NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2023

by | Oct 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 28, 2023

The Blackhawks upset the defending champion Golden Knights, the Kings rally to defeat the Coyotes, the Devils nip the Sabres, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 4-3 upset of the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, handing the latter their first loss of the season (7-0-1). Rookie Connor Bedard scored his third goal of the season for the 3-5-0 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic left this game in the second period with an undisclosed injury following a high hit from Golden Knights forward Brett Howden. Speaking of the Blackhawks, forward Andreas Athanasiou was a healthy scratch from this contest.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (NHL Images).

The Los Angeles Kings overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 5-4. Drew Doughty started and ended the rally for Los Angeles (4-2-1) with two goals, including the game-winner. Cam Talbot replaced Pheonix Copley in the Kings’ net after the latter gave up three goals on six shots. J.J. Moser had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes as they dropped to 3-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Credit the Kings for their comeback but the Coyotes let up after taking a 4-1 lead and it cost them the game. “We defended too much and we were not on our toes. We had no forecheck, no possession. We didn’t want to play with the puck. The other team played with the puck,” head coach André Tourigny said.

New Jersey Devils forward Erik Haula tallied twice, including the winning goal, in a 5-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Luke Hughes collected two assists while brother Jack scored to collect his league-leading 18th point of the season for the 4-2-1 Devils. Tage Thompson netted his fourth goal of the season and Rasmus Dahlin tallied his first as the Sabres fell to 3-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly game for both clubs. Devils captain Nico Hischier was forced to leave the game after suffering a head shot from Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton, who received a match penalty and faces a hearing with the NHL department of player safety. Sabres goalie Eric Comrie left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a hat trick from Teuvo Teravainen and a 20-save shutout from Antti Raanta to blank the San Jose Sharks 3-0. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis each collected two assists for the Hurricanes as they improved to 5-4-0. Kaapo Kahkonen made 37 saves for the 0-7-1 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov skated in his first game since undergoing knee surgery in March. He was held scoreless in this contest.

Washington Capitals goalie Darcy Kuemper kicked out 39 shots as his club nipped the Minnesota Wild by a score of 3-2. John Carlson scored in the shootout to give the Capitals (3-3-1) the victory. Ryan Hartman sniped his fifth goal of the season while Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 31 shots for the 3-3-2 Wild.

The Vancouver Canucks shut out the St. Louis Blues 5-0 on Thatcher Demko’s 22-save performance. Quinn Hughes scored two goals and J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists for the Canucks as they improved to 5-2-0. Jordan Binnington made 30 saves for the 3-3-1 Blues.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a fracture in his right hand. Meanwhile, blueliner Erik Brannstrom suffered a concussion from a hit during Thursday’s games against the New York Islanders.

NHL.COM: Ed Sandford, the Boston Bruins’ oldest surviving player, passed away earlier this week at the age of 95. The winger spent eight of his nine NHL seasons with the Bruins from 1947-48 to 1954-55. He split the following season between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks before retiring. In 503 regular season games, Sandford had 106 goals and 251 points as well as 13 goals and 24 points in 42 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Sandford’s family, friends and the Bruins organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

by | Oct 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2023

The Capitals defeat the Devils, the league’s teams vote overwhelmingly to decentralize the draft, plus the latest on Brett Pesce and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Third-period goals by Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Alex Ovechkin rallied the Washington Capitals to a 6-4 win over the New Jersey Devils. The Capitals jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first period but the Devils regrouped in the second with four straight goals.

Washington Capitals forward Dylan Strome (NHL Images).

Strome scored two goals while Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha each had two points for the 2-3-1 Capitals. New Jersey center Jack Hughes collected three assists while Tyler Toffoli tallied twice and collected a helper as the Devils slipped to 3-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes now leads all scorers with 13 assists and 17 points while Toffoli is among the top-10 goal scorers with six.

DAILY FACEOFF: The NHL’s 32 teams voted overwhelmingly to decentralize the league’s draft format. They prefer moving from the current format where the executives of all the teams gather in one central location to conduct their draft business to one where they remain in their home cities to perform those duties. The change could come as soon as the 2024 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The new format will be similar to those employed by the NFL, NBA and MLB. There will still be a host city where the top prospects are chosen with a handful of executives there but we won’t see the arena-style format currently employed in previous drafts.

I understand the rationale behind the change. As the report noted, some general managers didn’t like the crowded draft floor under the current format where their plans could be overheard by their rivals. The cost of traveling to and from the host city has risen over the years plus the draft is scheduled within days of free agency.

My only concern is how long it’ll take the teams to make their selections as they’ll be doing it remotely. When that format was used during the two COVID drafts it took hours for the proceedings to be completed, especially the later rounds. That might not be a big deal for fans but it’s a drag for those of us who cover the NHL for a living. The league must ensure they keep the teams to a tight schedule rather than have this drag out.

CAROLINA HOCKEY NOW: The good news for the Hurricanes is sidelined winger Andrei Svechnikov’s season debut is “around the corner.” The bad news is defenseman Brett Pesce is sidelined for two to four weeks following surgery for a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a significant loss for the Hurricanes blueline. Pesce usually skates on the second pairing with Brady Skjei. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon (upper body) has been placed on long-term injury reserve (LTIR). They also recalled forward Jujhar Khaira as forward Frederick Gaudreau will miss Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: The Penguins placed goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. They also announced that defenseman John Ludvig suffered a concussion during Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed defenseman Jack Edward to a three-year entry-level contract and placed blueliner Ian Mitchell on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2023

by | Oct 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2023

Recapping the “Frozen Frenzy” of Tuesday’s 16 games involving all 32 teams in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1. Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll made 36 saves while Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly each had a goal and an assist as the Leafs improved to 4-2-0. Alex Ovechkin replied for the 1-3-1 Capitals, scoring his first of the season and becoming the first NHL player to tally 300 career power-play goals.

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson scored twice and collected an assist in a 6-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jeff Skinner also netted two goals for the 3-4-0 Sabres. Senators goalie Anton Forsberg got the hook after giving up five goals on 18 shots as his club slipped to 3-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators honored Craig Anderson with a pregame ceremony. Anderson, 42, announced his retirement after 20 NHL seasons, half of those with the Senators. He signed a one-day contract with the Sens on Tuesday to officially end his playing career with them. He spent his final two seasons with the Sabres and will be working with them as a hockey liaison.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson turned in a 32-save shutout to blank the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Brayden Point, Alex Barre-Boulet and Nick Paul were the goalscorers for the Lightning (3-2-2). Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 20 shots for the Hurricanes as they fell to 3-4-0.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils (3-1-1) got a hat trick from Tyler Toffoli and Jack Hughes collected four assists in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens (3-2-1). Defensemen Justin Barron and Mike Matheson scored for the Canadiens as Cayden Primeau made 29 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes leads all NHL scorers with 10 assists and 14 points. Meanwhile, lousy special team play and costly turnovers cost the Canadiens in this contest. The Habs’ bad injury luck continues as they learned earlier in the day that defenseman David Savard will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a fractured left hand.

Dallas Stars netminder Jake Oettinger kicked out 38 shots to down the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1, dropping the latter’s record to 2-4-0. Jason Robertson and Thomas Harley each had a goal and an assist as the Stars remained unbeaten in regulation (4-0-1). Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins defenseman John Ludvig’s NHL debut was short-lived as he was knocked out after initiating a big hit on Stars forward Radek Faksa. Ludvig struck the ice face-first following the hit and had to be helped off the ice by his teammates. An update on his condition is expected at a later time.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart extended his goal streak to five games in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists and Anthony Stolarz stopped 27 shots for the 3-3-0 Panthers. Fabian Zetterlund replied for the Sharks, who are still seeking their first win after dropping to 0-5-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An illness sidelined Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from this contest.

The Colorado Avalanche set an NHL record with their 15th consecutive road win stretching back to last season as they downed the New York Islanders 7-4. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists, Cale Makar a goal and two assists and Ryan Johansen two goals for the 6-0-0 Avalanche. Noah Dobson, Cal Clutterbuck and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each had two points for the 2-2-1 Islanders.

An overtime goal by Jordan Eberle lifted the Seattle Kraken to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings, snapping the latter’s five-game winning streak. Jaden Schwartz scored two goals for the Kraken (2-4-1) while Dylan Larkin and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and two assists and Alex DeBrincat tallied his league-leading ninth goal of the season for the 5-1-1 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on an overtime goal by Frank Vatrano. Lukas Dostal stopped 35 shots for the Ducks as they moved to 2-4-0 on the season. Rookie Adam Fantilli had a goal and an assist for the 3-2-1 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks rookie center Leo Carlsson sat out his second straight game as part of a series of pre-planned healthy scratches designed to manage his workload as he transitions into the NHL.

Boston Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman stopped 23 shots to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Pavel Zacha, Matthew Poitras and Trent Frederic were the goal scorers as the Bruins remain undefeated at 6-0-0, matching their best start to their season in their history. Petr Mrazek made 40 saves for the 2-5-0 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins seem to be adjusting rather well through the early going to the offseason retirements of centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

During this game, Boston winger Jakub Lauko left the game in the third period when he was accidentally struck in the face near his left eye by a skate. Following the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Lauko’s eye was ok but he needed stitches near the side of his eyeball. Meanwhile, Bruins winger Milan Lucic missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets doubled up the St. Louis Blues 4-2. David Gustafsson and Mason Appleton got things rolling for the Jets (3-3-0) with two goals in 18 seconds in the second period. Pavel Buchnevich returned from injury with a goal and an assist for the 2-2-1 Blues.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman tallied a hat trick and two assists in a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Kirill Kaprizov and Jake Middleton each collected three assists as the Wild improved to 3-2-1. Warren Foegele scored twice and Evan Bouchard had a goal and two assists for the 1-4-1 Oilers as they’ll be without captain Connor McDavid (lower-body injury) for one to two weeks.

Second-period goals by Phillip Di Giuseppe and Nils Hoglander enabled the Vancouver Canucks to hold off the Nashville Predators by a score of 3-2. Ilya Mikheyev also scored for the Canucks as they improved to 4-2-0. Colton Sissons and Kiefer Sherwood replied for the 3-4-0 Predators.

The New York Rangers improved to 4-2-0 in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. Erik Gustafsson had a goal and an assist while Igor Shesterkin made 24 saves for the win. Blake Coleman replied for the Flames as they fell to 2-4-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the NHL announced that league commissioner Gary Bettman upheld the four-game suspension for Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson for elbowing Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in the head last week. The Flames got more bad news as forward Adam Ruzicka left the game following a hit from Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey. An update on his condition has yet to be released.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Kevin Fiala, Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and Blake Lizotte each had a goal and an assist to beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-3. Clayton Keller, Nick Bjugstad and Jack McBain replied for the Coyotes. The Kings rose to 3-2-1 on the season while the Coyotes dropped to 3-3-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the NHL announced it was backtracking on its ban on players using Pride Tape, stating that they now have the option to support social causes with their stick tape throughout the season. The decision came after Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott defied the ban in a recent game with several strands of Pride Tape on his stick.

The Vegas Golden Knights continued their historic start as they nipped the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 to extend their season-opening win streak to seven games (7-0-0). Jack Eichel had two assists, Shea Theodore scored the winner in the dying seconds of regulation and Logan Thompson turned aside 26 shots. Noah Cates and Cam Atkinson scored for the 3-2-1 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights hold the longest season-opening win streak by a defending Stanley Cup champion.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

by | Oct 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 21, 2023

The Devils down the Islanders, the Blue Jackets douse the Flames, injury updates and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Jack Hughes capped a two-goal, two-assist performance by the New Jersey Devils star in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders. Jesper Bratt had three assists, Timo Meier collected two helpers and Jack’s brother Luke netted his first goal of the season as the Devils improved to 2-1-1. Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each scored two goals for the Islanders, who are 2-0-1 in their first three games of the season.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils captain Nico Hischier left this game in the third period with an upper-body injury. He’ll be re-evaluated on Saturday. His teammates Erik Haula (upper body), Tomas Nosek and Colin Miller (lower body) missed this game due to their injuries.

The Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 2-2-0 by defeating the Calgary Flames 3-1. Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist in his return from injury while Spencer Martin made 36 saves for the win. Elias Lindholm replied for the Flames, who sit 2-2-1 after their first five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson was ejected following a hit to the head of Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine in the dying seconds of this game.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, they placed forward Liam Foudy on waivers earlier in the day and announced a long-term, multi-year affiliation extension with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Unrestricted free agent Zach Parise has resumed skating after taking time to consider his future. If the 39-year-old winger does return to the NHL this season it’s expected he’ll sign a one-year contract with the New York Islanders at the league minimum. Parise joined the Islanders in 2021 after being bought out by the Minnesota Wild.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri is expected to be sidelined for a month with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks denied a report early Thursday claiming Kevin Labanc would be placed on waivers. The winger and head coach David Quinn each said that waivers had not been discussed, with Quinn adding he had no idea where it came from.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres rookies Devon Levi and Zach Benson are day-to-day with lower-body injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Levi started the Sabres’ first three games in net. This means Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Eric Comrie will get the start tonight against the Islanders.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub will miss this afternoon’s tilt with the Detroit Red Wings after being struck by a puck during their 6-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators center Cody Glass will miss the next seven to 10 days with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez said the club hopes to make an announcement regarding its search for a new arena within the next 60 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: And no, that announcement will not be about relocation to another city. The franchise remains committed to staying in its current area and is looking at multiple sites to build a new venue.

SPORTSNET: Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni is taking a leave of absence from Finnish club Tappara Tampere after receiving a court summons regarding a rape allegation. The alleged incident took place when the 19-year-old center was still a minor. Ronni was chosen by the Flames in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2023

by | Oct 17, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – October 17, 2023

An update on the speculation linking Canucks winger Conor Garland to the Predators, pondering the possibility of a contract extension for Devils goalie Akira Schmid, and the latest on the Sharks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

LATEST GARLAND CHATTER

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW: Michael Gallagher weighed in on a Saturday report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman linking the Predators to Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland.

Friedman said the Predators were among a handful of teams (including the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets) said to be interested in Garland. The Canucks gave permission last week to the 27-year-old winger’s agent to speak with other clubs regarding a trade.

Vancouver Canucks winger Conor Garland (NHL Images).

Gallagher points out that Garland’s agent Judd Moldaver also represents Predators captain Roman Josi. Friedman also said that the Canucks would want a defenseman in return, prompting Gallagher to suggest that Tyson Barrie, Alex Carrier, Dante Fabbro and Jeremy Lauzon are four NHL-level options who could help the Canucks immediately.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have a pressing need for depth in right-side, right-shot defensemen. Barrie, Carrier and Fabbro could address that issue for them. However, moving one of them could leave the Predators thin on the right side of their blueline unless they’ve got a suitable replacement they can promote from the minors.

Friedman also indicated that the Canucks want to free up between $1 million and $2 million in a Garland trade in order to gain some cap flexibility this season. Barrie’s $4.5 million cap hit it too close to Garland’s $4.95 million. Carrier and Fabbro would be better financial options for the Canucks as they’re each earning $2.5 million on one-year contracts.

IS A NEW CONTRACT IN THE WORKS FOR SCHMID?

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculating on Monday whether New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is working on a contract extension for Akira Schmid. The 23-year-old goaltender is in the final season of his entry-level contract.

NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky reported Schmid’s agent Allain Roy said contract talks have not started yet. Nichols also got the same story when he spoke with Roy

Nichols acknowledged that things could change quickly. He also suggested that a new contract for Schmid could put an end to the recent talk of Fitzgerald monitoring the goalie trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fitzgerald doesn’t have to rush into signing Schmid, whose rights belong to the Devils after this season. He could be evaluating the young goalie’s performance over the course of this season before initiating those discussions.

WHICH PLAYERS COULD THE SHARKS MOVE AT THE MARCH TRADE DEADLINE?

THE ATHLETIC: Eric Stephens recently listed 10 questions the San Jose Sharks must answer after their season opener. Among them was who GM Mike Grier might move before the March 8 trade deadline.

Stephens noted the Sharks have eight players eligible to become unrestricted free agents next July. They include forwards Alexander Barabanov, Anthony Duclair, Mike Hoffman and Kevin Labanc as well as goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. He believes they could factor into future trade discussions if they perform well this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Duclair and Barabonov would draw the most interest and the best returns for the Sharks. Both indicated their interest in re-signing with the Sharks but they could have more value as trade chips this season.

Hoffman is a one-dimensional 33-year-old scoring forward whose production has been in decline over the last three seasons. Labanc, 27, has struggled since reaching a career-best 56 points in 2018-19 and was a healthy scratch in their first two games of this season.

Once considered a future starting goalie, the 27-year-old Kahkonen has had difficulty filling that role with the Sharks and the Minnesota Wild before them.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2023

by | Oct 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 13, 2023

Recaps of Thursday’s games featured two-goal performances by the Rangers’ Chris Kreider and the Devils’ Jack Hughes plus the Bruins reveal their All-Centennial Team. Details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored a power play and a shorthanded goal in a 5-1 season-opening victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists while Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves for his 100th career victory to give Peter Laviolette his first win as Rangers head coach. JJ Peterka scored for the Sabres.

New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils opened the season with a two-goal performance by Jack Hughes to hold off the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. Jonas Siegenthaler collected three assists while Vitek Vanecek stopped 32 shots for the win. Alex DeBrincat scored his first goal for the Red Wings while Ville Husso made 23 saves.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny tallied twice, Scott Laughton had two assists and Carter Hart kicked out 31 shots in a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Patrik Laine scored for the Jackets while rookie Adam Fantilli picked up an assist for his first career NHL point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Sean Couturier had an assist and winger Cam Atkinson scored as both players played their first games after being sidelined by injuries for the entirety of last season. Meanwhile, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski left the game in the second period with a quadriceps contusion following a hit by Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway.

The Minnesota Wild got a 41-save shutout from Filip Gustavsson to blank the Florida Panthers 2-0. Wild rookie (and Minnesota native) Brock Faber scored his first career NHL goal while Joel Eriksson Ek scored and assisted on Faber’s goal. Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the Panthers.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros stopped 23 shots for his 21st career shutout in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Colton Sissons, Gustav Nyquist and Juuso Parssinen scored for the Predators, giving head coach Andrew Brunette his first win behind their bench. Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken played without forward Brandon Tanev as he remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. Predators defenseman Luke Schenn was a late scratch from this game with a lower-body injury.

Shootout goals by Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene lifted the Dallas Stars over the St. Louis Blues 2-1. Jamie Benn opened the scoring while Jake Oettinger stopped 23 shots for the Stars. Tyler Tucker replied for the Blues, who got a 33-save effort from Jordan Binnington.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars played without top-line forward Roope Hintz as he continues to nurse an upper-body injury.

Second-period goals by Nic Hague and Nicolas Roy carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Logan Thompson made 22 saves for the Golden Knights. Filip Zadina replied for the Sharks.

HEADLINES

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins announced their All-Centennial Team yesterday.

Forwards: Patrice Bergeron, Johnny Bucyk, Wayne Cashman, Bill Cowley, Phil Esposito, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Rick Middleton, Cam Neely, Terry O’Reilly, David Pastrnak, and Milt Schmidt.

Defense: Ray Bourque, Zdeno Chara, Dit Clapper, Bobby Orr, Brad Park and Eddie Shore.

Goaltenders: Frankie Brimsek and Gerry Cheevers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fans will likely quibble over the same of the names on this list, making for what should be a fun debate. Overall, however, it’s comprised of players who played major roles for the Bruins in their biggest moments over their 100-year history.

Oh, and if they haven’t already chosen the biggest moment in Bruins history, it’s unquestionably Orr’s Stanley Cup winner in 1970. That is the most iconic goal ever scored in the NHL.

TSN: The Los Angeles Kings placed winger Viktor Arvidsson (lower-body injury) on long-term injury reserve. Meanwhile, Kings center Phillip Danault was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton on Wednesday.

DAILY FACEOFF: *WARNING: GROSSNESS AHEAD!*

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet revealed the reason why goaltender Thatcher Demko left the game during Wednesday’s 8-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Demko was battling the flu and was pulled during the third period after he “puked in his mask,” according to Tocchet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My apologies to those of you who may have been eating when you read this bit, but I did warn you!

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov pointed to the Flyers and their style of play for the decline in his performance during his final three seasons with the club. Provorov was traded to the Jackets in June.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if there’s any reaction from the Flyers about Provorov’s comments, especially from head coach John Tortorella. Time will tell if his move to the Jackets will improve his game.

Mind you, Provorov does have a point about the Flyers’ style of play. Part of that was due to their coaching changes since 2021, firing Alain Vigneault and going with Mike Yeo on an interim basis before hiring Tortorella in 2022.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Anaheim Ducks rookie Leo Carlsson will miss the club’s season opener on Saturday with a lower-body injury. However, he’s expected to rejoin the lineup at some point next week.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning recalled forward Alex Barre-Boulet, which is seen as an indication that winger Tyler Motte will remain sidelined with an injured hand.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ottawa Senators free agent Alex Formenton has signed with Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta until the end of the calendar year. The club also released a statement referencing an ongoing investigation into sexual assault allegations made toward some unnamed members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team. Formenton was part of that club but hasn’t commented on the investigation nor has he been accused or charged.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Formenton’s contract also contains an out-clause allowing him to return to the NHL.