NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2023

by | Mar 26, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 26, 2023

The Devils clinch their first playoff berth in five years, the Bruins clinch the Atlantic Division, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The New Jersey Devils clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 by beating the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Jack Hughes scored his 40th goal of the season while Nico Hischier collected two assists for the Devils (46-19-8) as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 100 points, becoming the third team this season to reach that plateau. Tim Stutzle had two assists for the 35-33-5 Senators (75 points) as they sit seven points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, Senators head coach D.J. Smith told reporters that defenseman Jakob Chychrun will be sidelined for “a couple of weeks” with a lower-body injury. He also said center Ridly Greig is out of the season with an injured sternum.

Boston Bruins winger Garnet Hathaway tallied the winning goal as his club clinched first place in the Atlantic Division with a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Patrice Bergeron scored his 27th goal of the season for the 56-11-5 Bruins as they sit atop the overall standings with 117 points. Victor Hedman replied for the 42-26-6 Lightning, who’ve dropped four straight games and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game also marked the 10th anniversary of Jon Cooper’s hiring as the Lightning’s head coach.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on two late goals by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. Pyotr Kochetkov made 41 saves for the Hurricanes (47-16-8) as they sit two points ahead of the Devils in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 102 points. Auston Matthews scored twice for the 43-20-9 Maple Leafs as they remain five points up on the Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division.

An overtime goal by Nicolas Roy lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (46-21-6) as they sit in first place in the Western Conference with 98 points. Leon Draisaitl scored his 45th goal of the season for the 41-23-9 Oilers (91 points) as they sit three points behind the Los Angeles Kings in third place in the Pacific Division.

Speaking of the Kings, they tied a franchise record with an 11-game points streak with a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Viktor Arvidsson scored twice while Joonas Korpisalo stopped 25 shots for the 42-20-10 Kings. Pierre-Luc Dubois netted his 25th goal of the season as the Jets (41-30-3) hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Seattle Kraken thumped the Nashville Predators 7-2. Eeli Tolvanen scored twice against his former club and Jared McCann had a goal and two assists for the Kraken (40-24-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 88 points. Matt Duchene and Tyson Barrie each had a goal and an assist for the 36-27-8 Predators (80 points) as they sit five points behind the Jets.

Third-period goals by Ryan Hartman and Frederick Gaudreau gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Filip Gustavsson stopped 22 shots as the Wild (42-22-9) vaulted over the Dallas Stars into first place in the Central Division with 93 points. Lukas Reichel replied for the 24-42-6 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev missed this game with an upper-body injury. He is expected to undergo evaluation for a concussion.

The Stars, meanwhile, dropped a 3-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks. Elias Pettersson collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games while Thatcher Demko kicked out 25 shots for the 33-34-5 Canucks as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games. Ryan Suter replied for the Stars (39-20-14) as they sit one point back of the Wild in second place in the Central.

An overtime goal by Evgeni Malkin gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals after the latter overcame a 3-0 deficit. Casey DeSmith made 31 saves for the 36-27-10 Penguins as they hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 82 points. Alex Ovechkin netted his 45th goal for the Capitals (34-32-8) as they sit six points back of the Penguins.

The New York Rangers overcame a 2-0 deficit to nip the Florida Panthers 4-3. Patrick Kane scored his 20th of the season while Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil each had a goal and an assist for the 43-20-10 Rangers (96 points) as they sit four points behind the second-place Devils in the Metropolitan Division. Aleksander Barkov tallied his 20th of the season as the 36-30-7 Panthers sit three points behind the Penguins with 79 points.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Eric Comrie stopped 26 shots to shut out the New York Islanders 2-0. Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner netted third-period goals as the Sabres (35-31-6) sit six points behind the Penguins. Semyon Varlamov made 33 saves as the 37-28-6 Islanders hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 83 points.

The Calgary Flames gained ground on the Jets with a 5-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Tyler Toffoli scored twice to tie a career-high with his 31st goal of the season while Mikael Backlund skated in his 900th career NHL game as the Flames improved to 33-26-15 (81 points) to sit four points behind the Jets. Erik Karlsson collected two assists to reach 90 points on the season for the 19-39-15 Sharks.

Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 8-2 drubbing of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists while Mike Matheson and Mike Hoffman each collected three points for the 29-38-6 Canadiens. Kirill Marchenko and Lane Pederson replied for the 23-42-7 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins left this game with an apparent leg injury in the second period. Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris returned to action after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart stopped 29 shots to blank the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Kieffer Bellows, Scott Laughton and Tyson Foerster scored for the 28-32-12 Flyers while the Red Wings dropped to 31-32-9 on the season.

St. Louis Blues forwards Brayden Schenn and Kasperi Kapanen each scored twice and collected an assist in a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Colton Parayko had three assists for the 33-33-6 Blues. Rookie Nikita Nesterenko scored his first NHL goal while Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the 23-40-10 Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2023

by | Mar 25, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 25, 2023

The Sabres keep their playoff hopes alive, the Avalanche move up in the Central Division, Coyotes minority owner is suspended after arrest for strangulation charge, US President Joe Biden makes a playful dig at the Maple Leafs, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 upset of the New Jersey Devils. Alex Tuch scored two goals and collected an assist for the 34-31-6 Sabres (74 points), who sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Hughes also had two goals and an assist for the Devils (45-19-8) as remain two points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes with 98 points.

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar each had a goal and two assists to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 3-1. The Avalanche improved to 42-23-6 (90 points) and sit one point behind the second-place Minnesota Wild in the Central Division. Clayton Keller scored his 35th goal of the season for the 27-34-12 Coyotes, who were officially eliminated from playoff contentions.

An overtime goal by Boone Jenner lifted the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 upset win over the New York Islanders. Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist while Kent Johnson scored a lacrosse-style “Michigan” goal for the 23-41-7 Blue Jackets. Brock Nelson tallied twice for the Islanders 37-27-9, who hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blue Jackets announced winger Patrik Laine will be sidelined for two to four weeks with a triceps strain suffered during practice on Thursday.

HEADLINES

ARIZONA SPORTS: Coyotes minority owner Andrew Barroway has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL following his arrest on Thursday night in Aspen, Colorado, on a felony strangulation charge. He also faces a misdemeanor third-degree assault charge.

Barroway posted bond on Friday and is under a court order not to have any contact with his wife unless it involves their children.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barroway was the Coyotes’ majority owner from 2014 to 2019 before selling 95 percent of the team to current owner Alex Meruelo. The club issued a statement on Friday indicating they were aware of the allegations against Barroway and are working with the league to gather more information before issuing an appropriate response.

SPORTSNET: US president Joe Biden took a playful dig at the Toronto Maple Leafs during his address in the Canadian House of Commons on Friday.

“I have to say, I like your teams except the Leafs,” said Biden, drawing a standing ovation from many House of Commons members.

“I’ll tell you why. They beat the Flyers back in January, that’s why. I married a Philly girl (Jill Biden). If I didn’t say that, I’d be sleeping alone and fellas, I like you but not that much,” he said, drawing laughter from the parliamentarians and their guests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I thought it was a good-natured, funny remark by Biden. Unlike previous presidents, he’s a hockey fan and has been following the Flyers for years. I was a little surprised by how many parliamentarians stood and cheered. It just goes to show how many House members are fans of the other six Canadian clubs.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Logan Thompson, Reilly Smith and Alec Martinez will be unavailable for the final game of the Golden Knights’ Western Canada road trip. Thompson and Smith returned to Las Vegas for injury maintenance while Martinez is away for personal reasons.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins forward A.J. Greer received a one-game suspension by the NHL department of player safety for cross-checking Montreal Canadiens winger Mike Hoffman in the face on Thursday night.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hoffman’s face was carved up by Greer’s stick. The Canadiens winger wasn’t pleased about the Bruins forward getting only one game for his actions.

Hoffman noted he received a two-game suspension earlier in his career for cross-checking an opponent in the back of the head. However, Greer only got one game for an intentional cross-check to the face.

Hoffman deserved his two-game suspension because hits to the head are dangerous and the league is supposedly trying to eliminate that from the game. He’s right, however, to be upset with the inconsistency over the way the league hands down its punishments.

Greer’s hit was more egregious and deliberate, striking an opponent in the face. The last time I checked, the face was part of the head. And yet, he gets the equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

The department of player safety has received increasing criticism from fans on social media and from pundits over its puzzling rulings. However, the league’s brain trust continues to defend and support it. Hoffman’s comments won’t change things.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: With goaltender Ville Husso listed as day-to-day, the Red Wings recalled netminder Alex Nedeljkovic from their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Canucks re-signed defenseman Christian Wolanin to a two-year, two-way contract.

THE PROVINCE: Speaking of the Canucks, their long-time TV color commentator John Garrett will be retiring from their regional broadcasts at the end of this season. He’s been in the role since 2002. A former NHL goaltender in the late-1970s and early-1980s, he began his broadcasting career in 1986 on Hockey Night in Canada and moved to Sportsnet in 1998.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s the end of an era for Canucks broadcasting. Love him or hate him, Garrett was always entertaining. Best wishes for an enjoyable retirement.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 24, 2023

by | Mar 24, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 24, 2023

The Hurricanes clinch a playoff berth, John Carlson makes his return to the Capitals, the Bruins continue their quest for the single-season wins record and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes dropped a 2-1 decision to the New York Rangers but still clinched a playoff spot for the fifth straight season. Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox scored for the 42-20-10 Rangers, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 94 points. Sebastian Aho netted his 31st goal of the season for the 46-16-8 Hurricanes as they sit on top of the Metro with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers defensemen Ryan Lindgren missed this game as he remains plagued by a nagging shoulder injury that had sidelined him for 11 straight games.

The Hurricanes clinched that spot thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs downing the Florida Panthers 6-2. Auston Matthews scored two goals and John Tavares collected three assists for the Leafs (43-19-9) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 95 points. Matthew Tkachuk netted his 35th goal of the season for the 36-29-7 Panthers (79 points) as they remain one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eric and Marc Staal of the Panthers became the latest NHL players to opt out of wearing Pride-themed warmup jerseys for their club’s Pride Night, citing their religious beliefs. However, Eric Staal took part in a similar ceremony with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021.

A handful of players opting out of Pride Night has overshadowed the fact that most of their teammates are willingly taking part in these events.

Some teams, like the Chicago Blackhawks, opted not to participate but those were reportedly front-office decisions. The Blackhawks cited safety concerns for their Russian players over potentially violating their native country’s homophobic law banning “gay propaganda”. However, that theory was punctured by Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky taking part in his club’s Pride-themed warmup.

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson had a goal and an assist in a 6-1 romp over the Chicago Blackhawks. It was his first game since being in the head by a slapshot on Dec. 23 resulting in a fractured skull and severed temporal artery. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom also had a goal and an assist for the Capitals as they improved to 34-31-8 to sit four points behind the Penguins with 76 points. Nikita Zaitsev scored for the 24-41-6 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Chicago forward Colin Blackwell underwent season-ending sports hernia surgery on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Penguins, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Dallas Stars. Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn scored 31 seconds apart in the third period to take the lead while Joel Oettinger held off the Penguins with a 40-save performance as the Stars (39-19-14) hold first place in the Central Division with 92 points. Sidney Crosby and Pierre-Olivier Joseph replied for the 35-27-10 Penguins as they cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with 80 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen set a franchise record for defensemen by extending his points streak to 12 games. Penguins starting goalie Tristan Jarry missed this game with a lower-body injury.

The Boston Bruins continued their quest for the single-season wins record by doubling up the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. David Pastrnak netted his 49th of the season while Tyler Bertuzzi scored his first goal since joining the Bruins before the trade deadline. Boston sits atop the overall standings with 115 points thanks to their record of 55-11-5. Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach replied for the 28-38-6 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have 11 games remaining in their regular-season schedule to break the record of 62 wins co-held by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, the injury-ravaged Canadiens announced Josh Anderson suffered a season-ending high-ankle sprain on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A shootout goal by James van Riemsdyk gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 5-4 win over the Minnesota Wild. Joel Farabee had a goal and an assist for the 27-32-10 Flyers. Matt Boldy scored twice for Minnesota (41-22-9) as they sit one point back of the first-place Stars in the Central Division. Wild defenseman John Klingberg missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Vegas Golden Knights held off the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-2. Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson made 37 saves before leaving the game with an injury with six minutes remaining. Jonathan Quick stopped all five shots he faced as the Golden Knights (45-21-6) hold first place in the Western Conference with 96 points. Milan Lucic and Nazem Kadri replied for the 32-26-15 Flames (79 points) as they slipped six points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Thompson’s first game after missing 17 games with a leg injury. Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith also left the game with an injury during the second period.

Speaking of the Jets, they got a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks when Adam Lowry broke a 2-2 tie in the third period. The win improved their record to 41-29-3 and opened a five-point cushion over the Nashville Predators with 85 points. Cam Fowler and Frank Vatrano scored for the 23-39-10 Ducks.

Meanwhile, the Predators surpassed the Flames in the standings by nipping the Seattle Kraken 2-1 on shootout goals by Matt Duchene and Philip Tomasino. Kiefer Sherwood also scored and Juuse Saro stopped 27 shots for the 36-26-8 Predators (80 points). Daniel Sprong scored for the Kraken (39-24-8) as they sit one point up on the Jets in the first wild-card spot.

The Ottawa Senators kept their playoff hopes alive with a 7-2 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex DeBrincat and Brady Tkachuk each scored twice and Mads Sogaard stopped 27 shots for the 35-32-5 Senators (75 points) as they sit five points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Brayden Point tallied his 45th goal of the season for the Lightning (42-25-6) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko set a franchise record for most goals by a first-year player with 35 in a 7-2 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. The Canucks improved to 32-34-5 on the season while the Sharks are 19-38-15.

The St. Louis Blues held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. Joel Hofer made 25 saves for the win as the Blues improved to 32-33-6. Simon Edvinsson tallied his first career NHL goal for the 31-31-9 Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Richard Thomas was a late scratch due to an illness.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2023

by | Mar 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2023

Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky to claim a scoring record, the Hurricanes and Stars remain on top of their respective divisions, Jonathan Quick reaches a goaltending milestone and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin surpassed Wayne Gretzky for the most 40-goal seasons in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ovechkin has now reached the 40-goal plateau a record 13 times in his NHL career but his Capitals dropped to 33-31-8 (74 points) and sit five points behind the Florida Panthers for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Roslovic scored twice, including the game-winner, for the 22-41-7 Blue Jackets.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 10 games left in the Capitals’ schedule, Ovechkin has a shot at reaching 50 goals for a record 10th season.

A three-goal third period lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Rangers 3-2 with Teuvo Teravainen tallying the winning goal late in the third period. The Hurricanes (46-15-8)  became the second team this season to reach 100 points and sit two ahead of the New Jersey Devils for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The 41-20-10 Rangers got a 36-save performance by Igor Shesterkin but remain in third place in the Metro with 92 points.

The Dallas Stars dropped a 5-4 decision to the Seattle Kraken as Adam Larsson scored the game-winner in overtime. Brandon Tanev tallied twice and collected an assist for the Kraken (39-24-7) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 85 points. Stars captain Jamie Benn had a goal and two assists as his club rose to 38-19-14 to maintain their hold on first place in the Central Division with 90 points.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy carried the Minnesota Wild over the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Filip Gustavsson kicked out a career-high 47 shots as the Wild (41-22-8) sit second in the Central with 90 points on the basis of regulation wins. Timo Meier netted his 35th goal of the season for the 45-18-8 Devils (98 points), who sit two points back of the first-place Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division.

The league-leading Boston Bruins nipped the Ottawa Senators 2-1 with Linus Ullmark stopping 40 shots for the win. David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk scored for the 54-11-5 Bruins (113 points) while Dylan Gambrell scored for the 34-32-5 Senators (73 points) as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Bruins announced defenseman Derek Forbort will be sidelined by a lower-body injury for the remainder of the regular season.

Speaking of the final Eastern wild-card spot, the Florida Panthers (36-28-7) failed to widen the gap between them and the teams chasing them after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers. Travis Sanheim tallied two goals and Carter Hart made 41 saves for the 26-32-12 Flyers. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour each had two points for the Panthers (79 points), who remain one up on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The New York Islanders improved to 37-27-8 by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2 to widen their lead over the Panthers for the first Eastern wild-card berth with 82 points. Cal Clutterbuck scored twice and chipped in an assist for the Islanders. Mitch Marner tallied his 27th goal of the season for the Leafs (42-19-9) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders center Brock Nelson left the game in the first period following a hit by Leafs forward Noel Acciari. There was no immediate update on his condition.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (31 saves) took over second place for most wins among American-born goaltenders (375) by backstopping his club over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. The Golden Knights (44-21-6) hold first place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. J.T. Miller scored twice and added an assist while Quinn Hughes set a franchise single-season assist record for defensemen (61) as they fell to 31-34-5 on the season.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 29 shots in a 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets (40-29-3) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 83 points. Barrett Hayton tallied for the 27-33-11 Coyotes.

The Calgary Flames kept pace with the Jets by dropping the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. Tyler Toffoli had three assists for the 32-25-11 Flames (79 points) as they remain four back of the Jets. Frank Vatrano scored for the 23-38-10 Ducks. Flames defenseman Chris Tanev missed this game with an upper-body injury. 

Montreal Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault stopped 31 shots as his club upset the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Nick Suzuki had two assists and Kirby Dach scored in his return to action for the 28-37-6 Canadiens after missing 16 games with a lower-body injury. Brayden Point netted his 44th goal of the season for the Lightning (42-24-6) as they remain three points back of the Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The good news for the depleted Canadiens is Dach and Brendan Gallagher returning to the lineup following lengthy injuries. The bad news is winger Josh Anderson left the game with an ankle injury and is expected to miss their next game while defenseman Kaiden Guhle is done for the season with a high-ankle sprain suffered last week against the Panthers.

The Nashville Predators snapped a three-game skid with a 7-3 drubbing of the Buffalo Sabres. Luke Evangelista scored twice and added two assists while Matt Duchene scored twice for the Predators (35-26-8) as they are five points behind the Jets with 78 points. Tage Thompson scored his 43rd of the season while Jeff Skinner netted his 30th for the 33-31-6 Sabres (72 points) as they remain seven points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot.

A shootout goal by Lucas Raymond gave the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Filip Zadina and Alex Chiasson scored for the 31-30-9 Wings, who sit eight points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Marco Scandella and Robert Bortuzzo replied for the 31-33-6 Blues.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche signed head coach Jared Bednar to a three-year contract extension. He’s led the Avs to five straight playoff appearances, two consecutive division titles and the 2022 Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a well-deserved extension for Bednar, who took over this club during the lowest period in its history after Patrick Roy quit as head coach before the 2016-17 season. Their rise among the league’s elite over the past five seasons is in part due to his coaching.

TSN: The NHL announced Fanatics will take over as its’ on-ice jersey provider beginning in 2024-25, taking over from Adidas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That move reportedly isn’t sitting well with hockey fans familiar with Fanatics products.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2023

by | Mar 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2023

Hat tricks for the Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel, the Devils’ Jesper Bratt and the Wild’s Matt Boldy plus a franchise record performance by the Rangers’ K’Andre Miller in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel tallied a hat trick in a 7-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alex Pietrangelo collected four assists and Jiri Patera stopped 35 shots for the Golden Knights (43-21-6) as they sit on top of the Western Conference with 92 points. Patrik Laine and Kirill Marchenko each had two points for the 21-41-7 Blue Jackets.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen missed this game as he’s temporarily taken some time away from the team due to a death in the family. My condolences to Larsen and his family during this difficult time.

The New Jersey Devils overcame a 2-0 deficit to down the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2. Jesper Bratt scored his first career hat trick and his 100th career goal for the Devils (97 points), who improved to 45-18-7 and sit one point behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. Nikita Kucherov scored to reach 100 points for the third time in his career as the Lightning (42-23-6) sit third in the Atlantic Division with 90 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Curtis Lazar missed this game with an undisclosed injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

Speaking of hat tricks, Matt Boldy netted the second one of his young career in a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside 33 shots for the 40-22-8 Wild as they regained second place in the Central Division with 88 points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and collected an assist but his club sank to 33-31-7. With 73 points, they’re five points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov left this game with an apparent shoulder injury following a high hit from Wild defenseman Matt Dumba. There was no penalty on the play. The Capitals were also playing without starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin returned to action after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury.

The New York Rangers’ K’Andre Miller set a franchise record for most points by a defenseman in one period (four) with two goals and two assists as his club scored six first-period goals to thump the Nashville Predators 7-0. Artemi Panarin had three points and Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season for the 41-19-10 Rangers, who sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. The Predators fell to 34-26-8 and remain five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those six first-period goals were also a Rangers record for most goals in one period. Meanwhile, the Predators played without captain Roman Josi as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman kicked out 26 shots for his second straight shutout in a 7-0 romp over the Buffalo Sabres. Jake DeBrusk had a goal and three assists, Patrice Bergeron had three points and David Pastrnak netted his 48th goal of the season for the league-leading Bruins as they improved to 53-11-5 and 111 points. The Sabres fell to 33-30-6 and sit six points away from the final Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is just two goals away from becoming the first Bruin to reach 50 in a season since Cam Neely in 1993-94. As for the Sabres, WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton indicates that they have the league’s second-worst record over their last 11 games, sitting 28th in goal scoring during that stretch while allowing a league-high 53 goals.

St. Louis Blues rookie goalie Joel Hofer made 33 saves to shut out the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Kasperi Kapanen, Nathan Walker and Jakub Vrana scored for the 31-33-5 Blues. The Jets fell to 39-29-3 and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 81 points.

The Anaheim Ducks were officially eliminated from playoff contention as they fell 2-1 to the Vancouver Canucks. J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson scored for the 31-33-5 Canucks while Ryan Strome replied for the 23-37-10 Ducks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2023

by | Mar 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2023

The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points on the season, the Penguins’Jake Guentzel reaches a career milestone, plus the latest on the Leafs’ Auston Matthews, the Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored twice to become the second player this season to reach 100 points in a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a goal and an assist as the Oilers improved to 37-23-8 to vault over the Seattle Kraken into third place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Tim Stutzle tallied twice for the 33-30-4 Senators (70 points), who’ve dropped three straight and remain six points behind the New York Islanders (76 points) for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now leads all active players for most points in a season with 129. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot and winger Mathieu Joseph missed this game due to injuries.

The Montreal Canadiens (27-35-6) snapped a seven-game winless skid by upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on third-period goals by Anthony Richard and Josh Anderson. Jake Guentzel scored twice and collected an assist to reach 400 career points for the 34-23-10 Penguins (78 points) as they remain two points over the Islanders for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They played without defenseman Dmitry Kulikov as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

Speaking of the Islanders, they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Los Angeles Kings, who blew the game open with a four-goal second period. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves and Vladislav Gavrikov collected two assists for the Kings (39-20-9) as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Ryan Pulock had two assists for the 34-27-8 Islanders.

The New York Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals 5-3. Mika Zibanejad scored twice and Patrick Kane scored his first goal on home ice as a Ranger. With a record of 38-19-10, the Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Injuries sidelined Alex Ovechkin and Sonny Milano for this game as the Capitals (32-29-7) remain five points behind the Islanders in the chase for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, who lost their grip on first place in the Metropolitan Division. Despite the absence of sidelined captain Steven Stamkos, the Lightning (40-22-6) moved within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Damon Severson replied for the 44-17-6 Devils (94 points) as they fell two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they got two goals and an assist by Jesperi Kotkaniemi as they downed the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. With a record of 44-14-8, the Hurricanes sit in second place in the overall standings with 96 points. The Jets (38-27-3) hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes announced winger Andrei Svechnikov will undergo season-ending surgery on his right ACL on Thursday. His absence will be keenly felt among their top-six scorers over the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey remains sidelined by an injury.

The Nashville Predators improved to 34-28-9 and moved within four points of the Jets by holding off the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Juuse Saros made 28 saves while Kiefer Sherwood and Tommy Novak scored for the Predators, who played without sidelined defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Alex Chiasson replied for the 30-28-9 Red Wings.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (27 saves) picked up his fourth straight win since joining the club in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and two assists while Ivan Barbashev tallied twice for the Golden Knights (42-20-6) as they hold first place in the Western Conference with 90 points. The Flyers sank to 24-32-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Flyers Sean Couturier took part in his first morning skate with the club this season after being sidelined by his second back surgery. His plan is to return to action for a handful of games before the end of the season.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Raddysh scored his first career hat trick to lead his club to a 6-3 upset of the Boston Bruins. Boris Katchouk had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks as they improved to 23-38-6, though they lost goalie Petr Mrazek in the second period with his third groin injury of the season. Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (50-11-5) as they remain comfortably atop the overall standings with 105 points.

The Vancouver Canucks collected their fifth straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 5-2. Brock Boeser had three assists for the 29-32-5 Canucks while Jamie Benn and Miro Heiskanen each had two points for the 37-18-13 Stars, who played without sidelined winger Mason Marchment in this game. The Stars are in first place in the Central Division with 87 points.

An overtime goal by Travis Boyd gave the Arizona Coyotes a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Clayton Keller scored twice, including his 31st goal of the season for the 25-31-11 Coyotes. Jonathan Huberdeau scored the tying goal for the 30-24-14 Flames (74 points) as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and collected three assists in a 6-5 victory over the San Jose Sharks to officially eliminate the latter from playoff contention. The Blue Jackets sit at 21-38-7 on the season and sit last in the overall standings. Logan Couture had a goal and two assists for the 19-36-13 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews revealed he’s been nursing a hand injury that has hampered his performance this season. However, he claims it’s feeling a lot better now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Leafs as they head down the stretch toward what will be a crucial postseason for this team.

SPORTSNET: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he’s expecting Ryan O’Reilly to return before the playoffs. He’s been sidelined with a broken finger since March 4 and underwent surgery on March 7 with a recovery timeline of four weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would mean returning by April 7 but it’s possible O’Reilly might not be good to go until the first game of the playoffs.

TSN: Speaking of broken fingers, Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big loss for the Avalanche. Lehkonen is fourth among Avalanche scorers with a career-best performance of 20 goals and 49 points in 62 games.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Diamond Sports Group, which owns the Bally Sports regional network in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday. The company released a statement indicating it expects to continue operations during the bankruptcy process and that the coverage of games would not be affected. That coverage includes 12 NHL teams.