NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2025

by | Mar 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2025

The Capitals become the first team to clinch a playoff berth as Alex Ovechkin moves closer to breaking the goals record, the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and the Leafs’ John Tavares reach notable milestones, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Washington Capitals became the first team to clinch a 2025 playoff berth by nipping the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Alex Ovechkin tallied his 888th regular-season goal and Anthony Beauvillier collected two assists as the Capitals sit first overall in the standings with 100 points. Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is seven goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals. Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since March 11 and is now listed as day-to-day.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. (NHL Images).

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots for his 40th win of the season in a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Kyle Connor’s shorthanded goal in overtime gave the Jets the win as they sit first in the Western Conference with 100 points. Jeff Skinner tallied twice for the Oilers, who hold second place in the Pacific Division with 85 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebuyck reached the 40-win plateau for the second time, joining Marc-Andre Fleury as the only active goaltender to achieve that feat and joined Ryan Miller as the second American-born netminder to do so. He also joined Hall-of-Famer Ken Dryden as the fourth-fastest goalie to reach the 40-win single-season milestone.

The Oilers entered the game with leading scorer Leon Draisaitl sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Captain Connor McDavid missed the third period with an upper-body injury for precautionary reasons and goaltender Stuart Skinner was pulled late in that period due to concussion protocols following a collision in the crease.

Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares scored twice and collected an assist to reach the 1,100-point plateau in a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers. Jake McCabe had three assists as the Leafs got their third straight win to tie the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers with 87 points. Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck each had two points for the Rangers (72 points), who’ve lost three straight and sit two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of the Panthers, they got an overtime goal from Aleksander Barkov to blank the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 25-save shutout as the Panthers hold first place in the Atlantic with 35 regulation wins. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 27 shots for the Blue Jackets as they dropped their fifth straight game and sit three points back of the Canadiens.

Meanwhile, Montreal (74 points) picked up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders. Bo Horvat tallied twice, including the game-winner, and Ilya Sorokin kicked out 38 shots and collected two assists for the Islanders, who are two points behind the Canadiens. Patrick Laine and Brendan Gallagher scored as the Habs overcame a 3-1 deficit to force the extra period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Gallagher announced his mother Della passed away on March 8 following a long battle with brain cancer. My condolences to Gallagher and his family.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev tallied a hat trick in a 5-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. Dorofeyev reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time while Jack Eichel, Brandon Saad and Noah Hanifin each had two points for the Golden Knights, who sit first in the Pacific Division with 88 points. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, who’ve lost four straight and sit five points behind the Canadiens.

An overtime goal by Philip Broberg lifted the St. Louis Blues over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3, vaulting them one point ahead of the Canucks into the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points. Dylan Holloway and Tyler Tucker each had a goal and an assist as the Blues picked up their fourth straight win. Canucks winger Brock Boeser scored twice, including the tying goal with four seconds left in the third period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway and Broberg have become key contributors for St. Louis this season. Since being signed away from the Oilers last summer, Holloway sits second among Blues scorers with 56 points while Broberg (22 points) leads their defensemen with a plus/minus of plus-13 and sits fourth in ice time per game (20:21).

The Carolina Hurricanes extended their win streak to eight games by beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1. Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Sean Walker were the goal scorers as the Hurricanes sit second in the Metro Division with 88 points. William Eklund scored for the Sharks, who played without defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper-body injury).

Brock Nelson scored his first two goals with the Colorado Avalanche in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Cale Makar, Jonathan Drouin and Ross Colton each collected two points as the Avalanche put this game away early with four goals in the first period. Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators, who pulled goalie Linus Ullmark after he gave up those four first-period goals on 13 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche sit third in the Central Division with 87 points. The Senators have lost two straight but hold the first Eastern wild card with 77 points, three up on the Canadiens. Senators defenseman Nick Jensen missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, mathematically eliminating the latter from the 2025 playoff race. Trevor Moore, Alex Turcotte and Joel Edmundson scored for the Kings, who’ve won six of their last seven contests to sit two points behind the Oilers with 83 points. Connor Bedard replied for the Blackhawks, who’ve lost six straight games.

Four unanswered third-period goals by Connor Zary, Daniil Miromanov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri lifted the Calgary Flames over the New Jersey Devils 5-3, putting them within two points of the Blues for the final Western wild-card spot. Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist as his club sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points.

Shootout goals by Nikita Kucherov and Gage Goncalves gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (85 points), who sit two points behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. Oskar Back and Mason Marchment replied for the Stars, who got a 38-save performance from Casey DeSmith. They sit second in the Central with 90 points.

The Anaheim Ducks got 33 saves from goalie John Gibson to defeat the Nashville Predators 4-1. Gibson had missed seven games with a lower-body injury. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the Ducks while Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Guenther, Kevin Stenlund and Mikhail Sergachev got the Utah Hockey Club a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Stenlund goal resulted from an attempted pass by Sabres center Tage Thompson on a 6-on-4 situation that inadvertently went into his own net. The win puts Utah (73 points) four points behind the Blues for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres announced defenseman Jacob Bryson signed a one-year, $900K contract extension before this game.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

by | Mar 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2025

Oilers star Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points, the Jets take sole possession of first overall, the Golden Knights re-sign Adin Hill, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders. Draisaitl became the second player this season to reach 100 points and is one goal away from becoming the first this season to score 50 goals. Bo Horvat replied for the Islanders, who got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl sits two points behind league leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche in the point races. The Oilers vaulted one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings into second place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. With 66 points, the Islanders are four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Speaking of Nathan MacKinnon, he was held scoreless as his Colorado Avalanche doubled up the Calgary Flames 4-2. Parker Kelly tallied twice and Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots for the Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 83 points. Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau replied for the Flames, who cling to the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 71 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames have dropped six of their last eight games. They are tied in points with the Vancouver Canucks but hold that wild card with 24 regulation wins. Flames captain Mikael Backlund missed this game as he’s week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor scored two goals and Mark Scheifele collected three assists in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. The Jets regained sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 96 points. Mason Marchment scored for the Stars, who sit 10 points behind the Jets in second place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Neal Pionk missed this game as he’s week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 to pick up their sixth straight win. Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 24 saves for the Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points. Alex DeBrincat and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Wings, who’ve lost seven of their last eight games to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild card with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Just like this point last year, the Red Wings are slumping at the wrong time. With five other clubs jockeying for that final wild card, they’re in danger of extending their franchise-record playoff drought to nine years.

Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club. Kaapo Kakko snapped a 2-2 tie and Philipp Grubauer turned aside 23 shots for the win. Nick Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund scored for Utah (69 points), who remain two points behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race.

The Anaheim Ducks nipped the Nashville Predators 2-1. Lukas Dostal got the win with a 28-save performance while Troy Terry and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks (65 points), who are six points out of the final Western wild card. Jakub Vrana replied for the Predators.

HEADLINES

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights signed goaltender Adin Hill to a six-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $6.25 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hill has established himself as the Golden Knights’ starting goalie. He has a record of 24-11-4 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.

RG.ORG: James Murphy reports Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney met with his team’s veteran core twice during this season, warning them that changes would be coming to the roster if things didn’t change on the ice. Three of those players (Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo) were shipped out by the March 7 trade deadline.

DAILY FACEOFF: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is unavailable for personal reasons. They recalled Jet Greaves from their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk is expected to be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tkachuk missed the final minutes of the Senators’ 6-3 win over the Bruins on Thursday due to a hip issue.

THE BUFFALO NEWS: Sabres forward Josh Norris is dealing with an undisclosed injury unrelated to his surgically-repaired shoulder. Acquired from the Senators last Friday, he has a goal and an assist in three games with the Sabres.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

by | Feb 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2025

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby injured, the Canucks re-sign Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: A shorthanded third-period goal by Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins. Mika Zibanejad collected two assists for the Rangers (56 points) as they picked up their second straight win to move within four points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored to collect 25 points over the past 12 games. However, his club remains just outside the Eastern wild card with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins held a 2-1 lead going into the third period but Vincent Trocheck tied it early in the frame, setting the stage for Kreider’s game-winner. Pastrnak’s doing the heavy lifting for the Bruins’ anemic offense. They’re sitting 25th overall with a 2.75 goals-per-game average.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman scored in overtime to nip the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Leon Draisaitl and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 72 points. Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Blackhawks.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl is making a strong case for the Hart Memorial Trophy. He continues to lead all goal scorers (38) and has surged ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 81. Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left this game in the second period with an injured left leg. Head coach Anders Sorensen said Dickinson will be reevaluated on Thursday, adding “It doesn’t look good.”

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3. Kevin Fiala tallied twice and Quinton Byfield collected three assists as the Kings sit third in the Pacific Division with 62 points. Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Logan Mailloux replied for the Canadiens, who’ve dropped six of the last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens (55 points) remain five points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot with two games remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

HEADLINES

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Crosby appeared to injure his left arm after colliding with Devils forward Erik Haula and defenseman Luke Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby missed practice yesterday, raising concerns about whether he can participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. He’s the captain of Team Canada in that tournament.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks signed Marcus Pettersson to a six-year contract extension on Wednesday. Acquired on Saturday from the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 28-year-old defenseman’s new deal is worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin knew Pettersson from their days with the Penguins, signing him to his current contract in 2020. They consider the lanky blueliner “a calming presence” on the Canucks blueline.

Pettersson receives a raise of about $1.5 million annually over the $4.083 million on his present deal. He might have received much more had he gone to market on July 1, especially with the salary cap jumping from $88 million to $95.5 million, but he opted for term security. Pettersson also gets a full no-movement clause in the first three years of the deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane set an NHL record during Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Seattle Kraken. He scored his 53rd career shootout goal to become the league leader in that category, surpassing former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews.

TSN: According to Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, center Dylan Cozens missed practice on Wednesday with a “lower-body aggravation”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no indication of how long Cozens will be sidelined, but Ruff didn’t indicate that it was serious. The young center has been the frequent topic of trade rumors this season. You can read the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association is appealing Ryan Hartman’s 10-game suspension. The Minnesota Wild center received that punishment from the NHL’s department of player safety for driving Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle’s head into the ice following a faceoff.

The Wild also claimed forward Vinnie Hinostroza off waivers from the Nashville Predators.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

by | Jan 5, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2025

Five-point performances by Leafs forwards Matthew Knies and Mitch Marner, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues gaining ground on the goals record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Matthews Knies and Mitch Marner each had five-point performances in a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins. Knies scored his first NHL hat trick and added two assists while Marner had a goal and four assists. Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a three-point night after missing six games with an upper-body injury. David Pastrnak tallied twice for the Bruins as they lost their third straight game.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews and Marner comprise part of the Leafs’ Quarter-Century Team, joining teammate Morgan Rielly, former captain Mats Sundin, defenseman Tomas Kaberle, and goaltender Ed Belfour on the First Team.

Current Leafs William Nylander and John Tavares joined goaltender Curtis Joseph, forward Phil Kessel, and blueliners Bryan McCabe and Dion Phaneuf as part of the Second Team.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd NHL regular-season goal and collected an assist as his club defeated the New York Rangers 7-4. Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists as the Capitals (55 points) held a three-point lead over the Leafs for first place in the Eastern Conference. Rangers winger Chris Kreider scored his 13th goal as his club has lost five of its last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin’s been on a tear since returning from a broken left fibula on Dec. 28, collecting four goals and five points in five games. He’s within 23 goals of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

The Edmonton Oilers doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his points streak to 14 games with a goal and an assist and Viktor Arvidsson had two helpers as the Oilers have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 contests. Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz replied for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Draisaitl leads all NHL scorers with 29 goals this season. He’s poised to reach the 30-goal plateau for the seventh straight year. Kraken defenseman (and former Oiler) Adam Larsson left this game following the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi collected a career-high four assists in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Filip Gustavsson had a 21-save shutout while Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello each had three points as the Wild have won five of their last six contests. The Hurricanes have lost four of their last six (2-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rossi’s improved play silenced the trade rumors about the 23-year-old Wild center earlier this season. He’s sitting second among their scorers with 37 points in 40 games.

The Nashville Predators got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Filip Forsberg and Fedor Svechkov collected two points each and Justus Annunen turned aside 31 shots for the Predators as they picked up their second straight victory. Mikael Backlund replied for the Flames as they dropped three of their last four games.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to collect his 600th regular-season point in a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Golden Knights overtook the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the overall standings with 57 points. Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres as they go 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

Speaking of the Jets, they were upset by the Detroit Red Wings 4-2. Lucas Raymond had a goal and two assists while Dylan Larkin scored twice for the Wings as they picked up their fourth straight win. Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets as they’re winless in their last three (0-2-1).

The San Jose Sharks upset the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Cody Ceci scored the winning goal with 25 seconds remaining in the third period. Nikolai Kovalenko and Macklin Celebrini also scored for the Sharks as they picked up their second straight win. Nico Hischier and Paul Cotter scored for the Devils as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks activated William Eklund off injured reserve for this game and placed defenseman Jake Walman on IR. Meanwhile, the Devils placed defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe’s third-period goal gave his club a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mikey Anderson also scored and Darcy Kuemper kicked out 34 shots as the Kings extended their winning streak to four games. Victor Hedman had the Lightning’s only goal as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings got a boost for this game as forwards Trevor Moore and Trevor Lewis came off injured reserve.

Shootout goals by Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Caufield also scored the tying goal in regulation and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for his second straight win in as many games. Mikko Rantanen scored for the Avalanche as their six-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Montreal forward Patrik Laine (illness) and defenseman David Savard (upper-body injury) missed their second straight game. The Canadiens (39 points) have won seven of their last 10 games and sit one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

The Dallas Stars nipped the Utah Hockey Club 3-2 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Joel Oettinger made 33 saves while Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each picked up two assists for their club’s fourth straight victory. Matias Maccelli tallied both goals for Utah as they’d lost six of their last seven games (1-4-2).

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Dmitri Voronkov tallied two goals while Sean Monahan and Ivan Provorov had three assists each in a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. With the win, the Blue Jackets are one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Jordan Kyrou scored a goal and two assists for the Blues, who sat two points out of the final Western wild-card position.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2024

by | Dec 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 17, 2024

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week, an update on Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers nipped the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in their first game since Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a 5-5 tie in the third period and Sam Reinhart tallied his 20th of the season for the Panthers as they ended a two-game losing skid. Zach Hyman scored two goals and Connor McDavid collected three assists for the Oilers as their five-game win streak ended.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An entertaining game between the 2024 Cup Finalists. Defensive breakdowns proved costly for Edmonton, who blew a 4-2 lead. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist in extending his multipoint streak to six games. Hyman left the game in the second period after being struck by a puck under his visor but returned in the third period sporting a fishbowl visor protecting his face and swollen nose.

Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood collected his first NHL hat trick in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 30 shots for his first win of the season since his season debut last week. Valeri Nichushkin replied for the Avalanche as they cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 36 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks fans serenaded Sherwood after he scored his third goal by chanting his name as he sat on the bench.

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz tallied twice and Jason Robertson collected two assists to defeat the Washington Capitals 3-1, snapping the latter’s 10-game road win streak. Dylan Strome replied for the Capitals, who remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars rookie defenseman Lian Bichsel scored the winning goal as he makes the case to remain in the lineup. Called up to provide blueline depth as injuries and illness struck their blueline corps, the 20-year-old has two goals in three games, averaging over 15 minutes of ice time per game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 15, 2024.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson’s been Pittsburgh’s best defenseman this season. He’s also been considered a prime candidate to be moved if the Penguins become sellers at the March 7 trade deadline. How long Pettersson is out of the lineup and his performance once he returns will be closely monitored by contenders seeking blueline depth in the New Year.

TSN: Detroit Red Wings forward Jonatan Berggren was fined $2,148.44 by the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Toronto Maple Leafs forward Conor Dewar on Saturday.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Minnesota Wild placed forward Devin Shore on waivers.

SPORTSNET: Zach Dietz’s efforts to get to Canadian Tire Centre to join the Ottawa Senators as an emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) recently went viral. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees’ goalie and his girlfriend were stuck in traffic so Dietz grabbed his gear, left his car, and was filmed sprinting toward the arena. A couple later picked him up in an SUV and drove him the rest of the way.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dietz replaced an injured Anton Forsberg but his services weren’t required as Linus Ullmark backstopped the Senators to a 3-2 overtime win over the Penguins.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Former Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz has announced his retirement at age 34. He spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken from 2012-13 to 2023-24.

Schultz won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins and had a career-best 51-point performance in 2016-17. He had 324 points in 745 regular-season games and 42 points in 81 playoff contests.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2024

by | Dec 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 15, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon is the first to reach 50 points this season, Leon Draisaitl extends his multi-point streak, David Pastrnak reaches a scoring milestone, and more from a busy Saturday night of action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon became the first player to reach 50 points this season in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. MacKinnon scored two goals and collected an assist, Artturi Lehkonen tallied twice and Mackenzie Blackwood made 37 saves in his debut with the Avalanche. Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista replied for the Predators, who’ve dropped nine of their last 10 games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 6-3. Leon Draisaitl netted his league-leading 22nd goal and added two assists to extend his multipoint streak to five games and Stuart Skinner made 38 saves for the win. Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin had two assists.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had a goal and three assists in a 5-1 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist for the Bruins. Max Sasson tallied for the Canucks, who’ve lost three of their last four contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak reached the 400-assist milestone in this game. Earlier in the day, the Bruins claimed forward Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers from the New York Islanders.

Los Angeles Kings forwards Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield, Warren Foegele and Alex Turcotte each had a goal and an assist as they downed the New York Rangers 5-1. Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin got the hook in the second period after giving up five goals on 21 shots as the Kings picked up their seventh win in their last eight games. Filip Chytil scored for the Rangers, who’ve dropped nine of their last 12 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Rangers coach Mike Keenan told RG.Org that he believes the Rangers are built for success with the right goalie in Shesterkin to lead them to the Stanley Cup. Their performance in recent weeks suggests otherwise, so I’ll have more about the Rangers in today’s Sunday Rumor Roundup.

Four goals in the third period powered the New Jersey Devils to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Dawson Mercer and Timo Meier each had a goal and an assist for the Devils. Jason Dickinson had the Blackhawks’ only goal.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice to reach the 20-goal plateau as his club rolled to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Mats Zuccarello and Jonas Brodin each collected an assist as they returned to the lineup. Travis Sanheim scored for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild called up goalie Jesper Wallstedt on an emergency basis and placed forward Jakub Lauko on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Brady Tkachuk lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Thomas Chabot had a goal and an assist and Linus Ullmark got the win with a 25-save effort as a surprise starter after Anton Forsberg was injured in the warmup. Blake Lizotte and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins, who lost defenseman Marcus Pettersson in the first period to a lower-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win vaulted the Senators over the Flyers into the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry tallied twice as his club doubled up the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2. Wings netminder Ville Husso stopped 23 shots for his first win of the season. Leafs winger Mitch Marner had two assists for the Leafs, who welcomed back winger Bobby McMann from his seven-game absence as he recovered from a lower-body injury.

Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson scored two goals in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, handing the latter their ninth straight loss (0-6-3). Dylan Strome snapped a 2-2 tie and John Carlson collected three assists for the Capitals, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with 43 points.

The Anaheim Ducks got two goals and an assist from Alex Killorn (including the winning goal in overtime) to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. John Gibson kicked out 39 shots and Jackson LaCombe had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Kirill Marchenko, Cole Sillinger and James van Riemsdyk replied for the Blue Jackets, who’ve lost six of their last seven games (1-4-2).

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Dallas Stars over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-1. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who’ve lost three of their last four.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cam Fowler wasted no time joining the Blues. Traded earlier in the day from the Ducks, the defenseman hopped a plane to Dallas and was in the lineup for this contest, averaging over 17 minutes of ice time. You can read my take on his trade by following this link.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi each had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots for the victory as his club regained first place in the overall standings with 45 points. Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson scored his first NHL goal as his club lost for the third time in their last four outings.

Calgary Flames rookie goalie Dustin Wolf made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season to blank the Florida Panther 3-0. Mikael Backlund had a goal and an assist while Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman also scored as the Flames picked up their third win in their last 10 games. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov missed this game due to illness.

A power-play goal by Clayton Keller with 44 seconds remaining in the third period lifted his team to a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Mikhail Sergachev each finished with two points for Utah HC (33 points), putting them within two points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Fabian Zetterlund had a goal and an assist and Vitek Vanecek stopped 36 shots for the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks activated Will Smith off injured reserve for this game and placed forward Klim Kostin on IR.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored twice to down the Seattle Kraken 5-1. Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to six games while Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov each collected two points. Brandon Montour scored for the Kraken.