NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

by | Nov 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 3, 2024

The Panthers sweep the Stars in the 2024 Global Series, more multipoint performances for Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar keep their point streaks alive, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by A.J. Greer and Sam Reinhart lifted the Florida Panthers over the Dallas Stars 4-2 to sweep their two-game NHL 2024 Global Series in Tampere, Finland. Reinhart finished with two points and Spencer Knight made 23 saves as the Panthers picked up their fifth straight win. Evgenii Dadonov and Matt Duchene replied for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars forward Tyler Seguin missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had his third straight multipoint game with a goal and two assists in a 7-2 thrashing of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dylan Strome also had a goal and two assists while Connor McMichael tallied twice for the Capitals, who moved into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 16 points (8-2-0). Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc scored for the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin now has 859 career regular-season goals and needs 36 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. The Capitals announced before this game that defenseman Jakob Chychrun (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals for the second straight game to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Alex Nedeljkovic got the win with 25 saves. Christian Dvorak scored the only goal for the Canadiens, who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby needs three more goals to reach the 600-goal plateau. Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky left the game late in the third period after being elbowed in the head by Penguins forward Noel Acciari. There was no immediate update regarding Slafkovsky’s injury.

The Canadiens’ charter flight home was grounded when a tanker truck collided with the wing of the aircraft as it sat on the tarmac. The accident took place during the game and no injuries were reported.

The Nashville Predators got a goal and an assist each from Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi and Gustav Nyquist as they downed the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar also each had a goal and an assist, extending their season-opening point streaks to 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche have lost three straight despite the efforts of MacKinnon and Makar. Goaltending remains their Achilles’ heel, giving up a league-leading 4.25 goals-against per game.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jordan Binnington kicked out 35 shots for the Blues. Mitch Marner and Steven Lorentz scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was the first for Leafs coach Craig Berube against his former club in St. Louis. The Blues honored him with a video tribute while the fans gave him a standing ovation. Blues defenseman Philip Broberg left the game in the second period after injuring his right leg following a collision with Marner. There was no postgame update regarding his condition.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 20 saves to shut out the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0. Matthew Poitras, Justin Brazeau and Brad Marchand scored for the Bruins. Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. The club didn’t provide a postgame update.

The Ottawa Senators got a 22-save shutout performance from Anton Forsberg in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Adam Gaudette, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle tallied for the Senators. Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer turned aside 20 shots.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin scored both of his club’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, snapping a three-game losing skid. Red Wings netminder Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots. Alex Tuch scored for the Sabres as they’ve dropped three straight.

A shootout goal by Ryan Donato lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi scored the tying goal that sent the game into overtime and the shootout rounds while Hawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 37 saves in regulation and OT. Alex Laferriere scored twice for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laferriere is on track for a breakout sophomore campaign. After netting 12 goals and 23 points in 81 games last season, he has eight goals and 11 points in 12 games thus far.

The Vegas Golden Knights nipped the Utah Hockey Club 4-3 on an overtime goal by Brett Howden. Noah Hanifin had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights. Utah’s Logan Cooley had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights called up Akira Schmid to back up starter Adin Hill for this game.

Vancouver Canucks forward Pius Suter scored twice, including the game-winner with 26 seconds left in the third period, to give his team a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Jake DeBrusk scored his first of the season for the Canucks. Nico Sturm and Mikael Granlund replied for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks placed forward Nils Aman on waivers Saturday.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The Islanders got bad news on Saturday as they learned forward Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech will be sidelined for four to six weeks with upper-body injuries. Barzal was placed on long-term injury reserve while Pelech was placed on IR.

The Islanders also announced defensemen Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov are day-to-day with upper-body injuries. They called up blueliners Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey will make his season debut after recovering from a suspected shoulder injury suffered during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 24. The Rangers have returned forward Matt Rempe to their AHL affiliate in Hartford.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 27, 2024

by | Oct 27, 2024

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – October 27, 2024

Are the Bruins close to a contract extension with Brad Marchand? What’s the latest on the Canadiens? Are the Leafs any closer to moving Timothy Liljegren? Find out in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

LATEST ON MARCHAND’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE BRUINS

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman claims the Boston Bruins are closing in on a contract extension with captain Brad Marchand. The 36-year-old forward is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He carries an annual cap hit of $6.125 million on his current contract.

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Friedman said the word is the two sides were getting close to a three-year deal.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Asked about Friedman’s report, Marchand said it was false and wouldn’t make any further comment about his contract situation.

“Elliotte likes talking about me this week,” said the Bruins captain. “I’m not going to talk about contract stuff in the media. That report from Elliotte is false. If I was going to sign a three-year extension, it would be signed. Clearly, Elliotte is just wrong here.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emphatic denial from Marchand. Nevertheless, the two sides have held contract talks. Boston Hockey Now’s Andrew Fantucchio referred to comments by Bruins general manager Don Sweeney on Sept. 30 indicating they’ve had “plenty of discussions”.

Marchand has spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Bruins. He’s been very loyal to the franchise but he’s also been underpaid on his current contract. Because of his age, he’s unlikely to get a significant raise on his next deal. Still, he might not be interested in a big pay cut to stay in Boston.

The two sides might not be close to a deal right now but it wouldn’t be surprising if Marchand ends up staying in Boston on a short-term contract.

CANADIENS SHOPPING FOR A FORWARD

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman pointed out the Montreal Canadiens were in the market for a defenseman. He indicates they’re also considering adding a forward who plays with an edge. However, they’re telling teams they won’t do anything that interferes with their long-term plans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re not moving their young core players or top prospects. There is speculation suggesting defenseman Arber Xhekaj could be available but there’s no indication he’s being shopped or if the Habs are entertaining offers.

AN UPDATE ON LILJEGREN

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman said he’s been asked on social media what’s going on with Timothy Liljegren. The 25-year-old defenseman was the subject of media trade chatter earlier this month.

Friedman believes it’s something the Leafs continue to work on.

THE ATHLETIC: Harman Dayal and James Mirtle recently listed several teams they believed to be potential destinations for Liljegren. They include the Utah Hockey Club, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah and LA need some experienced depth for their injury-depleted bluelines while the rebuilding Sharks need all the help they can get. So far, however, they don’t seem interested in Liljegren.

Liljegren’s been a healthy scratch from eight of the Leafs’ nine games this season. That won’t improve his value in the trade market.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2024

by | Oct 27, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 27, 2024

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines, the Jets remain perfect, two Flyers forwards have five-point performances, and much more as we recap Saturday’s 14-game action.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets extended their season-opening win streak to eight games by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3. Cole Perfetti scored the tiebreaker late in the third period and Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the 8-0-0 Jets. Andrei Kuzmenko collected two assists for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Special teams made the difference for the Jets in this contest, tallying two power-play goals and a shorthanded goal. Perfetti’s goal came with Flames center Nazem Kadri in the penalty box. Kadri wasn’t pleased with the call and earned a game misconduct soon afterward.

Earlier in the day, it was announced that former Flames executive Bill Hay had passed away at age 88. He was the former president and CEO of the Flames and the former chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders’ category in 2015.

Before that, Hay spent eight seasons as an NHL center with the Chicago Blackhawks from 1959-60 to 1966-67, amassing 113 goals and 386 points in 506 regular-season games and 36 points in 67 playoff contests. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy and the Stanley Cup in 1960.

My condolences to Hay’s family, friends and former teammates.

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier (NHL Images).

A five-point performance from Sean Couturier (including a hat trick) powered the Philadelphia Flyers to a 7-5 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Travis Konecny had a goal and four assists and rookie Matvei Michkov had a goal and an assist as the Flyers snapped a six-game winless skid. Marcus Foligno tallied twice for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win capped a busy day for the Flyers. They placed sidelined defenseman Cam York (upper body) on injured reserve, returned prospect forward Jett Luchanko to the OHL’s Guelph Storm, and called up goaltender Alexei Kolosov, who could start his first NHL game on Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Florida Panthers erased a 3-0 deficit with six straight goals in a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. Matthew Tkachuk led the way with two goals and an assist and Mackie Samoskevich netted his first NHL goal. Maxim Tsyplakov collected two assists for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Isles were busy before this game. They placed winger Anthony Duclair (lower body) on long-term injury reserve, loaned Liam Foudy to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, signed forward Matt Martin to a one-year, $775K contract, and recalled forwards Pierre Engvall and Hudson Fasching from Bridgeport.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice and collected an assist to lead the Buffalo Sabres over the Detroit Red Wings 5-3. Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin picked up three helpers as the Sabres extended their win streak to three games. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider each had two points for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: One of Thompson’s goals was clocked at 104.69 mph, making it the fastest shot ever recorded by NHL Edge since 2021-22.

The Los Angeles Kings got two goals from defenseman Joel Edmundson (including the game-winner) in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Blueliner Brandt Clarke had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who’ve won four of their last five contests. Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley replied for Utah, which has lost three in a row.

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson had a goal and an assist in his season debut as his club thumped the San Jose Sharks 7-3. Brett Howden tallied twice and Pavel Dorofeyev had a goal and two assists for Vegas as they picked up their third straight victory. Vitek Vanecek made 35 saves for the hapless Sharks, who became the first NHL team to lose nine consecutive games to start back-to-back seasons.

An overtime goal by Brad Marchand lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marchand and David Pastrnak each finished with a goal and an assist as the Bruins ended a three-game winless skid. Mitch Marner picked up three assists and Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who are winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The Montreal Canadiens downed the St. Louis Blues 5-2. Kirby Dach had a goal and an assist, Cole Caufield sniped his seventh of the season and Sam Montembeault stopped 29 shots for the Habs as they ended a four-game winless streak (0-3-1). Colton Parayko and Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Josh Anderson left the game with a lower-body injury but is traveling with the team to Philadelphia for Sunday’s game against the Flyers.

Former Blues defenseman Marco Scandella told St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Matthew DeFranks that he has retired, though he hasn’t officially announced it. Scandella spent 14 seasons in the NHL from 2010-11 to 2023-24 with the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Canadiens and Blues. He finishes with 170 points in 784 regular season games and nine points in 56 playoff contests.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves to shut out the Washington Capitals 3-0. Mitchell Chaffee, Brayden Point and Conor Geekie were the goals scorers. It was Geekie’s first NHL goal. Charlie Lindgren turned aside 18 shots for the Capitals as their win streak ended at five games.

The New York Rangers got 32 saves from Jonathan Quick in a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Ryan Lindgren and Will Cuylle scored for the Rangers while Olen Zellweger replied for the Ducks, who got 30 stops from Lukas Dostal. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected an assist to extend his points streak to eight games as his club has won five of their last six.

Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault scored in overtime to lift his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Alexandre Carrier netted the tying goal early in the third for the Predators, who have won three straight. Kirill Marchenko, Zach Aston-Reese and Zach Werenski scored for the Blue Jackets.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2, handing the latter their fourth straight defeat. Matt Duchene scored twice for the Stars while Pat Maroon picked up two assists for the Blackhawks.

A four-goal second period carried the Vancouver Canucks over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Canucks forward Elias Pettersson got his first of the season and teammate Arshdeep Bains netted the first of his NHL career. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists for the struggling Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Penguins loaned goaltender Tristan Jarry to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a two-week conditioning stint. Jarry has struggled this season and has been relegated to third-string goalie status. His demotion to the farm team is to give him some meaningful playing time and the chance to regain his confidence.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Jared McCann sniped his fifth of the season for the Kraken. Carolina has won three in a row while the Kraken are winless in three (0-2-1).










NHL Rumor Mill – October 23, 2024

by | Oct 23, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – October 23, 2024

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, an update on the Rangers’ contract talks with Alexis Lafreniere, the latest on Tyler Johnson, the Blue Jackets’ trade plans, and the Islanders’ limited options to replace Anthony Duclair.

UPDATE ON LAFRENIERE’S CONTRACT TALKS WITH THE RANGERS

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports there have been contract discussions between the New York Rangers and winger Alexis Lafreniere.

New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere (NHL Images).

Both sides hoped to get a contract extension done before the start of the season. Discussions are ongoing but it remains to be seen if they can get a deal done before the end of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lafreniere is in the final season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.325 million. He enjoyed a breakout performance in 2023-24 with 28 goals and 57 points in 82 games and has six points in as many games to open this season.

Lafreniere is a key part of the Rangers core and their future with aging stars like Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad approaching the end of their current contracts.

It’s rumored the two sides discussed an eight-year deal worth $8 million annually. That offer could still happen depending on the cost of re-signing goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

TYLER JOHNSON WAITING ON THE BRUINS

TSN: Chris Johnston reports unrestricted free agent Tyler Johnson is patiently waiting for a contract with the Boston Bruins. The 34-year-old forward had a good training camp with the Bruins but they currently lack salary-cap space to sign him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnston suggests the Bruins could make room by placing a player on waivers or making a cost-cutting trade. He also mentioned an injury could free up some space.

LATEST ON THE BLUE JACKETS

RG.ORG: Jimmy Murphy reports Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell won’t allow injuries to several of his players to force him into making any knee-jerk reactions in the trade market.

Waddell admits he’s speaking with other teams every day. However, he said giving up an asset to fill a position for the rest of the year won’t make a huge difference for a young team like the Blue Jackets. However, it would be a different story if it’s a young player who’ll be with the club beyond this season.

The Blue Jackets GM indicated he wouldn’t shy away from the trade market in the future as talks between teams increase. Given how many teams are currently underperforming, he thinks there could be an uptick in discussions around the 15-20 game mark.

Murphy noted the Blue Jackets have over $20 million in cap space this season. He thinks they could be a cap broker if the right deal came along.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Waddell is clear about what he’s looking for in the trade market. He’s not interested in another team’s problem contracts or aging talent. He could become a third-party broker in a three-team trade if it’ll fetch a young asset or a decent draft pick.

HOW WILL THE ISLANDERS REPLACE DUCLAIR?

THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple reports the New York Islanders have few options to replace Anthony Duclair. The 29-year-old winger is sidelined indefinitely with an injured leg but isn’t expected to miss the remainder of the season.

Simon Holmstrom skated on the Isles’ top line with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. They could also recall Hudson Fasching.

Staple speculates Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello could look at making a move but they only have Duclair’s $3.5 million cap hit to work with if he’s placed on long-term injury reserve. They’d have to clear cap space for Duclair’s eventual return if he’s not out for the season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2024

by | Oct 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 17, 2024

A milestone game for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Auston Matthews tallies his first of the season, the Avalanche are off to their worst start in years, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby netted his 1,600th career point and teammate Evgeni Malkin reached the 500-goal plateau in a 6-5 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Crosby scored the winning goal and collected two assists, including setting up Malkin’s milestone goal. Malkin also picked up three assists to lead all NHL scorers with 11 points. JJ Peterka scored twice in his first game with the Sabres since suffering a concussion against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 5.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is the 10th player to reach 1,600 points and the fifth-fastest to do so (1,277 games), sitting behind Wayne Gretzky (667 games), Mario Lemieux (812 games), Marcel Dionne (1,164 games) and Jaromir Jagr (1,274 games).

Malkin is the third player in Penguins history to reach 500 goals, joining Lemieux and Crosby. He’s the eighth European player to do so, following Alex Ovechkin, Jagr, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa and Peter Bondra.

Before this game, the Penguins demoted forward Rutger McGroarty to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored his first goal of the season and his first as team captain to lead his team over the Los Angeles Kings 6-2. Matthews also picked up two assists, Bobby McMann tallied twice and Mitch Marner had three helpers. Alex Turcotte and Kevin Fiala replied for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have won three straight after dropping their season opener while the Kings have lost three straight since winning their first game of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Kings designated defenseman Joel Edmundson non-roster player status as he left the team to return home for family reasons.

The Colorado Avalanche dropped their fourth-straight game in a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist and David Pastrnak also scored for the Bruins. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was 1998-99 when the Avalanche last started a season 0-4-0. That club rallied to finish second overall in the Western Conference with 98 points. Given their sloppy defense and porous goaltending, it remains to be seen if this version can rally back.

An overtime goal by Leo Carlsson lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Utah Hockey Club 5-4. Pavel Mintyukov scored two goals and Mason McTavish picked up two assists for the Ducks. Jack McBain and Michael Kesselring each had a goal and an assist for Utah.

HEADLINES

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Jake Guentzel is settling in quickly with the Lightning after signing with them during the summer. He’s playing on the top line with center Brayden Point and right wing Nikita Kucherov and has three assists in his first two games.

Point and Lightning coach Jon Cooper praised Guentzel’s skill and hockey IQ. Cooper also noted how calm the 30-year-old winger is in his game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel is used to playing with elite talent after spending several years skating alongside Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. He also showed how well he could adjust to a new team following his trade last March from the Penguins to the Carolina Hurricanes.

TSN: Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark missed his last game with a strain but is expected to play in Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

Defenseman Thomas Chabot is ok after leaving practice on Wednesday following a collision with teammate Jacob Bernard-Docker and won’t miss any playing time. Meanwhile, blueliner Artem Zub will miss at least a week with a concussion.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (upper body) was placed on injured reserve. Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (upper body) is expected to be sidelined short term.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues defenseman Nick Leddy could miss Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks will recall defenseman Erik Brannstrom and have sent center Aatu Raty to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks forward William Eklund is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks as he deals with a nagging upper-body injury.

MSN.COM: On Wednesday, Carolina Hurricanes forward Brendan Lemieux and Blue Jackets forward Dylan Gambrell were placed on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2024

by | Oct 13, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2024

The Flames pay an emotional pregame tribute to Johnny Gaudreau, Evgeni Malkin reaches another milestone, the Avs and Oilers continue to struggle, Utah HC wins again, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Calgary Flames held an emotional pregame ceremony to honor the late Johnny Gaudreau before skating to a 6-3 home-opening win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Jonathan Huberdeau led the way with two goals and two assists. Nazem Kadri tallied twice and Dustin Wolf got the win with a 37-save performance. Travis Konecny had two goals for the Flyers.

Calgary Flames honor Johnny Gaudreau (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons with the Flames before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022. A drunk driver killed him and his brother Matthew in August.

During the ceremony, Gaudreau’s family shared a heartfelt message to the Flames and the city of Calgary, expressing their “deepest gratitude” to the team and the city for their support.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander scored two goals in a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the Leafs. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin collected two assists to reach his 1,300th career NHL point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs center John Tavares missed this game due to illness. Penguins winger Bryan Rust made his season debut after missing his club’s first two games with a lower-body injury.

The Columbus Blue Jackets upset the Colorado Avalanche 6-4. Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko and Yegor Chinakhov each had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev was pulled for the second straight game after giving up three goals on nine shots. His replacement, Justus Annunen, fared little better, allowing two goals on 13 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar defended Georgiev following this game, expressing “full faith” that he’ll bounce back. The 28-year-old netminder has shown he can rebound from some bad performances but his erratic play since last season is becoming a cause for concern among Avalanche followers.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard scored his first of the season and picked up two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Teuvo Teravainen had two goals and two assists, Seth Jones had a goal and two assists, and Petr Mrazek turned aside 36 shots for the Blackhawks. Corey Perry and Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers and Calvin Pickard allowed five goals on 20 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A well-deserved win for the rebuilding Blackhawks against a Stanley Cup finalist still searching for its groove two games into this season. The Oilers also got off to a flat start last season before they turned things around but it took a coaching change to wake them out. Current bench boss Kris Knoblauch isn’t in danger of losing his job at this stage in the season but that risk could increase if his players don’t elevate their play over the next few weeks.

The Utah Hockey Club upset the New York Rangers 6-5 on an overtime goal by Clayton Keller, who finished the night with two goals and an assist. Dylan Guenther also scored his fifth of the season for Utah, extending his goal streak to three games. Artemi Panarin tallied twice for the Rangers and Adam Fox had three helpers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah is 3-0-0 to start the season.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger had a 34-save shutout to blank the New York Islanders 3-0. Tyler Seguin tallied twice and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars. Semyon Varlamov made 24 saves for the Islanders.

David Pastrnak’s overtime goal lifted the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Bruins. Trevor Moore opened the scoring for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their first win of the season by dropping the Florida Panthers 5-2. Devon Levi turned aside 23 shots and Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist for the Sabres. The Panthers played without captain Aleksander Barkov (lower-body injury) and winger Matthew Tkachuk (illness).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov injured his leg during the final minutes of the Panthers’ 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. He will be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot turned in a 42-save performance to shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0. J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp and Dylan Larkin were the goal scorers for the Red Wings as they picked up their first win of the season. Steven Stamkos is still seeking his first point since joining the Predators as a free agent in July.

The Montreal Canadiens got two goals from Cole Caufield to end a nine-game losing skid to the Ottawa Senators with a 4-1 win. Sam Montembeault kicked out 24 shots and rookie defenseman Lane Hutson picked up two assists for the Canadiens. Tim Stutzle scored for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield has four goals in his first three games of this season.

New Jersey Devils forward Paul Cotter scored two goals to extend his goal streak to four games in a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Stefan Noesen and Erik Haula each collected three assists for the Devils. Dylan Strome and John Carlson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who also lost defenseman Matt Roy in the second period with a lower-body injury.

Seattle Kraken captain Jordan Eberle scored two goals, including the 300th of his NHL career and the winner in a shootout, to lead his club to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Joey Daccord stopped 34 shots for the Kraken. Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists while his teammates Mats Zuccarello and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek was injured in the second period when he caught an elbow in the nose from Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson. There was no call on the play. He returned for one shift in the third period and didn’t travel with his teammates to Winnipeg for their Sunday game against the Jets.

The Anaheim Ducks blanked the San Jose Sharks 2-0. Lukas Dostal turned in a 30-save shutout while Isac Lundestrom and Trevor Zegras did the scoring. Before this game, the Sharks announced rookie center Macklin Celebrini was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body ailment believed to be a hip injury. There is no word on when he’ll return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This news came two days after Celebrini scored a goal and collected an assist while logging over 17 minutes of ice time in his first NHL game. It’s uncertain when he suffered the injury during that game.