NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2017

Game recaps plus updates on Alex Edler, Leon Draisaitl, Marc-Andre Fleury & more in your NHL morning coffee headlines. 

NHL.COM: Claude Giroux had two goals and two assists, Sean Couturier two goals and an assist and Jakub Voracek three assists as the Philadelphia Flyers crushed the Washington Capitals 8-2. 

Sidney Crosby scored twice and Matt Murray made 43 saves to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers. Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice for the Panthers. 

Tyler Seguin had a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist and fight) in the Dallas Stars’ 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Stars coach Ken Hitchcock collected his 783rd career victory, moving into third on the all-time list among NHL coaches. 

Artemi Panarin picked up three assists and Alexander Wennberg scored in overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild. Tyler Ennis tallied twice for the Wild. 

Mike Hoffman and Kyle Turris each scored twice as the Ottawa Senators thrashed the Edmonton Oilers 6-1. The Senators pushed their points streak to five games. The Oilers were playing without forward Leon Draisaitl, who’s sidelined with “concussion-type symptoms” related to a hit from Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba on Monday. 

Auston Matthews scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, snapping their 14-game winless skid against the Habs. 

Zdeno Chara scored a goal and set up two others as the Boston Bruins thumped the hapless Arizona Coyotes 6-2, leaving the latter winless (0-4-1) in their first four games. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following his club’s listless performance, Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said he was “kind of embarrassed for the fans”. He also hinted he’ll be getting tougher with his players in the coming days. He’ll have to do something to snap them out of their malaise. The Coyotes opened this season with heightened expectations after an offseason of roster and coaching changes. Thus far, they have nothing to show for it. 

Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Ehlers now has seven points in his last three games. Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes recalled defenseman Trevor Carrick and placed blueliner Trevor van Riemsdyk (concussion) on injured reserve. 

Dougie Hamilton scored twice, Mark Giordano netted his 100th career NHL goal and Jaromir Jagr got his first point of the season as the Calgary Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-2. Earlier in the day, the Canucks announced defenseman Alex Edler will miss the next four-to-six weeks with a sprained MCL. 

Corey Crawford made 37 saves and Brandon Saad scored in overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks nipped the Nashville Predators 2-1. 

Nikita Kucherov tallied his fifth goal in as many games as the Tampa Bay Lightning edged the St. Louis Blues 2-1. 

Keith Kinkaid made 29 saves and rookie Will Butcher collected two assists as the New Jersey Devils held on for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. The Devils have won four of their first five games while the Rangers are 1-5-0. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers’ poor start to this season has prompted speculation general manager Jeff Gorton could either shake up the roster or make a coaching change if they don’t snap out of this tailspin soon. 

Thomas Greiss turned in a 40-save performance backstopping the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. 

Drew Doughty’s late third-period goal proved the game winner as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. The Sabres remains winless this season. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres center Jack Eichel recently expressed his unhappiness with his club’s constant losing. Like the Coyotes, they made a lot of offseason changes but have little to show for it. 

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury remains uncertain for tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins. Fleury was struck in the head by the knee of Detroit Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha during the Knights’ 6-3 loss on Friday. He took a maintenance day on Saturday.