41-game suspension for violating the league’s sports wagering rules.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken forward Yanni Gourde received a two-game suspension by the league’s department of player safety for charging Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

NHL.COM: Arizona Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien was fined $2,018.23 for roughing Canucks forward Sam Lafferty.

CBS SPORTS: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2024

by | Jan 18, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2024

The Red Wings upset the Panthers, the Canadiens down the Devils, the Sharks will retire Joe Thornton’s No. 19, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime power-play goal by Dylan Larkin lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Alex Lyon made 32 saves for the win while Michael Rasmussen had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (23-16-5), who vaulted over the idle Toronto Maple Leafs into third place in the Atlantic Division with 51 points. Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to a franchise-record eight games for the 27-13-4 Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 58 points.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov missed this game with a minor lower-body injury. Head coach Paul Maurice said he could hold Barkov out of Friday’s game against the Minnesota Wild as a precaution if he’s not fully healthy by then.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored the winning goal and collected an assist as his club nipped the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Sam Montembault stopped 28 shots while Sean Monahan collected two assists for the 19-18-7 Canadiens (45 points) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Luke Hughes and Alexander Holtz scored for the Devils (22-17-3) as they sit two points ahead of the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Timo Meier collected an assist in his return to action after missing six games with a mid-body injury. Teammate Brendan Smith missed this game with a sprained knee. He should be considered day-to-day for the time being.

HEADLINES

TSN: The San Jose Sharks intend to retire Joe Thornton’s No. 19 during a game next season. It will be the second jersey retirement in franchise history as Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 was hoisted to the rafter of the SAP Center last year.

Thornton spent 15 of his 24 NHL seasons with the Sharks. He’s their single-season leader in assists (92) and points (114) and their franchise leader with 804 assists.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thornton officially announced his retirement last October. He’s a certain first-ballot inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

TSN: Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres was postponed due to severe weather in Buffalo. The game was rescheduled to Thursday, Jan. 18.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner will return to action on Friday against the Devils. He’s been sidelined by a fractured jaw since Dec. 8.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Kasperi Kapanen is out for four weeks with a lower-body injury.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks winger Mikael Granlund is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury but does not require surgery. He suffered the injury during Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks following a hard hit by Mackenzie Entwistle.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders forward Casey Cizikas (lower body )has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 9.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Cody Hodgson’s comeback continues as he signed a professional tryout offer with the Predators’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. Hodgson, 33, last played in 2015-16 and retired due to malignant hypothermia. He resumed skating last summer after receiving a clean bill of health.

THE GLOBE & MAIL: Former NHL forward Tyler Ennis has announced his retirement at age 34. He played 700 games over 13 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers, netting 143 goals and 345 points. Ennis spent the last two seasons in Europe.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2024

by | Jan 5, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2024

Recaps of a busy Thursday schedule, the first 32 players selected for the 2024 All-Star Game are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins took a 5-2 lead over the Boston Bruins and held on for a 6-5 victory, snapping the latter’s four-game win streak. Sidney Crosby scored the game-winner and collected two assists while Kris Letang picked up three assists for the 19-14-4 Penguins (42 points), who sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and two assists while Brad Marchand tallied twice for the Bruins (23-8-6) as they dropped to second place in the overall standings with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced forward Matt Nieto will be sidelined for six to eight weeks following knee surgery. Meanwhile, Jesse Puljujarvi signed a professional tryout offer with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Two unanswered third-period goals by Jacob Trouba and Jimmy Vesey gave the New York Rangers a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist while Vincent Trocheck chipped in three assists for the Rangers (26-10-1) as they took over first place in the overall standings with 53 points. Colin Blackwell scored for the injury-ravaged Blackhawks as they slipped to 11-25-2.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars 5-4. MacKinnon scored twice and picked up an assist while Jonathan Drouin also netted two goals for the 25-11-3 Avalanche, who’ve won four straight and moved into first place in the Western Conference with 53 points. Tyler Seguin potted two goals for the Stars (22-10-5) as they sit in third place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tearing up the league right now. With 21 points in his last nine games, the Avs center is tied with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league’s scoring lead with 64 points.

Speaking of Nikita Kucherov, he picked up an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1. Darren Raddysh scored twice for the Lightning (19-16-5) as they moved ahead of the New Jersey Devils into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 43 points. Zach Bogosian scored for the 16-17-4 Wild.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves to backstop his club to a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their 10th straight loss. Morgan Barron and Gabriel Vilardi scored for the Jets (24-9-4), winning four straight and sitting second in the Western Conference with 52 points. Alexander Barabanov scored for the 9-27-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Sharks announced defenseman Matt Benning is out for the rest of the season following hip surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Florida Panthers picked up their sixth straight win by downing the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1, handing the Stanley Cup champions their sixth loss in their last seven games. Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe each had a goal and an assist for the 24-12-2 Panthers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division with 50 points. Logan Thompson made 32 saves for the Golden Knights (22-12-5), who sit second in the Pacific Division with 49 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov caught an inadvertent elbow in the head from Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez and left the game in the first period. Barkov’s teammate Evan Rodrigues also left the game following the first period with a lower-body injury.

Before this game, the Golden Knights claimed defenseman Tobias Bjornfot off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

A shootout goal by Johnny Gaudreau lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. The Blue Jackets (13-19-8) overcame a 2-0 deficit on third-period goals by Damon Severson and Jake Bean while Daniil Tarasov stopped 39 shots. Travis Konecny scored both goals for the 19-13-6 Flyers, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers forwards Cam Atkinson and Morgan Frost were healthy scratches from this contest. It’s the 11th time Frost has been scratched, which could fuel speculation over his future in Philadelphia.

The Calgary Flames scored four first-period goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Rasmus Andersson, Blake Coleman, Yegor Sharangovich and Conor Zary each had a goal and an assist for the 17-16-5 Flames. Goalie Juuse Saros got the hook following the second period after giving up five goals on 20 shots as his Predators (21-17-1) sit in the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Dennis Gilbert suffered an upper-body injury late in the game following a slew-foot by Predators forward Philip Tomasino. Earlier in the day, they assigned defenseman Oliver Kylington to their AHL affiliate on a conditioning stint as he prepares to return to action after missing all of last season and the first half of this one dealing with mental health issues.

Seattle Kraken netminder Joey Daccord turned aside 32 shots as his club downed the Ottawa Senators 4-1. Jordan Eberle and Vince Dunn each had two points as the 16-14-9 Kraken picked up their sixth straight win and extended their points streak to a franchise record 10 games. They also moved into the final Western wild-card spot with 41 points. Parker Kelly scored for the 14-20-0 Senators, who’ve dropped seven of their last 10 games.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Thomas also picked up an assist for the 19-17-1 Blues. Conor Garland scored for the Canucks (24-11-3) as they sit third overall in the Western Conference with 51 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues recalled forward Jakub Vrana, placed defenseman Justin Faulk (lower body) on injured reserve and sent forward Nikita Alexandrov to their AHL affiliate in Springfield on a conditioning stint.

Three unanswered third-period goals powered the New York Islanders over the Arizona Coyotes by a score of 5-1. Bo Horvat scored twice, Mathew Barzal collected two assists and Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves for the Islanders (18-10-10) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division. Nick Schmaltz scored for the 19-16-2 Coyotes as they slipped out of a Western wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Islanders indicated goalie Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They called up netminder Ken Appleby from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Detroit Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri tallied two goals while Patrick Kane scored the winner in a shootout in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Wings improved to 19-16-4 on the season. Adrian Kempe had two goals for the Kings (20-9-6) as they sit third in the Pacific Division.

The Buffalo Sabres crushed the Montreal Canadiens 6-1. Jeff Skinner had a goal and three assists, Tage Thompson scored twice and Devon Levi made 32 saves for the 16-19-4 Sabres. Joel Armia had the only goal for the 16-17-5 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Canadiens announced center Christian Dvorak is done for the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released the names of 32 players (one from each club) selected to participate in the 2024 All-Star Game on Feb. 3 in Toronto.

Among the Eastern Conference notables are Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

Western Conference stars include Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Chicago Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard, who will be the youngest player in NHL history to play for an NHL All-Star team.

Fans can vote through Jan. 11 to select the remaining 12 players.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin was not among the 32 players selected for the All-Star Game because his wife was expecting their second child then. He asks Rangers fans to vote for one of his teammates instead.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2023

by | Nov 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 20, 2023

William Nylander extends his points streak as the Leafs win again in Sweden, tough times for the Blue Jackets and Wild, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander extended his season-opening points streak to 17 games with the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. Nylander and Auston Matthews each had a goal and an assist while Morgan Rielly had a goal and two assists for the 10-5-2 Maple Leafs. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist for the Wild as they slid to 5-8-4 on the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nylander remains the Leafs’ best player this season, leading them with 27 points and sitting among the league’s scoring leaders.

The Wild, meanwhile, have been struggling this season, prompting general manager Bill Guerin to express his unhappiness over the club’s performance during a team meeting with players and coaches.

Guerin recently attempted to bolster his blueline by shipping Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks and adding Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Handcuffed by over $14 million in dead cap space due to buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter two years ago, there’s little the Wild GM can do to help his cap-strapped club.

The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2, handing the latter their ninth straight loss. Ryan Poehling had a goal and two assists for the Flyers (10-7-1) as they extended their win streak to five games. Blues Jackets winger Patrik Laine was a healthy scratch as his club fell to 4-11-4. Jackets defenseman Damon Severson left this game during the second period with an upper-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets have tied their franchise record for the longest losing streak in a season. The Athletic’s Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline wondered who’ll take the fall for this club’s poor performance. He doesn’t see head coach Pascal Vincent getting the axe less than two months after being hired. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been criticized by Jackets fans but he still has the support of team president John Davidson.

The Flyers, meanwhile, placed goaltender Felix Sandstrom on waivers after taking him off injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic returned to the lineup with a 38-save performance to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0. Ryan Graves, Noel Acciari and Evgeni Malkin scored as the Penguins improved to 9-8-0. Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill stopped 30 shots as his team remains on top of the Western Conference with a record of 13-4-2 (28 points).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jeff Carter returned to the Penguins’ lineup as Vinnie Hinostroza is sidelined by a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights activated Nicolas Hague off injured reserve for this game.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped a three-game losing skid by nipping the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2. Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists for the 8-9-1 Sabres. Philipp Kurashev has a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks as they fell to 5-11-0.

St. Louis Blues netminder Joel Hofer had a 30-save performance in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, handing the latter their third straight loss. Pavel Buchnevich scored what proved to be the game-winner as the Blues moved to 9-7-1. John Gibson stopped 28 shots and Mason McTavish scored for the 9-9-0 Ducks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE BOSTON GLOBE: Bruins winger Milan Lucic will appear in a Boston court on Monday to face a charge of assault and battery on a family member. Lucic was arrested on Saturday morning following a domestic incident and is on an indefinite leave of absence from the Bruins.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is listed as day-to-day with a knee injury and will miss Monday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.