NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2024
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2024
Recaps of Sunday’s game and the Leafs Morgan Rielly faces an in-person hearing for cross-checking Ridly Greig. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: An overtime goal by J.T. Miller with 4.8 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots for the 35-12-6 Canucks (76 points) as they opened a three-point lead over the Boston Bruins for first place in the overall standings. Alex Ovechkin scored for the fifth straight game as his Capitals (23-20-8) sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.
St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug collected five assists as his club thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-2. Robert Thomas had a goal and three assists while Jordan Kyrou tallied twice for the Blues (28-21-2) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 58 points. Nick Suzuki and Joel Armia scored for the 21-23-8 Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug’s five assists were a single-game franchise record for a Blues defenseman.
Meanwhile, Canadiens blueliner Jordan Harris left the game with an upper-body injury (suspected concussion) after being boarded by Blues forward Sammy Blais, who received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Before this contest, the Canadiens announced that forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard would be sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.
HEADLINES
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has an in-person meeting with the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Ridly Grieg during Saturday’s game between their two clubs. Rielly took exception over Greig firing a slap shot into the empty Leafs net during the dying seconds of the game.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly could be facing a suspension of five games for more. Meanwhile, Leafs and Senators fans lit up social media over the weekend arguing over the incident.
With the Senators assured of victory in that game, Greig may have been rubbing it in a bit with his slapshot empty-netter. Frustrated over the game’s result, Rielly took exception to it.
Rielly’s defenders argue that Greig violated an unwritten code or was guilty of poor sportsmanship. However, there is nothing in the rule book against the way that goal was scored. It was no excuse for Rielly deliberately attempting to injure Greig by cross-checking him in the head.
NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined $5,000.00 for spearing Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty on Saturday.
CBS SPORTS: Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno will miss the club’s next two games with a lower-body injury.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice picked up his 850th career NHL coaching victory when his club shut out the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 on Saturday. He moved into sole possession of fifth place for the most coaching victories in league history.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey Devils bench boss Lindy Ruff sits nine wins ahead of Maurice in fourth place with 859.