NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 24, 2025

The Kings set a franchise record and overtook the Oilers in the standings, another milestone for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Los Angeles Kings extended their home points streak to a franchise-record 14 games (11-0-3)by thumping the Boston Bruins 7-2. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist to extend his home goal streak to seven games and his home points streak to nine. Tanner Jeannot, Adrian Kempe, Joel Edmundson and Brandt Clarke each collected two points as the Kings moved ahead of the Edmonton Oilers into second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie replied for the Bruins, who’ve lost six in a row.

Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings and Oilers each have 87 points but the former has a game in hand.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected two assists for his 16th season with 20-plus multi-point games in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Aleksander Barkov scored in the shootout as Florida overcame a 3-1 deficit. Sam Reinhart scored twice for the Panthers, who took over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with 89 points. Brian Rust scored two goals and added an assist for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is tied with Hall-of-Famer Marcel Dionne for the second-most seasons with 20 or more multi-point games. Wayne Gretzky is the leader with 18.

The Vegas Golden Knights got a 35-save performance from goaltender Ilya Samsonov to double up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Vegas forward Tomas Hertl scored his 31st of the season before leaving in the third period with an upper-body injury. Nikita Kucherov scored his 30th of the season for the Lightning, who remain third in the Atlantic Division with 85 points. The Golden Knights are first in the Pacific Division with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hertl was hit from behind by Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg into the end boards, injuring his right arm. He will be reevaluated on Monday and an update on his status could follow on Tuesday.

A hat trick by winger Taylor Hall powered the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots for the Hurricanes, who’ve won nine of their last 10 games and sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou reached the 30-goal plateau for the third straight season in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators. Robert Thomas had three assists and Jordan Binnington made 31 saves as the Blues (81 points) picked up their sixth straight victory to move four points ahead of the Calgary Flames in the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Ryan McLeod had a goal and three assists and James Reimer turned aside 33 shots for the Sabres. Nino Niederreiter, Colin Miller and Nikolaj Ehlers replied for the Jets (100 points), who remain two points behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets need one point to become the second team to clinch a playoff spot. Sabres winger Jordan Greenway left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Blackhawks sophomore Connor Bedard reached the 20-goal plateau for the second straight season in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Ryan Donato scored two power-play goals and Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks. Travis Konecny and Jamie Drysdale each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who’ve lost five straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 19-year-old Bedard joined Eddie Olczyk as the second Blackhawks teenager to record multiple 20-goal seasons.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko could return to action for Monday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Demko has been sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks need all the help they can get after going 1-2-1 in their last four games, dropping them out of the final Western wild card. They have recalled Aatu Raty on an emergency basis with forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander questionable for Monday’s game after injuries forced them from Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers.

DAILY FACEOFF: The slumping Columbus Blue Jackets will get a boost with center Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbranson set to return from injuries. Monahan missed 28 games with a wrist injury while Gudbranson’s been out since Oct. 15 with a shoulder injury.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings coach Todd McLellan is questioning the commitment level of his players.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With two wins in their last 11 games, the Wings are mired in a lengthy slump that sent them tumbling in the standings, sitting five points out of the final Eastern wild card.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils coach Sheldon Keefe singled out defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic following his club’s 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. “Kovacevic just needs to play better, that would help,” he told reporters. The 27-year-old defenseman recently signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: US tariffs against Canada could affect the value of the Canadian dollar, which would affect the hockey-related revenue earned by the seven Canadian NHL franchises. That would also impact the league’s salary-cap projections going forward.

Players on Canadian teams are paid in US dollars. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently acknowledged the fluctuating currency exchange brought on by the tariffs could affect the seven Canadian franchises. He said the league is prepared to make adjustments if necessary but they’re hopeful that their current projections will remain on track.