NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2021

by | Nov 19, 2021

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2021

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Connor McDavid and Troy Terry extend their points streak, Jacob Markstrom collects another shutout, the Panthers remain undefeated at home, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid tallied another highlight-reel goal to extend his season-opening points streak to 16 games in a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. McDavid and Kyle Turris also scored in the shootout while Stuart Skinner made 46 saves for the win. Nikolaj Ehlers scored in regulation for the Jets.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid’s goal was almost a carbon copy of the one he recently tallied against the New York Rangers, stickhandling his way through three defenders with his blazing speed to beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. With 30 points, McDavid sits three behind teammate Leon Draisaitl for first place in the NHL scoring race.

Troy Terry also extended his points streak with a goal but his Anaheim Ducks had their eight-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Seth Jarvis snapped a 1-1 tie in the third period while Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen stopped 31 shots.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom collected his league-leading fifth shutout of the season to douse the Buffalo Sabres 5-0. Johnny Gaudreau and Andrew Mangiapane each tallied twice for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL’s modern-day single-season shutout record is 15 held by the late Tony Esposito in 1969-70. Markstrom is already a third of the way toward reaching that record.

The Florida Panthers extended their season-opening home winning streak to 9-0-0 by dropping the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Spencer Knight kicked out 45 shots while Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair each had a goal and an assist. Panthers center Joe Thornton returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an undisclosed injury. The Panthers (27 points) hold a one-point lead over the Hurricanes atop the NHL’s overall standings.

Shootout goals by Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Lightning extended their points streak to nine games (7-0-2). Stamkos also had a goal and an assist in regulation play while Claude Giroux tallied twice for the Flyers. Earlier in the day, the Flyers announced defenseman Ryan Ellis will be sidelined four-to-six weeks dealing with a lingering lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had his first four-point NHL game (one goal, three assists) as his club trounced the Dallas Stars 7-2. Mats Zuccarello, Victor Rask and Alex Goligoski each had a goal and two assists for the Wild.

Morgan Rielly scored twice and Jack Campbell made 27 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the New York Rangers 2-1. The Leafs have won five straight games and snapped the Rangers’ win streak at four.

A two-goal performance by Brandon Saad carried the St. Louis Blues to their first victory in five games with a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Blues goalie Ville Husso got his second win in as many starts with a 27-save performance.

The Vegas Golden Knights got two goals from defenseman Zach Whitecloud in his return to the lineup from a broken hand to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2. Golden Knights blueliner Shea Theodore was scratched from this contest with an undisclosed injury. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin returned to the lineup after missing half of his previous game to a false positive COVID test. Teammate Moritz Seider left the game in the third period after taking a puck off his right knee.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner netted two goals to lead his team over the Arizona Coyotes 5-4. Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood made 42 saves. Earlier in the day, Coyotes defenseman Conor Timmins underwent successful knee surgery. He’ll be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 as Tristan Jarry made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season. Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the season while Teddy Blueger tallied twice and set up another. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens recalled winger Cole Caufield after his six-game stint with their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens have just one win in their last 10 games. They’ve now reached the point where their “slow start” to the season can now be called a poor start, with no end to their misery in sight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CANUCKS ARMY: The Vancouver Canucks placed Justin Bailey on waivers.

TSN: Winger Troy Brouwer announced his retirement after 14 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He scored 181 goals and 363 points in 851 regular-season games and 16 goals and 35 points in 106 playoff contests, winning a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010. His last season was with the Blues in 2019-20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Brouwer and his family in their future endeavors.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2020

by | Mar 11, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 11, 2020

The Bruins become the first team to reach 100 points this season,  Mika Zibanejad and Filip Forsberg set franchise records with their respective clubs and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask kicked out 36 shots to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0, snapping the latter’s nine-game winning streak. Matt Grzelcyk and Patrice Bergeron were the goal scorers as the league-leading Bruins became the first team to reach 100 points this season. The Flyers played without defenseman Philippe Myers, who’s sidelined at least four weeks with a fractured patella in his right knee.

Mika Zibanejad is the fastest player to score 40 goals in New York Rangers history (Photo via NHL Images).

Mika Zibanejad became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in New York Rangers history in a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Rookie Kaapo Kakko scored twice for the Rangers (78 points), who sit three points out of an Eastern wild-card berth. The slumping Stars (82 points) sit third in the Central Division, but they’re winless in their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Considering how many great scorers the Rangers have had in their long history, that’s quite an achievement by Zibanejad.

The Nashville Predators (78 points) moved into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference by doubling up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. Filip Forsberg scored twice, becoming the first player in Predators’ history to register six 20-goal seasons. Earlier in the day, the Canadiens announced leading scorer Tomas Tatar is sidelined indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

Auston Matthews’ 47th goal of the season was also the game-winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1. Teammate Mitch Marner collected two assists as the Leafs (81 points) opened a three-point lead over the Florida Panthers for third place in the Atlantic Division. Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly returned to action for the first time after suffering a broken foot nearly two months ago. The Lightning are eight points behind the Bruins.

Evgeni Malkin scored twice and picked up an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins over the New Jersey Devils 5-2. With 86 points, the Penguins sit third in the Metropolitan Division. Earlier in the day, the Penguins announced center Nick Bjugstad is considered week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian tallied twice and added an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek made 23 saves in his first game since being sidelined by a concussion in late February. With 81 points, the Canes move into the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The Wings, meanwhile, have the dubious honor of clinching last place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The silver lining for the Wings is they have the best odds of winning the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery.

The struggling New York Islanders winless skid reached seven games as they fell 5-4 in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks. Brock Nelson scored twice for the Isles while Thatcher Demko made 45 saves for the Canucks (78 points), who moved back into the second Western wild-card berth, The Isles (80 points) sit one point out of an Eastern wild-card spot.

A natural hat trick by Nicolas Deslauriers carried the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon’s status remains uncertain after suffering a lower-body injury during Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar is expected to provide an update later today. Meanwhile, the Avs announced former Colorado Rockies stars and MLB Hall-of-Famer Larry Walker will be their honorary emergency backup goalie during Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

STLTODAY.COM: The Blues placing Troy Brouwer on waivers has raised speculation sidelined winger Vladimir Tarasenko could be nearing a return from shoulder surgery.

CALGARY SUN: Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic could return to action against the Islanders on Thursday.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets assigned Mark Letestu to their AHL affiliate for a conditioning stint. A diagnosis of myocarditis sidelined him for all but seven games this season.

THE SCORE: The Columbus Blue Jackets will continue to allow fans at their home games despite the Ohio governor’s recommendation that indoor sports events be held without spectators over coronavirus concerns. The team has recommended those fans at higher risk, including the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, should avoid these events.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2020

by | Jan 31, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 31, 2020

Game recaps, Predators GM David Poile reaches a historic milestone, Tomas Hertl out of the season, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Shootout goals by Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene gave the Nashville Predators a 6-5 win over the New Jersey Devils. Forsberg also scored twice in regulation, while Devils forward Pavel Zacha scored two goals and collected an assist. The Predators (55 points) are two points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The win was the 1,507th of Predators GM David Poile’s career, moving him past Glen Sather into first place for most victories for an NHL general manager.

Filip Forsberg scored twice as the Nashville Predators downed the New Jersey Devils 6-5 (Photo via NHL Images)

Al Iafallo’s hat trick lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 overtime victory over the slumping Arizona Coyotes, who’ve won three of their last 10 games. The Coyotes (58 points) cling to the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson left the game in the second period following a knee-on-knee collision with Kings forward Dustin Brown.

The Montreal Canadiens kept their fading playoff hopes alive by downing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1. Winger Brendan Gallagher marked his return to the roster following a six-game absence by tallying the game-winning goal. Sabres captain Jack Eichel netted his 30th of the season. The Habs sit eight points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Coyotes, they acknowledged reports of employing illegal tactics recruiting tactics but declined to comment on any potential investigation. Some CHL teams accused the club of putting draft-eligible players through physical testing, which isn’t allowed before the annual NHL combine in June. They could face fines of $250K or more.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Bad news for the struggling San Jose Sharks, as winger Tomas Hertl is out for the season after suffering torn knee ligaments during Wednesday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the Sharks sinking toward the bottom of the Western standings, Hertl’s injury could be the final nail in the coffin for this season.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: The Bruins announced winger David Backes won’t be reporting to the AHL affiliate in Providence after recently clearing waivers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It appears Backes simply won’t be playing for a while as the Bruins consider their options. He won’t be suspended, he’s not retiring, and his contract won’t be terminated. I’ll have more on his situation in the rumors section.

CBS SPORTS: The St. Louis Blues recalled forward Troy Brouwer.

VANCOUVER SUN: Canucks winger Tyler Motte (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed Kris Russell and Joakim Nygard on injured reserve.

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2020

by | Jan 28, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 28, 2020

Milestone nights for Patrick Marleau and Rasmus Sandin, injury updates and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Patrick Marleau scored two goals as the San Jose Sharks doubled up the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Marleau passed Guy Lafleur and moved into a tie with Mike Modano for 25th on the all-time goals list with 561. While Marleau has 1,185 career points, he also became the first player to reach 1,100 points as a member of the Sharks. He’s their franchise leader with 1,101.

Patrick Marleau sits 25th on the NHL’s all-time goal list (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marleau is one of just two active players (Washington’s Alex Ovechkin being the other) sitting among the NHL’s top-50 all-time goal scorers. That’s a testament to his consistency and durability over his long career. 

Toronto Maple Leafs rookie defenseman Rasmus Sandin tallied his first career NHL goal in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. He also collected an assist while teammates William Nylander and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist. It was a costly victory as winger Kasperi Kapanen left the game with an injured arm. X-rays were negative and he’ll be reevaluated today.

The Washington Capitals rode a 31-save performance by Braden Holtby to a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Jakub Vrana and Tom Wilson each had a goal and an assist. The Capitals played without captain Alex Ovechkin, who served a one-game suspension for skipping the 2020 NHL All-Star Game. Canadiens forward Dale Weise played his 500th career NHL game.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn scored twice, including the winner in overtime, as his club edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos also tallied two goals as teammate Andrei Vasilevskiy’s winning streak ended at 10 games. Stars forward Roope Hintz left the game with an upper-body injury and Andrew Cogliano was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

The Vancouver Canucks picked up their ninth straight home win by downing the St. Louis Blues 3-1. J.T. Miller scored two goals and Chris Tanev collected two assists as the Canucks opened a three-point lead atop the Pacific Division.

Shootout goals by Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes carried the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa goaltender Marcus Hogberg kicked out 50 shots to carry his club into the shootout frame.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2020

by | Jan 27, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 27, 2020

The NHL community mourns the death of former NBA star Kobe Bryant, plus the latest on Jeff Skinner, Anthony Duclair and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

THE SCORE: The NHL community took to social media yesterday mourning the death of former NBA star Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash in California. Wayne Gretzky, Alex Ovechkin, Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Brodeur, P.K. Subban, and Mitch Marner were among those expressing their condolences to Bryant’s family on Twitter yesterday.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is among a number of people in the NHL community mourning the sudden death of former NBA star Kobe Bryant (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sympathies to Bryant’s family, friends, and former teammates.

Marner and Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Frederik Andersen voiced their support for the establishment of a viable professional women’s hockey league. “A lot of those players are great players, and to see them not in a league right now is disappointing,” Marner said. “I really hope they get a league back up and running.”

Ottawa Senators winger and All-Star representative Anthony Duclair hopes to stay in Ottawa and help the rebuilding club. “When the change is gonna happen, when Ottawa’s gonna become a contender, I want to be part of that,” Duclair added. “So I’m working as hard as I can.” Duclair is a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights, but there have been no contract talks thus far with Senators management.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair rejuvenated his sagging NHL career with the Senators. General manager Pierre Dorion’s focus is on his unrestricted free agents, like center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. I daresay contract talks with Duclair will commence at some point following the end of the regular season. Given how well he’s played since coming to Ottawa last season, I expect they’ll try to keep him.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner returned to practice yesterday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury on Dec. 27. He could be in the lineup when the Sabres face the Senators on Tuesday.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will return to action tonight after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. Winger Sammy Blais (wrist injury) could also be back. The Blues also placed winger Troy Brouwer on waivers yesterday.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks recalled forward Troy Terry from his AHL conditioning stint.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have loaned forward Lias Andersson to Swedish club HV71. Andersson had left the Rangers’ AHL affiliate last month and requested a trade, but there appears to be a thaw in the relationship between the 21-year-old forward and Rangers’ management.