NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

by | Dec 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

The Avalanche overcame a four-goal deficit, the Minnesota Wild took over first place in the overall standings, Patrik Laine scored in his debut with the Canadiens, the Flames honor Johnny Gaudreau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected an assist while Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots after replacing Alexandar Georgiev in the Avalanche net. Tage Thompson tallied two goals for the Sabres.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche acquired Wedgewood on Saturday to add more experienced depth behind Georgiev, who continues to battle inconsistency this season. Georgiev got the hook after giving up four goals on eight shots. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin left this game because of back spasms in the third period.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, vaulting the Wild into sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 38 points. Frederick Gaudreau and Jake Middleton also scored and Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 shots as the Wild extended their win streak to four games. Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk replied for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also set a franchise record for the most points in their first 25 games of the season. Center Joel Eriksson Ek left the game in overtime with an injured right leg. There was no postgame update about his condition

Kaprizov has 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 24 games. He’s tied with MacKinnon and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas in points but leads the league in that category because he’s scored more goals and has a league-leading 1.63 points per game.

The Canucks played without defenseman Filip Hronek, who will be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing a non-surgical lower-body procedure.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored in his season debut and teammate Nick Suzuki scored in overtime to beat the New York Islanders 2-1. Sam Montembeault got the win with a 30-save performance. Anders Lee scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine suffered a knee injury during preseason that kept him out of the lineup for the opening two months of the season. He was touched by the reception he received from the Bell Centre crowd.

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar made 16 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on the night the Flames honored the late Johnny Gaudreau in the first game in Calgary between the two teams. Rasmus Andersson, Kevin Bahl, and Yegor Sherangovich were the goal scorers. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 shots for the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau began his NHL career in Calgary, spending nine seasons with the Flames before signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022. An alleged drunk driver killed him and his brother Matthew on Aug. 29.

Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch after scoring one goal and nine points in 25 games. He was held scoreless in his previous nine games.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, handing the Jets their fourth straight defeat. Dylan Holloway and Robert Thomas also scored for the resurgent Blues, who are 3-0-1 since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach. Mark Scheifele tallied for the slumping Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss knocked the Jets out of first place in the Western Conference standings. After bursting from the gate with a 17-3-0 record, the Jets have dropped five of their last six contests. Before the game, the Jets announced winger Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 29 and recalled forward Brad Lambert.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, handing the latter their third straight loss. Jaden Schwartz and Yanni Gourde each had a goal and an assist and Matty Beniers collected two assists. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill had a 28-save shutout and Ivan Barbashev scored the only goal to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Stuart Skinner stopped 15 shots for the Oilers, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first regular-season game in over 80 years ending with zero penalties and one goal or fewer scored. The last time that happened was Feb 20, 1944, between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 4-1 lead but defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who’ve won four straight games (26 points) and sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk scored two goals and collected two assists to pass the 600-point mark in his NHL career.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha scored in overtime to nip the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Nikita Zadorov and Justin Brazeau also scored for the Bruins and Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves for the win. Lucas Raymond scored both goals for the Red Wings.

An overtime goal by William Eklund carried the San Jose Sharks to a 2-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. Tyler Toffoli also scored for the Sharks as Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 27 shots. Nic Dowd replied for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks (25 points) have won three straight games and four of their last five, moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains sidelined recovering from a broken left fibula. He was off to a great start before the injury with 15 goals in 18 games. RG.org’s Sergey Demidov cited a source close to Ovechkin attributing the left winger’s performance to a 33-pound weight loss (“from 258 to 225 pounds”) during the offseason.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

Recapping the action of Friday’s 14 games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny scored two goals as his club upset the New York Rangers 3-1. Bobby Brink also scored and Ivan Fedotov stopped 22 shots for the Flyers as they moved into the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 25 points (11-10-3). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers, who’ve lost five in a row and hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 25 points (12-9-1).

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers look nothing like the dominant club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. General manager Chris Drury miscalculated if he felt that publicly shopping some of his veterans in the trade market would light a fire under this team. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon scored twice as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves as he remains unbeaten in regulation (5-0-1) this season. Ryan Donato tallied both goals for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit will remain sidelined for another six weeks after undergoing a second procedure on his right knee.

The Vancouver Canucks blew a 3-1 lead but got a 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Garland had two goals (including the winning goal) and an assist and Kevin Lankinen turned aside 31 shots for the Canucks. Sabres forward Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Lafferty left this game with a lower-body injury.

Power-play goals by Dougie Hamilton, Timo Meier and Jack Hughes carried the New Jersey Devils over the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Hamilton, Meier and Hughes each finished with two points. Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko also had a goal and an assist while teammate Lucas Raymond scored to extend his goal streak to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Tomas Tatar left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. His status is unclear for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 34 points.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun. Tom Wilson had two goals, Dylan Strome scored a goal and two assists and Connor McMichael had three helpers for the Capitals. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and Anders Lee had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have only two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a last-minute scratch as he’s dealing with a lower-body issue.

Three unanswered third-period goals by A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett carried the Florida Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-3. This was Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad’s 700th career NHL regular-season game. Seth Jarvis, Sean Walker and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win moves the Panthers into first place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points, one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 5-2 upset of the Calgary Flames. Adam Fantilli scored two goals, and Kirill Marchenko had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist.

An overtime power-play goal by Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning while Roman Josi netted both goals for the Predators, who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nashville winger Steven Stamkos wasn’t pleased with his club’s work ethic against his former team. It’s been a difficult season for Stamkos with seven goals and 12 points in 24 games since signing with the Predators this summer.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Portillo turned aside 28 shots in his NHL debut to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Alex Turcotte and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings while Ryan Strome replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed center Akil Thomas (undisclosed) on injured reserve ahead of this contest. He was injured during Monday’s 7-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose Sharks rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each had a goal and an assist in an 8-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ethan Cardwell tallied his first NHL goal for the Sharks and Jake Walman tallied twice. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists and teammate Shane Wright potted two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are still rebuilding and aren’t expected to be a playoff club this season. Nevertheless, promising youngsters like Celebrini, Smith and William Eklund and veterans like Mikael Granlund, Tyler Toffoli, Mackenzie Blackwood and Alexander Wennberg have turned this group into an entertaining team. It’s a refreshing change from the moribund bunch that floundered at the bottom of the standings in 2023-24.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a game-winning goal from recently acquired winger Philip Tomasino to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Penguins winger Rickard Rakell also scored and Tristan Jarry got the win with a 31-save performance. Charlie Coyle scored for the Bruins as Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. It’s the first time Howden has reached 10 goals in a season. Ivan Barbashev also tallied two goals for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 33 points. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg remains atop the overall standings with 36 points but they’ve cooled from their red-hot start of 17 wins in their first 20 games. The Jets activated defenseman Logan Stanley off injured reserve for this game.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment scored two goals and collected an assist as his club defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing the club’s previous game with an undisclosed ailment. However, teammate Logan Stankoven missed this game with a minor injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Utah Hockey Club 4-3. His teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist, Evan Bouchard had two assists and Calvin Pickard kicked out 28 shots for the win. Alexander Kerfoot, Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux missed this game as he’s sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies will return from injuries in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues activated defenseman Philip Broberg off injured reserve. He could return to action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2024

by | Nov 28, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 28, 2024

Jordan Binnington sets a Blues record, a hat trick performance for the Blackhawks’ Taylor Hall, Hurricanes forward Martin Necas takes over the league scoring lead, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington set a franchise record with his 152nd win by making 31 saves to shut out the New Jersey Devils 3-0. Robert Thomas opened the scoring just nine seconds in to tie the second-fastest goal in franchise history. Dylan Holloway scored the other two goals. Jacob Markstrom stopped 17 shots for the Devils.

St. Louis Blue goaltender Jordan Binnington (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich left the game early with an injury to his right leg after getting knocked to the ice by Devils forward Paul Cotter. He’ll be reevaluated on Thursday with an update expected on Friday.

Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall netted his first hat trick since Dec. 2013 in a 6-2 upset of the Dallas Stars. Connor Bedard snapped a 12-game goalless drought and Tyler Bertuzzi collected two assists. Colin Blackwell and Matt Duchene replied for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas collected two assists to take over the NHL scoring lead with 37 points in a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. The Hurricanes got unanswered third-period goals from Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jackson Blake for the win. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots while teammate Brett Berard scored his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Necas sits two points ahead of Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon atop the scoring race. Rangers forwards Filip Chytil and Chris Kreider missed this game due to injuries. Kreider and teammate Jacob Trouba are the subject of trade rumors after reports emerged they were among several Rangers veterans made available by management. He said he’s spoken with general manager Chris Drury and admitted there’s “frustration, angst, tension” in the dressing room. “Let’s go through this s**t now and figure out who we are,” he said.

The Minnesota Wild got a 39-save shutout from Filip Gustavsson to blank the Buffalo Sabres 1-0, ending the latter’s three-game win streak. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 14th goal of the season. Ukko-Pekka Luukonen turned aside 28 shots for the Sabres.

An overtime goal by Lucas Raymond lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Cam Talbot stopped 24 shots and Alex DeBrincat scored for the Red Wings while Connor Zary replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon missed this game after suffering an undisclosed injury during the morning skate. Teammate Patrick Kane missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury.

The Washington Capitals overcame goalie Charlie Lindgren accidentally scoring into his own net to nip the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4. Lindgren’s own goal in the third period gave the Lightning a 4-3 lead and was credited to Brayden Point, giving him a hat trick. However, Lindgren’s teammates John Carlson and Tom Wilson subsequently scored to give their team the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson, Aliaksei Protas and Dylan Strome each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and two assists as his club ended a four-game losing skid with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, snapping the Leafs’ four-game winning streak. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart tallied his league-leading 17th goal while Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett each had a goal and an assist. Leafs winger Mitch Marner scored to extend his points streak to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reinhart wasn’t expected to score at the same pace that netted him a career-high 57 goals last season. He could exceed that mark at his current level of production. Meanwhile, Panthers center Anton Lundell missed this game after taking a puck to the face during Monday’s game against Washington.

The Boston Bruins got two goals from Pavel Zacha and Brad Marchand to defeat the New York Islanders 6-3. Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak each collected three assists for the Bruins. Brock Nelson had two goals and an assist for the Islanders, who are 1-4-1 in their last six games.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust tallied twice, including the winning goal, as his club held off the Vancouver Canucks 5-4. Rust finished with three points and teammate Erik Karlsson had three assists. Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists and Elias Pettersson a goal and an assist for the Canucks. The Penguins snapped a three-game winless skid.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Penguins demoted winger Valtteri Puustinen and activated Blake Lizotte off injured reserve.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki’s overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky ended a 14-game goalless drought and collected an assist while teammate Cole Caufield scored his 13th goal. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his points streak to six games with a Gordie Howe hat trick after fighting Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason was furious over the Suzuki goal, believing the Canadiens captain should’ve received a holding penalty on Kent Johnson seconds before.

Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier scored in overtime as his club overcame a 2-1 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Morgan Frost scored the tying goal with 12 seconds remaining in regulation to set the stage for Couturier’s game-winner. Roman Josi and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who’ve won only three games in their last 12 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Predators announced defenseman Jeremy Lauzon is sidelined week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin scored the tying goal in the second period and the winner in a shootout to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1. Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury. Teammate William Karlsson also returned after missing the previous game to attend the birth of his second child. Before the game, the Avalanche announced that winger Jonathan Drouin was out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The Los Angeles Kings downed the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist while goaltender David Rittich made 13 saves for his 100th NHL win. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 29 shots and Gabriel Vilardi scored his club’s only goal.

Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson kicked out 42 shots in a 5-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Trevor Zegras, Alex Killorn and Cutter Gauthier each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks. Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand replied for the Kraken.

Ottawa Senators forward Adam Gaudette tallied twice and Tim Stutzle collected three assists in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks despite being limited to 11 shots. Sharks rookie Will Smith had a goal and an assist while teammate Macklin Celebrini scored his sixth point in the last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Barclay Goodrow left this game with an upper-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

by | Nov 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

A record night for Lightning winger Brandon Hagel, Hurricanes winger Martin Necas sits on top of the scoring race, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel collected a career-high five assists in an 8-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. Hagel tied an NHL record with four assists in the first period. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists and Jake Guentzel tallied twice for the Lightning. Ivan Ivan scored two goals for the Avalanche as their three-game win streak ended.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist to take over first place in the NHL scoring race (35 points) as his club downed the Dallas Stars 6-4. The Hurricanes got a goal and three assists from Sebastian Aho plus a goal and two assists from Seth Jarvis. Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and Miro Heiskanen each had a goal and an assist for the Stars as they blew a 3-1 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov missed this game with a concussion. There is no timetable for his return. They’re also missing starter Frederik Andersen as he’s sidelined until January recovering from knee surgery. The Canes are making do with call-ups Spencer Martin and Yaniv Perets but there’s speculation they could turn to the trade market.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 43-save performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Alex Iafallo scored twice and Neal Pionk picked up two assists as the Jets (18-4-0) sat atop the overall standings with 36 points. Jake Middleton scored for the Wild, who sit second in the Central Division with 30 points, six behind the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov was held scoreless in this game as he returned to action after missing a game with a lower-body injury. Teammate Jakub Lauko left the game with a lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier snapped a 10-game goalless drought with his first NHL hat trick, leading his club over the Nashville Predators 5-2. Filip Forsberg and Zachary L’Heureux replied for the Predators. The Devils have won five of their last six games and hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros was pulled in the second period after giving up four goals on 30 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Timo Meier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct in the third period for cross-checking L’Heureux in the face. L’Heureux immediately left the game for treatment.

The Washington Capitals snapped a two-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last seven games. Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal and picked up two assists while Lars Eller tallied twice. Niko Mikkola had the only goal for the Panthers.

St. Louis Blue head coach Jim Montgomery got his first win with his new club as they defeated the New York Rangers 5-2. Zack Bolduc scored two goals, Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the Blues. Igor Shesterkin stopped 38 shots for the struggling Rangers as they dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Chris Kreider missed this game with an upper-body injury, resulting in the recall of Matt Rempe from their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

The Rangers’ slump has sparked plenty of trade rumors amid reports general manager Chris Drury has informed his 31 NHL counterparts that he’s open for business. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

A shootout goal by Jack Eichel lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 5-4. Eichel also had a goal and an assist in regulation as did teammate Ivan Barbashev as their club sits in first place in the Pacific Division with 30 points. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without Zach Whitecloud (upper-body injury) and William Karlsson (personal reasons).

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini had his first three-point game (two goals, one assist) in a 7-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Fellow Sharks rookie Will Smith picked up two assists and rookie netminder Yaroslav Askarov stopped 22 shots for his first win with the Sharks. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had two points for the Kings, who’ve dropped five of their last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Nico Sturm scored in his return to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3. Senators forwards Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist to snap a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jonathan Huberdeau, Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames as their four-game winning streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators Defenseman Artem Zub was sidelined by a broken foot suffered during Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks and could be out for a while. Teammate David Perron missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri were the goalscorers for the Islanders, who’ve dropped six of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles defenseman Alexander Romanov missed this game due to an illness and is listed as day-to-day.

The Seattle Kraken got a goal and an assist from Shane Wright to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Joey Daccord picked up the win with a 21-save performance. Trevor Zegras and Frank Vatrano replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Mason McTavish was held scoreless as he returned to the roster after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Ducks center Leo Carlsson left the game with an upper-body injury in the second period following a hit from Kraken forward Tye Kartye. Before the game, the Ducks placed Brock McGinn (lower body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 24, 2024.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser could return to action on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. He’s missed the last seven games with a concussion.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine participated fully in his club’s practice on Monday. It’s an encouraging sign that Laine is making strides in his recovery from a sprained knee but he’s not expected to return before the end of this week.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded forward Philip Tomasino yesterday to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Tomasino was a first-round pick of the Predators (24th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. General manager Barry Trotz explained that he shipped out the 23-year-old center because of a lack of production over the past two seasons. He believed it was time for a change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tomasino could have a better shot of becoming an NHL regular with the retooling Penguins as they transition younger players into their lineup.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL player turned analyst Paul Bissonnette was assaulted by six individuals at a restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday evening. He said he was trying to intervene after seeing a group of drunken golfers being abusive to the restaurant staff.

Five of the six men face misdemeanors while a sixth faces a felony. Bissonnette said he took a few shots but gave more. He went to the hospital to get checked out following the melee but said he was “all good”, thanking the restaurant staff and the responding police offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2024

by | Nov 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 24, 2024

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby nets his 600th career goal, Avalanche stars Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each reach the 30-point mark, the Sharks retire Joe Thornton’s number, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

**UPDATE**

The St. Louis Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister and replaced him with former Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, signing him to a five-year contract.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his 600th career goal during a 6-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club. Dylan Guenther scored twice and collected an assist while Clayton Keller had three assists for Utah, snapping their three-game losing streak. The Penguins have dropped eight of their last 10 contests (2-5-3).

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby became the 21st player in league history to reach the 600-goal plateau. That goal was the only highlight in an otherwise lopsided loss for the struggling Penguins as they hover near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists in a 7-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. Cale Makar had two assists, Jonathan Drouin scored twice, and Valeri Nichushkin had a goal and two assists for the Avalanche, who’ve won seven of their last nine games. Florida forward Sam Reinhart scored his 16th goal of the season, tying the Edmonton Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl for the league lead. The Panthers have lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen has 32 points and Makar 30, joining teammate Nathan MacKinnon (35 points) to make the Avalanche the first team with three players reaching 30 points at this stage of the season since the 2005-06 Ottawa Senators.

Speaking of the Oilers and Draisaitl, they thumped the New York Rangers 6-2. Draisaitl tallied his 16th of the season and collected an assist while Connor McDavid scored twice and added an assist. Rangers winger Artemi Panarin scored both of his club’s goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse scored a goal as he returned to action after missing three games following a violent hit to his head from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves.

The Buffalo Sabres doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2 as Alex Tuch broke a 2-2 tie with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Bowen Byram each collected two points as their club picked up their third straight victory. Fabian Zetterlund and Luke Kunin replied for the Sharks, who are winless in six of their last seven (1-3-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks retired future Hall-of-Famer Joe Thornton’s No. 19 in a pregame ceremony, joining Patrick Marleau as the only players to be so honored. He’s the franchise leader with 804 assists, second in points with 1,055, and third in games with 1,104.

The most touching moment of the ceremony was when former Sharks defenseman Douglas Murray told the story of how Thornton asked him one day to help him move a homeless mother and her two children into a local apartment, swearing Murray to secrecy. “That’s who the Thorntons are,” said Murray.

The Carolina Hurricanes lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 and lost goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov early in overtime to an upper-body injury following a collision with teammate Sean Walker. Sean Monahan got the game-winner in the shootout after Kirill Marchenko tied the game 4-4 late in the third period, giving the Blue Jackets their third straight victory. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas each had two points for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour addressed Kochetkov’s injury during his postgame interview, saying it didn’t look good but would learn more later about the goalie’s condition. The Hurricanes are already short a netminder with Frederik Andersen sidelined until January following knee surgery.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov’s overtime goal lifted his club to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Sean Couturier and Noah Cates scored as the Flyers overcame a 2-0 deficit, snapping a two-game losing skid. Lukas Reichel and Pat Maroon were the goalscorers for the Blackhawks, who’ve dropped six of their last eight (2-5-1).

The Calgary Flames nipped the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on a shootout goal by Rasmus Andersson. Calgary had taken a 3-1 lead but the Wild rallied late in the third on goals by Brock Faber and Marco Rossi. The Flames have won four straight and five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Marat Khusnutdinov missed this game with lower-body injuries. Kaprizov will be reevaluated when the Wild return to Minnesota on Sunday.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar picked up two assists as his club held off the Seattle Kraken 2-1, handing the latter their fifth straight road loss. Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings while Brandon Montour replied for the Kraken.

A five-goal second period carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights to hold first place in the Pacific Division with 28 points. Brendan Gallagher had two assists for the Canadiens, who pulled goalie Sam Montembeault after he gave up five goals on 25 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights activated defenseman Nicolas Hague off injured reserve for this game. He’d been sidelined for three weeks with an undisclosed injury.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk scored twice and added an assist as his club beat the Ottawa Senators 4-3, handing the latter their fifth straight loss (0-4-1). Kevin Lankinen turned aside 26 shots for the Canucks as they collected their third win in their last seven games. Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson each had two points for the struggling Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was ejected from the game in the first period after receiving a match penalty for cross-checking Senators forward Josh Norris face-first into the boards. Norris briefly left the game to receive treatment for a cut to his face. It was Hughes’ first career major penalty.

The Boston Bruins collected their second straight win under new head coach Joe Sacco with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Brad Marchand snapped a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jeremy Swayman stopped 19 shots for the win. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin picked up his 300th career assist on Raymond’s goal.

Third-period goals by Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz lifted the Dallas Stars over the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2, giving the Stars franchise its 2,000th win. Duchene finished with two points and Jake Oettinger made 27 saves as the Stars have won five of their last six games. Lightning center Anthony Cirelli scored both of his club’s goals.

The New Jersey Devils picked up their fourth win in their last five games by downing the Washington Capitals 3-2. Tomas Tatar had a goal and an assist and Jake Allen turned aside 24 shots for the Devils. Matt Roy and Connor McMichael replied for the Capitals, who dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those losses coincide with the absence of team captain Alex Ovechkin, who leads the club with 15 goals but is sidelined up to six weeks with a fractured left fibula.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Roman Josi lifted the Nashville Predators past the Winnipeg Jets 4-1. Josi scored twice and Marchessault collected two points as the Predators picked up their third win in their last 10 games (3-5-2). Adam Lowry scored for the Jets, who lost defenseman Dylan Samberg with a broken foot after blocking a Stamkos slapshot in the second period.

The New York Islanders snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Brock Nelson had a goal and two assists, Kyle Palmieri tallied twice and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for the win. Jake Neighbours replied for the Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2024

by | Nov 22, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 22, 2024

A 13-goal game between the Blue Jackets and Lightning, Marc-Andre Fleury reaches another career milestone, updates on Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning combined for 13 goals with the Blue Jackets winning in overtime 7-6.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

Defenseman Zach Werenski had a five-point night with two goals (including the game-winner) and three assists, Sean Monahan had a goal and three assists and Kent Johnson tallied twice for the Jackets. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected three assists to surpass the 900-point plateau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games, snapping Tampa Bay’s three-game win streak. Lightning forward Nick Paul missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves in his 1,000th NHL start in a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Frederic Gaudreau tallied twice and collected an assist for the Wild (13-3-3), holding second overall in the Western Conference with 29 points. Corey Perry had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who’ve dropped three of their last four (1-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fleury also passed Patrick Roy for the third-most games played by a goaltender (1,030) in NHL history. He also shrugged off an embarrassing start when he whiffed on a clearing attempt that became the opening goal just 27 seconds into the game.

Oilers forwards Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson missed this game due to undisclosed injuries. Hyman will miss four to seven days while Arvidsson was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Darnell Nurse also missed this game due to a concussion.

Colorado Avalanche forward Miles Wood broke a 1-1 tie early in the third period as his club held on for a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Washington forward Pierre-Luc Dubois opened the scoring but Mikko Rantanen tied it for Colorado in the second period. Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 28 shots for the win in his first game since Nov. 13 after being sidelined by an injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals announced before this game that captain Alex Ovechkin suffered a fractured fibula and would be out for four to six weeks. That could jeopardize his attempt to break Wayne Gretzky’s goalscoring record (894) this season. Ovechkin needs 27 goals to reach 895.

The New Jersey Devils doubled up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2. Jesper Bratt scored two goals and picked up an assist while Jack Hughes had three helpers for the Devils. Jack Roslovic and Andrei Svechnikov replied for the Hurricanes. The Devils and Hurricanes each have 28 points but the Hurricanes hold first overall in the Eastern Conference with three games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes announced goaltender Frederik Andersen will undergo knee surgery sidelining him for eight to 12 weeks. Andersen’s last game was an Oct. 26 win over the Seattle Kraken.

St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington made 22 saves in a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Jake Neighbours netted the winning goal in a shootout. Alexander Wennberg scored both goals for the Sharks while rookie Yaroslav Askarov made 29 saves in his debut with the Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a milestone victory for Binnington, tying him with Mike Liut for the Blues’ record of 151 wins.

The Boston Bruins got their first win under new head coach Joe Sacco as they nipped the Utah Hockey Club 1-0. Elias Lindholm scored the only goal while Joonas Korpisalo turned in a 21-save shutout. Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots.

A third-period goal by Connor Zary lifted the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. MacKenzie Weegar had three assists while Yegor Sherangovich and Matt Coronato each had a goal and an assist for the Flames. Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin kicked out 46 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Jonathan Huberdeau reached a personal milestone with his 500th career NHL assist.

The Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 3-1. Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek turned aside 32 shots while Nick Foligno had a goal and an assist. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart netted his 15th goal of the season, tying Ovechkin and Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the league lead.

Vegas Golden Knights netminder Ilya Samsonov made 38 saves backstopping his club to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, handing the latter their fourth straight defeat (0-3-1). Ivan Barbashev had two assists for the Golden Knights while Linus Ullmark stopped 29 shots for the Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

The Senators are once again on the brink of falling into a hole in the standings too deep to climb out of. With 17 points, they’re second-last in the Eastern Conference. The good news is they’re only four points out of a wild-card berth but they must string some wins together soon or risk another lost season.

Third-period goals by Jonatan Berggren and Lucas Raymond lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the New York Islanders 2-1. Alex Lyon made 22 stops for the Red Wings while Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Red Wings announced that Hall-of-Famer Pavel Datsyuk had signed a one-day contract to retire officially as a Wing. He spent his entire 14-season NHL career with Detroit.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPORTSNET: The NHL department of player safety released a video clarifying its rule regarding illegal hits to the head after three controversial checks resulted in two suspensions.

Those hits included Los Angeles’ Tanner Jeannot’s hit on Vancouver’s Brock Boeser (three-game suspension), Toronto’s Ryan Reaves on Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse (five-game suspension) and Vegas’s Zach Whitecloud’s hit on Toronto’s Matthew Knies (no suspension).

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs are cautiously optimistic that Knies won’t miss much time after leaving Wednesday’s game against the Golden Knights following that big hit by Whitecloud.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks returned forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. It suggests Brock Boeser may be close to returning to action. Boeser’s been sidelined since that hit by Jeannot on Nov. 7.