NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

by | Jun 20, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 20, 2025

Connor McDavid talks about his future with the Oilers, the Stars re-sign Matt Duchene and trade Mason Marchment to the Kraken, the Senators re-sign Fabian Zetterlund, and more in the NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

MCDAVID DISCUSSES HIS FUTURE IN EDMONTON

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski reports Oilers captain Connor McDavid left just a little doubt over whether he’ll remain in Edmonton after next season. The 28-year-old superstar center has a year left on his contract and will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

McDavid talked about the hard work the organization has done to build toward being a Stanley Cup contender. He indicated that he would take some time to regroup, talk to his agent and family, adding there was no rush to sign a contract extension on July 1.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

However, McDavid made a remark that left just enough room for doubt.

“With that being said, ultimately, I still need to do what’s best for me and my family. That’s how you have to take care of, first. But of course there is unfinished business here.”

McDavid was asked what would influence his decision.

“Winning would be at the top of the list, it’s the most important thing. If I feel there is a good window to win here, then signing is no problem.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton pundits, including Tychowski and Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, believe the odds favor the Oilers re-signing McDavid. They felt his comments were meant as a direct message to management that he’ll be closely watching their roster decisions over the next two weeks.

Nevertheless, a few observers around the league speculated about the possibility of McDavid becoming available in the trade market or via free agency next summer.

If McDavid becomes a trade candidate, several factors will determine potential destinations.

An interested team needs sufficient trade capital on its roster, which could include its most promising young player and a top-six veteran forward. They must be prepared to part with at least one first-round pick and at least one top prospect. Finally, and most importantly, they need sufficient cap space to sign McDavid to a long-term extension and still be able to ice a contending roster.

It would be cheaper to wait for free agency, but it could still cost up to 20 percent of a team’s cap payroll for 2026-27 to sign McDavid. If the cap reached $104 million as projected, the maximum contract is $20.8 million.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports McDavid and Leon Draisaitl voiced their full support of Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old defenseman faced criticism from Oilers followers regarding his defensive play, but McDavid and Draisaitl defended Bouchard’s play and consider him to be an important part of their roster.

Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1. He said he loves playing for the Oilers and believes they’re close to becoming a champion. Matheson speculates Bouchard could get an average annual value in the $10 million range on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard’s critics will be apoplectic if the Oilers re-sign him for that much. However, the puck-moving defenseman’s contract situation is likely one of the factors that McDavid will be watching. Re-signing Bouchard could help to ensure that the Oilers captain remains in Edmonton beyond next season.

McDavid revealed that teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins suffered a broken hand in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final but still played the rest of the series.

TSN: Corey Perry said he’d love to return with the Oilers next season. The 40-year-old winger played a key role in their march to the Stanley Cup Final this season. He’s coming off a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

STARS RE-SIGN DUCHENE, TRADE MARCHMENT TO THE KRAKEN

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars signed Matt Duchene to a four-year, $18-million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4.5 million. He also has a full no-movement clause for the first two years of the deal.

The Stars traded forward Mason Marchment to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A cost-cutting trade was inevitable after signing Duchene. Shipping Marchment to Seattle freed up $4.5 million, giving the Stars just under $5 million in cap space for 2025-26 with 16 active roster players under contract.

Duchene, 34, had a solid regular-season performance in 2024-25 with 30 goals and 82 points, but he managed only six points in 18 playoff games. The cap hit is reasonable, but given his age, this deal seems about a year too long.

The Seattle Times’ Kate Shefte believes the Kraken got Marchment at a bargain. The 30-year-old winger is a big, physical, energetic forward with a decent scoring touch, coming off back-to-back 22-goal seasons.

Kraken GM Jason Botterill cited Marchment’s combination of size, skill, and netfront presence. He should be a welcome addition to the Kraken, but he’s also UFA-eligible next summer. Botterill could attempt to re-sign the big winger this summer or wait to see how this season pans out.

TSN: The Ottawa Senators signed forward Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year, $12.825-million contract extension with an AAV of $4.275 million. He was slated to become an RFA on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators acquired Zetterlund from the San Jose Sharks before the March trade deadline. He had a career-best 24 goals and 44 points with the Sharks in 2023-24, and finished with 19 goals and 40 points in 2024-25. The 25-year-old is slated to play at right wing on the Senators’ second line.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Washington Capitals have granted defenseman Ethan Bear permission to speak with other teams. He appeared in 24 games with the Capitals this season and will become a UFA on July 1.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers are reportedly adding Todd Reirden to their coaching staff. He was an associate coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023-24.










NHL Rumor Mill – June 18, 2025

by | Jun 18, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – June 18, 2025

What’s next for the Oilers after another Stanley Cup Final defeat? Has Aaron Ekblad played his final game for the Panthers? What’s the latest on Mitch Marner? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE OILERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Daniel Nugent-Bowman looks ahead at the Edmonton Oilers’ offseason after losing in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year.

Team captain Connor McDavid has a year left on his contract and is eligible to sign an extension on July 1. It’s assumed he’d re-sign since his longtime agent, Jeff Jackson, took over the Oilers’ hockey operations in 2023. Teammate and friend Leon Draisaitl’s contract extension last fall heightened those expectations, but nothing has been finalized yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers, either this summer or before his UFA eligibility next July. It’s doubtful Draisaitl would’ve re-signed if he felt McDavid wouldn’t do the same.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

Defenseman Evan Bouchard is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who will seek a substantial raise over the $3.9 million average annual value of his recent contract. The Oilers have $12 million in salary cap space next season and Bouchard could take up three-quarters of it.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some Oilers fans believe Bouchard should be traded given his defensive deficiencies. However, moving him would leave the Oilers lacking offense from the blueline. They’ll likely re-sign Bouchard for between $9 million and $10 million annually, and try to find a suitable stay-at-home defense partner for him.

The Oilers must free up cap space once Bouchard is re-signed. Nugent-Bowman noted that players who could be moved for performance or cap reasons have full no-movement protection (Adam Henrique, Viktor Arvidsson) or partial no-trade clauses (Evander Kane).

Goaltending remains a big question mark. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard each have a year left on their contracts with cheap salary cap hits. However, Nugent-Bowman wondered if management would bring them back. The pickings are slim for replacement goalies in this summer’s free-agent market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gerry Moddejonge of the Edmonton Journal also wondered about the Oilers’ goaltending, specifically Skinner. He suggested the possibility of an offseason trade exists, but Skinner’s consistency could make him a tough sell. There’s also the question of finding a suitable replacement in the trade market.

HAS AARON EKBLAD PLAYED HIS FINAL GAME WITH THE PANTHERS?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau observed the Florida Panthers have $19 million in salary cap space with Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad UFA-eligible on July 1. They also need a new backup goalie for Sergei Bobrovsky.

Proteau doubts the Panthers can afford to re-sign all three, leaving Ekblad as the odd man out. They acquired right-shot defenseman Seth Jones in March, and he’ll only cost $7 million annually against the Panthers’ cap. They also have blueliner Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov under contract next season, making Ekblad a luxury they cannot afford.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ekblad has frequently said he wants to stay with the Panthers. He might have to accept a pay cut from his current $7.5 million AAV to do so.

THE LATEST ON MITCH MARNER

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Mitch Marner could delay his signing a new contract this summer into the middle of July as he and his representatives review offers and meet with the interested teams.

The 28-year-old winger has not informed the Toronto Maple Leafs that he doesn’t intend to sign with them. They could still be part of the bidding once the UFA market opens on July 1.

Multiple teams appear set to make offers to Marner on July 1. The question remains how much he’ll earn and whether he’ll become the highest-paid player in the league. He’s coming off a six-year contract with an AAV of $10.9 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl is currently set to become the highest-paid player for 2025-26 when his contract extension begins on July 1. Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is second at $13.25 million.

It will be interesting to see how long the Marner camp takes before deciding on a suitable destination. I wouldn’t mind if he takes two or three weeks, as the speculation would help this site’s offseason traffic (hey, I gotta make a living), but I can understand why some fans would prefer he get it done and over with quickly.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at this summer’s notable potential offer sheet candidates, and which ones might be targeted by the Canucks and Mammoth.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary looked at this year’s top offer-sheet candidates.

O’Leary starts by reminding us that teams can only surrender their own draft picks as compensation, that any restricted free agent who files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline is ineligible to sign an offer sheet, and that teams have seven days to match an offer signed by their player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We must also remember that an RFA player must be willing to sign an offer from a rival club. Just because a player may be considered an offer-sheet candidate by fans and pundits doesn’t mean he’s interested in signing one.

Arbitration-eligible players sometimes file simply to avoid getting offers from rival clubs, preferring to focus on re-signing with their current team before their arbitration hearing dates.

O’Leary also put up the compensation tiers for the offseason (which you can see by following the link above).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

In the “Pipe Dream” category are winger Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. O’Leary noted that Knies last week scoffed at the notion of signing an offer sheet. Meanwhile, Bouchard is likely reluctant to leave a contender while less than half the league has adequate draft picks to offer the Oilers the second-highest compensation level (two first-rounders, a second and a third).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team would have to offer up a salary between $9.36 million and $11.7 million to Bouchard to tempt him, which is the second-highest salary tier. I’ve speculated that it’ll cost the Oilers around $10 million annually to sign him. It’s worth noting that Bouchard is eligible for arbitration.

O’Leary has Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka among his “Long shots who might be worth a try”. Others include Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal or center Mason McTavish, and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming those players aren’t re-signed before July 1. Vilardi, Dostal and Dobson are arbitraiton-eligible.

One significant factor is that all those teams have plenty of salary-cap space to match an offer sheet. Unless the goal is forcing a team to spend more than they intended to re-sign the player, it’s a waste of time going that route.

As one NHL general manager pointed out (see below), it can backfire on the team making the offer, putting them in a vulnerable position for a future retaliatory offer sheet to one of their RFAs when they have limited cap space.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild and Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers fall under O’Leary’s “Cheap-value targets”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re the most likely on O’Leary’s list to receive offer sheets this summer. Both are coming off entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They would also be more affordable, falling within the third-tier compensation level (a first and a second-round pick) if they receive offers between $4.68 million and $7.020 million.

The Wild have over $16 million in cap space. They can afford to match an offer for Rossi, but there have been questions about his role and his future in Minnesota. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap room beyond next season to re-sign superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. Rossi could be traded before July 1.

Cap space is a bigger issue for the Rangers, with $8.42 million available with 19 active roster players under contract. They could move a high-priced veteran this summer to free up room to re-sign Cuylle and perhaps add a player via trade or free agency.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal looked at possible offer-sheet targets for the Vancouver Canucks. Among the players on their list was Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram is also arbitration-eligible. The Sabres are reportedly gauging his value in the trade market, which suggests he could be under contract with a new club before July 1.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Belle Fraser wondered if the Utah Mammoth might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

General manager Bill Armstrong seemed a bit hesitant when questioned about it last month. “People have to realize that when you put an offer sheet in, it has to work, it has to make sense”, said Armstrong. “It just can’t aggravate the other team because they’re going to come after you at some point in time and run up your salaries.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If you’re going to sign a player to an offer sheet, you must be sure that you will be successful, as the St. Louis Blues were last summer by signing away Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers.

Otherwise, you get a situation as in 2019, when the Carolina Hurricanes matched an offer from the Montreal Canadiens for Sebastian Aho. Two years later, the Hurricanes successfully signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens.

I expect Armstrong will make a significant addition to his roster this summer, but it’ll be through a trade or by signing an unrestricted free agent.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 16, 2025

by | May 16, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 16, 2025

How likely is it that Evan Bouchard and Matthew Knies get offer sheets? Who are three possible offer-sheet targets for the Devils? What’s the latest Flyers speculation? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DON’T EXPECT OFFER SHEETS FOR BOUCHARD AND KNIES

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau explains why few high-end restricted free agents, like Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard and Toronto’s Matthew Knies, receive offer sheets.

Those players are crucial to their team’s future, and opposing teams don’t often have the combinations of salary-cap space and compensatory draft picks.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

Proteau points out that a team would have to surrender two first-round picks, a second-rounder, and a third-rounder if they successfully sign Bouchard or Knies to an offer sheet with an average annual value between $9.36 million and $11.7 million.

Teams offering either player a deal between $7 million and $9.36 million annually would have to pony up a first-round pick, a second-rounder, and a third-rounder.

Proteau contrasted those with what it cost the St. Louis Blues to sign away Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the Oilers last August. The Blues gave up a second-rounder as compensation for Broberg and a third-rounder for Holloway.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues wouldn’t have gotten Broberg or Holloway if they’d offered a second or a third-rounder in a trade pitch. It was an affordable move by St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong to sign up two promising young players with bright futures with their new club.

Those are the type of offer-sheet signings we’re more likely to see. Teams will zero in on cap-strapped clubs with promising talent that they can sign to cost-effective contracts without giving up much in compensation.

We can’t fully dismiss the possibility of Bouchard or Knies signing an offer sheet. It’s just hard to see which team would have the necessary cap space and the appropriate number of their own draft picks to make it happen.

THREE PROPOSED OFFER-SHEET TARGETS FOR THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols proposed three bold offer-sheet targets for the Devils if they want to build up their roster aggressively this summer.

Nichols suggests forward JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres, Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild, and Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres, Wild and Ducks all possess sufficient cap space to match any offer sheet for those players.

Doing so could still create a salary-cap headache for the Sabres and Wild, but they could work around it with a cost-cutting trade.

Meanwhile, the Ducks have over $38 million in projected cap space. Even if they don’t spend to the cap, they have plenty to match an offer for McTavish and still have enough to re-sign or add key players.

LATEST ON THE FLYERS

THE ATHLETIC: Earlier this week, Kevin Kurz was asked which player he thinks the Flyers might pursue if they were offered up their first-round pick (sixth overall) in this year’s draft. He rules out Anaheim’s Mason McTavish as he’s crucial for the Ducks’ playoff hopes next season. Kurz suggested Seattle’s Matty Beniers, Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston, or San Jose’s Will Smith.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They would all be worthwhile targets if the Flyers were willing to dangle their first-rounder. However, it’s unlikely any of them would be available.

Kurz was also asked which Flyers winger might become trade bait if management goes shopping for a center this summer. He suggested Bobby Brink, whose stock should be rising after his 41-point performance this season.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

by | May 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

Check out the most recent Canadiens and Oilers speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey looked at ways the Canadiens can address their need for a second-line center during the offseason.

He suggested finding a 30-something center who can hold the fort for a few years until promising players like Owen, Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. That list included pending unrestricted free agents like Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, or John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three would be ideal, and all three aren’t likely to suit up for the Canadiens next summer. They’ll be expensive and likely prefer signing with Cup contenders at this stage of their long careers.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

Hickey suggested Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers as an ideal option if Canadiens management isn’t sold on those young centers as long-term solutions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will probably re-sign Bennett, who’ll be more affordable to retain than Sam Reinhart was last summer. He would be the perfect choice to center the Canadiens’ second line, but they’ll face stiff competition from other clubs for his services.

If the Canadiens wish to go the offer-sheet route, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks would be a suitable target. The 22-year-old center has good size, wins faceoffs, and might relish an opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hickey’s not the only pundit or blogger to muse about McTavish’s availability. I recall one speculating that he could become expendable if the Ducks decide to move Cutter Gauthier to center their second line. That’s probably wishful thinking, but he would be worth pursuing if available.

Like Bennett, McTavish would draw interest from a lot of teams. The Ducks also have the cap space to match any offer, so a trade might be the only way to get him.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins generally agrees with the criticism of the defensive play of Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old reargaurd will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

However, Leavins also pointed out that Bouchard has proven he’s a big enough player with a long enough reach to defend capably in the playoffs. He’s also an elite point getter and they don’t grow on trees.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks scoff when I’ve suggested Bouchard could get over $10 million annually on a long-term deal from the Oilers. His timely offense, especially in the playoffs, ensures he’ll get a substantial raise on his next contract.

Bouchard’s an invaluable part of the Oilers’ core. They’ll be fortunate if his camp accepts less than $10 million annually.

Leavins also weighed in on Oilers fans who howled for the club to acquire a true starting goaltender at the trade deadline. He believes the offseason was always going to be the better time to find one of those.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pickings were slim for goalies before the trade deadline and they’re not much better this summer. Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils is the best of the bunch in the UFA market, followed by Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators, Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames and David Rittich of the Los Angeles Kings. They’re solid backups, but none of them are reliable starters.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 28, 2025

by | Apr 28, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 28, 2025

The Penguins part ways with head coach Mike Sullivan, Oilers and Blues tied their playoff series while the Capitals and Hurricanes took stranglehold leads in their respective postseason rounds. Check out the recaps and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

**BREAKING NEWS**

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas announced this morning that the club and head coach Mike Sullivan have agreed to part ways. Sullivan took over as head coach in December 2015. He guided them to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sullivan had a year remaining on his contract and had intended to honor it. It’ll be interesting to learn what brought about this development and where Sullivan’s next coaching job will be. It’s rumored the New York Rangers could be interested if he became available. 

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl scored his first NHL playoff overtime goal as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in Game 4 of their opening-round series, tying it at two games apiece.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard (NHL Images).

The Kings opened a 2-0 lead on goals by Trevor Moore and Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala made it 3-1 after Corey Perry got Edmonton on the board. Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard scored two unanswered third-period goals to set the stage for Draisaitl’s OT winner. Calvin Pickard made 38 saves for the Oilers while Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 44 shots.

Game 5 of this best-of-seven series is Tuesday, Apr. 29, at 10 pm ET in Los Angeles.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bouchard has been clutch for the Oilers in this series. The puck-moving blueliner had three assists in Game 1 as the Oilers’ rally fell short in a 6-5 loss. He also scored twice (including the winning goal) in Game 3.

The St. Louis Blues scored three unanswered second-period goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of their first-round series, tying it at two games apiece.

Jake Neighbours led the way with a goal and two assists and goaltender Jordan Binnington kicked out 30 shots for the Blues. Kyle Connor scored for the Jets, who replaced Connor Hellebuyck with Eric Comrie early in the third period after Hellebuyck gave up five goals on 18 shots.

Game 5 of this series returns to Winnipeg on Wednesday, Apr. 30, at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is the second straight game Hellebuyck gave up five goals. Jets followers are worried that the two-time Vezina Trophy winner could suffer another meltdown like last year against the Colorado Avalanche and in 2023 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Blues are getting plenty of production from their defensemen in this series. Cam Fowler picked up an assist in Game 5 for his team-leading eighth point. Colton Parayko had two assists and Justin Faulk scored, giving them three points each in four games.

Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker left this game after injuring his right leg (knee?) in the second period. There was no immediate postgame update, but he could miss the remainder of this series.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored his second NHL playoff hat trick to lead his club over the New Jersey Devils 5-2 in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns also scored for the Hurricanes, who took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier replied for the Devils.

The Hurricanes can wrap this up in Game 4 on home ice in Raleigh on Tuesday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Svechnikov is the only player in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history to score hat tricks in the postseason.

Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen left this game in the second period with an undisclosed injury following a collision with Meier. He was replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov, who stopped 14 of 15 shots. Andersen will be evaluated on Monday and an update on his status should soon follow.

The Washington Capitals scored four unanswered third-period goals (two of them empty-netters) for a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of their series.

Andrew Mangiapane snapped a 2-2 tie for Washington with 3:37 remaining in the third period. Forward Brandon Duhaime tallied twice for the Capitals. Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield scored on the power play for the Canadiens while rookies Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov each collected two assists.

The series returns to Washington for Game 5 with the Capitals holding a 3-1 lead. They can wrap it up on Wednesday starting at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals forward Tom Wilson’s physical play made the difference in this contest. His thunderous (but clean) bodycheck on Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier in the third period resulted in a turnover that led to Duhaime’s tying goal. It also knocked Carrier out of the game with an undisclosed injury, leaving the Canadiens without their best all-around defenseman at a critical juncture in the game.

Capitals starting goaltender Logan Thompson returned to action in this contest after an injury forced him to leave Game 3 in the third period. Canadiens starter Sam Montembeault remained sidelined by a lower-body injury suffered in Game 3 and is considered day-to-day. Jakub Dobes took his place in Game 4, stopping 21 shots.

One bright spot for the Canadiens was the performance of their top power-play unit of Slafkovsky, Hutson, Demidov, Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Those young guns continue to give their fans a tantalizing glimpse at a promising future for this club.