NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

by | Feb 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 3, 2025

A milestone game for Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the first player to reach 80 points this season, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick made 34 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the first US-born netminder to reach the 400-win milestone. Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and two assists and J.T. Miller collected two assists for the Rangers (54 points), who sit five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Jack Eichel scored both goals for the Golden Knights (68 points), who are 1-2-2 in their last five games and remain in second place in the Pacific Division.

New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller is wasting little time making a positive impact on the Rangers. He has four points in his first two games since the Blueshirts reacquired him from the Canucks on Friday. It may have helped the struggling Zibanejad regain his scoring touch after being shifted to right wing on the Rangers’ top line alongside Miller and Zibanejad.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored to become the first player to reach 80 points this season as his club blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Avalanche picked up their second straight win and hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 64 points. The Flyers have dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon holds a three-point lead over Edmonton’s Leon Draisailt in the points race. He also leads all players with 60 assists.

Dallas Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov tallied twice in the third period in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets. Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each collected two assists as the Stars collected their fifth straight win and sit second in the Central Division with 69 points. Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro and forward Kirill Marchenko left the game due to injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets weren’t pleased with the officiating in this game, questioning two of the Stars’ goals and Stars forward Mason Marchment going unpunished for elbowing Fabbro in the face. Marchenko was sidelined after taking a puck to the chin while sitting on the bench. Stars forward Mavrik Bourque also left this game in the third period when he was struck in the face by the puck.

Blue Jackets winger James van Riemsdyk played in this game despite losing four teeth during Friday’s game against Utah when he was crosschecked by Ian Cole. He returned to action after receiving 30 stitches, then underwent surgery following the game when an x-ray revealed one of his missing teeth was lodged in his bottom lip.

The Florida Panthers got a hat trick from Carter Verhaeghe to beat the New York Islanders 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov picked up three assists as his club has won three straight and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points. The Islanders sit four points behind the Blue Jackets with 55 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders played without forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Scott Mayfield. They were sidelined by injuries during Saturday’s win over Tampa Bay.

An overtime goal by Alex DeBrincat lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Vancouver Canucks 3-2, giving the red-hot Wings their sixth straight win. DeBrincat also scored in regulation to finish the night with two goals, vaulting over the Blue Jackets into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 59 points. Filip Chytil scored in his first game with the Canucks since being acquired from the Rangers on Friday. The Canucks (57 points) sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild card.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings activated Patrick Kane off injured reserve and placed forward J.T. Compher on IR. Wings defenseman Jeff Petry underwent surgery and will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. He’d been sidelined since Jan. 2.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was a late scratch from this game with an undisclosed injury. Teammate Kyle Sherwood returned to action after missing four games due to injury.

Speaking of the Flames, they nipped the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 20th goal of the season while Morgan Frost scored his first goal with the Flames since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev scored for the Kraken, who’ve lost three of their last four games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils. Thompson left the game in the third period following a blindside hit by Devils forward Stefan Noesen, who was ejected as a result. Paul Cotter scored two goals for the Devils as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 64 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff told reporters after the game that Thompson passed each test in the NHL’s concussion protocol. He’ll be held out of Monday’s practice as a precaution.

The Anaheim Ducks overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Alex Killorn snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Ducks picked up their fourth win in their last five games. The Canadiens (53 points) are winless in their last five games (0-4-1) and six points behind the Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens are plummeting back to earth following a five-week streak where they were among the hottest teams in the league, winning 13 of 17 games from Dec. 17 to Jan. 21.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou snapped a 1-1 tie to give his club a 2-1 win over the Utah Hockey Club. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots to snap a four-game losing skid. Utah has lost five straight.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the skyrocketing salary cap has raised concern that it could create a new era of have-and-have-not teams, in which bigger markets gain a financial advantage to outspend smaller markets unable to spend toward the cap. It could invite renewed discussion of enhanced revenue sharing in the next round of collective bargaining slated to begin this month.

TVA SPORTS: Canadiens winger Patrik Laine confirmed he became addicted to video games as a refuge during a dark period following the sudden death of his father. He found they briefly eased his anxiety before he hit rock bottom, forcing him to seek help from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

Laine is doing better in Montreal, regaining his love of hockey and finding solace in religion with his fiancee Jordan Leigh.

He also believes his critical comments about the Columbus Blue Jackets prompted his former teammates to target him during his first game against them in December. He regrets those remarks, and won’t say anything negative about another organization again.

OTTAWA SUN: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will receive an in-person hearing with the league’s department of player safety for his attempt to injure Senators center Tim Stutzle on Saturday.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Senators, they’ve returned goalie Leevi Merilainen to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Starter Linus Ullmark is expected to return to action after being sidelined by a back injury since Dec. 22.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

by | Feb 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 2, 2025

Recaps of Saturday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for January are unveiled, the Sharks trade Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras and Pavel Zacha each collected two points for the Bruins (58 points), who sit behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. J.T. Miller scored twice in his first game with the Rangers since they reacquired him from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss leaves the Rangers (52 points) six points behind the Lightning. Blueshirts forward Jimmy Vesey was a healthy scratch for the ninth straight game. He recently lamented that his situation left him feeling he had “no role or purpose” with the team but head coach Peter Laviolette insists he remains an important part of the roster.

Meanwhile, the Lightning dropped a 3-2 decision to the New York Islanders. Tony DeAngelo scored in overtime and Adam Boqvist netted his first goal with the Isles since being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov replied for the Lightning (58 points), who cling to the final Eastern wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Bruins. The Islanders (55 points) have won seven straight and are three points back of the Bolts.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are on a tear despite being walloped by injuries. They announced on Saturday that goaltender Semyon Varlamov remains sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury. He joined goalie Marcus Hogberg and defensemen Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson and Mike Reilly on injured reserve.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice collected his 900th NHL win as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Sam Reinhart had a goal and two assists while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe each picked up two points for the Panthers (65 points), who hold a one-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. Blackhawks forward Logan Slaggert opened the scoring just seven seconds into the game, setting a franchise record for the fastest game-opening goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice becomes the fourth coach in league history to reach the 900-win milestone. Meanwhile, Barkov joined Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne as the third Finnish player to record 200 multi-point games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy returned to action after missing 13 games with a groin injury.

The Winnipeg Jets got an overtime goal from Josh Morrissey to nip the Washington Capitals 5-4, giving the Jets 77 points and a two-point lead over the Capitals for first place in the overall standings. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 877th NHL regular-season goal. Morrisey finished the night with two goals while Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg each had a goal and an assist for the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is 18 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson had a goal and three assists while goalie Leevi Merilainen made 16 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild. Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each had a goal and two assists for the Senators, who picked up their fourth straight win and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 60 points. The Wild’s three-game win streak ended as they remain third in the Central Division with 66 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a match penalty for intent to injure Stutzle following a face-off draw when he pushed Stutzle’s head into the ice. The Senators center received treatment for cuts above his left eye and finished the game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three first-period goals and Mitch Marner tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the third as they held off the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. Marner and teammate Auston Matthews each had two points while Joseph Woll kicked out 45 shots for the win. Evan Bouchard and Brett Kulak each had two points for the Oilers, who remain in second place in the Pacific Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed this game due to illness. Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson left this contest after the second period with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Leafs rearguard Jani Hakanpaa ended his comeback bid for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off as he continues to deal with a lingering knee injury.

Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Phillip Danault and Quinton Byfield each picked up two points for the Kings, who sit third in the Pacific Division with 60 points. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes as their seven-game points streak ended, leaving them second in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes’ Brent Burns collected an assist to become the 13th defenseman in league history to reach the 900-point milestone. He’s the only active blueliner on that list. Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov missed this game with an upper-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings picked up their fifth straight win by dousing the Calgary Flames 3-1. Cam Talbot turned aside 33 shots while Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson and Andrew Copp tallied for the Red Wings (57 points), leaving them one point out of the final Eastern wild card. Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames, who’ve lost three of their last four contests and cling to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 57 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Sidney Crosby extended his goal streak to four games, Philip Tomasino scored against his former club for the first time and Bryan Rust netted his 20th of the season. The Predators have dropped four straight.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were the league’s three stars for January 2025. Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf was named Rookie of the Month.

The Dallas Stars acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-rounder in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund and Ceci are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Granlund was reportedly interested in signing an extension with the rebuilding Sharks, but general manager Mike Grier opted to move the pair to stockpile draft picks, giving his club two first-rounders this year.

Dallas made this move to bolster their roster for a potential Stanley Cup run this season. Granlund has 45 points in 52 games, putting him on pace to reach 60 points for the second straight year. Ceci is an experienced right-shot defenseman who’ll provide depth on the right side of the Stars blueline.

The Stars put center Tyler Seguin and defenseman Nils Lundkvist on long-term injury reserve to free up cap space to acquire Granlund and Ceci. Seguin underwent hip surgery in December and could return to action during the playoffs, when salary-cap constraints no longer apply. Lundkvist is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks GM Patrick Allvin met with the media on Saturday to explain why his club traded J.T. Miller to the Rangers on Friday. He felt he had no choice but to move the 31-year-old center for his own well-being and the sake of the club’s culture, which had been upset by a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller got off to a great start in his first game back with the Rangers by scoring two goals. All eyes in Vancouver will be on whether Pettersson regains his scoring touch after struggling through the first half of this season.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Canucks, they placed winger Philip Di Giuseppe on waivers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

by | Apr 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2024

The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ties a scoring record with Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews sets the Leafs single-season goal record, the Red Wings and Islanders remain in the Eastern Conference wildcard chase, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals and collected an assist to tie Wayne Gretzky with 19 seasons averaging a point-per-game in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers. Bryan Rust also tallied twice for the 33-30-11 Penguins (77 points) as they move to within five points of the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Rangers (50-21-4) remain in first place in the overall standings with 104 points.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A point-per-game in 19 straight seasons is a phenomenal achievement for the 36-year-old Crosby. He has 82 points this season in 74 games. Crosby also needs just three assists to reach the 1,000-assist milestone. He’s 13 goals from the 600 career goal milestone and 16 points from the 1,600-point plateau. Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry and defenseman John Ludvig were late scratches from this game due to illness.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews broke his franchise single-season goals record with his 61st and 62nd goals as his club downed the Florida Panthers 6-4. Matthews also collected an assist to finish with three points for the Leafs (43-22-9), who won their third straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 95 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists and Sam Reinhart tallied his 52nd goal for the 47-23-5 Panthers, who sit seventh in the overall standings with 99 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With eight games remaining in the Leafs schedule, Matthews has a chance to become the first player to score 70 goals in a season since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny in 1992-93. He holds a 10-goal lead over Reinhart and the Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Hyman in the race for the Maurice Richard Trophy. Meanwhile, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe left this game early in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Panthers coach Paul Maurice considers him day-to-day.

The Detroit Red Wings remain in the Eastern wildcard race with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Perron snapped a 2-2 tie, Lucas Raymond netted his 25th goal of the season and Alex Lyon stopped 34 shots for the 37-30-8 Red Wings, who sit behind the Washington Capitals with 82 points. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to tie Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the points lead with 127. The Bolts (41-26-7) hold the first Eastern wildcard with 89 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings and Capitals have the same points total but the latter holds that wildcard with two games in hand.

An overtime goal by Brock Nelson lifted the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3. Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots for the 32-27-15 Islanders as they sit three points behind the Red Wings and Capitals. Morgan Frost scored in the final 10 seconds to force overtime for the Flyers (36-29-11), who picked up a point to regain third place in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nelson and teammate Bo Horvat each scored their 30th goal of the season in this game. Meanwhile, Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov made his NHL debut (stopping 19 of 21 shots) as he replaced Samuel Ersson, who gave up two goals on six shots. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale returned to action after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury. However, team captain Sean Couturier left the game with an apparent upper-body injury.

The Colorado Avalanche failed to gain ground in the overall standings as they fell 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Alexander Nylander tallied twice and Kirill Marchenkov picked up his 20th goal of the season for the 25-38-12 Blue Jackets. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was held scoreless as his club sits sixth overall with 100 points (47-22-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins missed this game with a lower-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Cole Perfetti scored twice and collected an assist as the Winnipeg Jets nipped the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 to snap their six-game losing skid. Kyle Connor collected three assists for the Jets, who improved to 45-24-6 to sit third in the Central Division with 96 points. Viktor Arvidsson, Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (38-25-11) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 87 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Tyler Toffoli missed this game due to illness. Kings center Phillip Danault did not dress due to an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues winger Brandon Saad scored in overtime to give his club a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Brayden Schenn tallied twice for the Blues, who improved to 40-31-4 and sit three points behind the Kings for that final Western wildcard. Mattias Ekholm had a goal and an assist for the 45-23-5 Oilers as they sit second in the Pacific Division with 95 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist for his 126th point of the season, sitting one behind Kucherov and MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He’s also just three assists away from reaching the 100-point mark in a single season. The last player to do that was Wayne Gretzky with 122 in 1990-91.

The Seattle Kraken doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shane Wright scored what proved to be the winning goal in his first game since being called up from the minors while Oliver Bjorkstrand netted his 20th of the season for the 31-30-13 Kraken. Fabian Zetterlund tallied his 21st of the season for the 17-49-8 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson and New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere were the league’s three stars for the week ending March 31.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman received a three-game suspension from the NHL department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct. He hurled his stick toward the on-ice officials following the Wild’s 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights on Saturday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2024

by | Apr 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 1, 2024

The Canucks reach the 100-point plateau, the Devils’ Dougie Hamilton’s season is likely over, the Stars’ Chris Tanev reevaluated following an injury on Saturday, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks became the sixth team to reach 100 points this season by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Dakota Joshua scored twice, including the game-winner, and Brock Boeser tallied his 38th goal of the season. The Canucks improved to 46-20-8 and moved into fifth place in the overall standings. Rookie Olen Zellweger scored his first NHL goal for the 24-47-4 Ducks.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils interim head coach Travis Green said on Saturday that Dougie Hamilton’s season is probably over. The 30-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since Dec. 1 following surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils were off to a stumbling start to this season before Hamilton was injured but were only two points out of a wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference. The absence of their top defenseman contributed to their inability to clinch a playoff spot this season.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars defenseman Chris Tanev was reevaluated Sunday after leaving Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. The injury occurred in the third period as Tanev was hit from behind by Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson, who received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing on the play. Tanev left the game immediately favoring his right arm.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will have a hearing with the NHL’s department of player safety for unsportsmanlike conduct during Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Hartman threw his stick in the direction of an official. He was upset over what he considered a lack of a high-sticking call against Vegas’ Noah Hanifin.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have recalled center Shane Wright from their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. Wright was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. This is his second stint this season with the Kraken, having played three games in November.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Critics have been quick to label Wright a draft bust, overlooking that some players can take longer to develop than others. The 20-year-old center still has plenty of time to become a full-time NHL player and perhaps blossom into a star. The Kraken hope Wright will contend for a full-time roster spot in training camp this fall.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Arizona Coyotes forwards Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan are providing a sense of hope for the future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trio are promising youngsters with bright futures who could form the basis of a strong core of talent for the Coyotes in a few years. Speaking of Doan, he collected an assist on Saturday, becoming the first player in franchise history to register points in his first three NHL games. Doan scored two goals in his first game and collected two assists in the second one.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2024

by | Jan 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 3, 2024

Connor McDavid exceeds 900 career points with a five-point performance, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin move up in the all-time points lists, the three stars and rookie of the month are revealed and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored a goal and set up four others to exceed 900 career points in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tallied twice and collected an assist while Zach Hyman had a goal and two assists for the 19-15-1 Oilers (39 points), who sit one point behind the Arizona Coyotes for the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee each had two points for the Flyers (19-13-5) as they slipped into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 43 points.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 903 points in 602 NHL regular-season games, McDavid is the fifth-fastest player to reach the 900-point plateau. Wayne Gretzky is the all-time leader, accomplishing the feat in 382 games, followed by Mario Lemieux (463), Mike Bossy (582) and Peter Stastny (599). He also moved into third place in this season’s scoring race with 53 points.

The Washington Capitals scored four goals in the first period and held on to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Tom Wilson, Beck Malenstyn, Martin Fehervary and Alex Ovechkin were the goals scorers for the Capitals (18-11-6) as they hold the second Eastern wild-card berth with 42 points. Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel replied for the 18-14-4 Penguins, who sit two points behind the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby had a goal and an assist to collect his 1,540th career point to take over sole possession of 12th place on the all-time points leaderboard. Ovechkin picked up his 1,507th career point for the seventh-most with a single franchise, sitting behind the sixth-place Crosby.

Penguins winger Bryan Rust returned to the lineup after being sidelined since Dec. 6 with an upper-body injury while Matt Nieto (lower body) was shifted to long-term injury reserve.

The Boston Bruins regained top spot in the overall standings with 52 points in a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. James van Riemsdyk led the way with a goal and two assists for the 23-7-6 Bruins while Linus Ullmark got the win with a 26-save performance. Kent Johnson scored for the 12-19-8 Blue Jackets.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and Brady Skjei collected three assists in a 6-1 drubbing of the New York Rangers. Pyotr Kochetkov made 28 saves for the Hurricanes (21-13-4) as they’ve won four straight games and moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 46 points. Chris Kreider scored for the Rangers (25-10-1) as they slipped into second place in the overall standings with 51 points.

The Vancouver Canucks scored five goals in the first period in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Elias Pettersson and Pius Suter each tallied twice while Thatcher Demko kicked out 35 shots for the Canucks (24-10-3) as they hold first place in the Western Conference with 51 points. Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals for the 14-19-0 Senators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks forward Phillip Di Giuseppe left this game in the first period with an undisclosed injury.

An overtime goal by Nathan MacKinnon lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the New York Islanders by a score of 5-4. MacKinnon also picked up two assists, Valeri Nichushkin netted two goals and Cale Makar collected three assists for the 24-11-3 Avalanche as they hold first place in the Central Division with 51 points. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist for the 17-10-10 Islanders as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders also lost goaltender Semyon Varlamov in the first period and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo in the second to injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their conditions. The Avalanche sit second overall in the Western Conference as the Canucks hold a game in hand.

The Winnipeg Jets extended their points streak to nine games by doubling up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 32 shots while Vladislav Namestnikov collected three assists for the Jets (23-9-4) as they sit one point behind the Avalanche in second place in the Central Division. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov scored for the 18-16-5 Lightning (41) as they sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov collected two points and leads all scorers with 63 points, two ahead of Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. The Lightning also played with five defensemen as Erik Cernak is day-to-day with an upper-body injury while Haydn Fleury (upper body) is week-to-week.

Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist as his club held off the Dallas Stars 4-3 to snap a three-game losing skid. Jordan Harris also had a goal and an assist while Sam Montembeault made 30 saves for the 16-16-5 Canadiens. Mason Marchment picked up two assists for the Stars (22-10-4) as they sit third in the Central Division with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens winger Josh Anderson left the game with an apparent injury to his right leg midway through the third period. He will be re-evaluated once the Canadiens return to Montreal.

The Florida Panthers picked up their fifth straight victory by downing the Arizona Coyotes 4-1. Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist as the Panthers (23-12-2) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 48 points. Karel Vejmelka stopped 35 shots for the Coyotes (19-15-2) as they cling to the final Western wild-card spot with 40 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Martin Jones made 31 saves to blank the Los Angeles Kings 3-0. William Nylander potted two goals to reach 50 points on the season as the 18-10-7 Leafs hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 43 points. Cam Talbot made 26 stops for the Kings (20-9-5), who sit third in the Pacific Division with 45 points.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros turned in a 21-save shutout in a 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O’Reilly each had a goal and an assist for the 21-16-1 Predators as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 43 points. Arvid Soderblom stopped 33 shots for the 11-24-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackhawks winger Anthony Beauviller joined their growing list of sidelined veterans as he left this game with an injured left wrist.

The Calgary Flames defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-1. Jonathan Huberdeau scored his first goal since Nov. 20 while Jacob Markstrom stopped 28 shots for the 16-16-5 Flames. Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves for the 16-16-4 Wild.

Detroit Red Wings forward David Perron scored two third-period goals in a 5-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks, handing the latter their ninth straight loss. Lucas Raymond had three assists for the 18-16-4 Red Wings as they sit two points out of an Eastern wild-card spot with 40 points. Mario Ferraro collected two assists for the 9-26-3 Sharks.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck are the NHL’s Three Stars for December 2023. For the second straight month, Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard was named Rookie of the Month.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman was fined $4,427.08 for high-sticking Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following Hartman’s fine, Perfetti told reporters that the Wild forward told him the infraction was retaliation for uncalled cross-checks by Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon on Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov that forced the latter from the game. Perfetti was wearing a microphone for this game and said the exchange was recorded.

If so, and the league didn’t take that into account when handing down their verdict, it’s yet another example of why so many fans and pundits have a low opinion of the league’s department of player safety.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils winger Timo Meier is sidelined with a “mid-body injury” Head coach Lindy Ruff is hopeful Meier won’t be sidelined for long.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres captain Kyle Okposo is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

by | Dec 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2023

A milestone game for the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon, the Sabres rebound from a nine-goal loss with a nine-goal victory, the Canucks move into first place in the overall standings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored four goals )including his 300th career tally) and collected an assist in a 6-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. MacKinnon extended his points streak to 17 games while Mikko Rantanen scored twice for the 20-11-2 Avalanche, who sit second in the Central Division with 42 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the Senators (11-17-0) as they dropped their sixth straight game and their second under interim coach Jacques Martin.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With 53 points, MacKinnon sits four behind Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov for the league scoring lead. Meanwhile, the constant losing by the Senators is frustrating team captain Brady Tkachuk. “It’s a pretty s****y feeling, and I don’t think I’ve felt worse in my life. This is not fun right now,” said Tkachuk.

After losing 9-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous game, the Buffalo Sabres bounced back by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 9-3. Jeff Skinner scored two goals and set up another in his return from injury, Kyle Okposo tallied twice, Tage Thompson had a goal and two assists while Alex Tuch collected four helpers for the 14-17-3 Sabres. Auston Matthews netted his league-leading 26th goal of the season for the Leafs (16-8-6) as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews called this loss “the worst game since I’ve been here”, calling his club’s performance “embarrassing.” It was a rough night for the Leafs goaltenders. Ilya Samsonov got the hook in the second period after giving up five goals on 19 shots. Martin Jones fared little better, allowing four goals and 15 shots.

Meanwhile, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was still fuming over Sabres fans chanting for head coach Don Granato to be fired during their last game. He considered that criticism of Granato unfair, blaming that lopsided loss on himself and his teammates. “We really wanted to back Donnie, that was the main focus today and he got way too much heat the other game, he didn’t deserve it,” said Dahlin.

An overtime goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Dallas Stars over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. Duchene and Thomas Harley each finished with a goal and an assist for the Stars (19-8-4) as they vaulted over the Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets to regain first place in the Central. Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks (22-9-3), who moved past the Vegas Golden Knights into first place in the overall standings with 47 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have the same amount of points as the Golden Knights but hold first place as they have one more regulation win. Meanwhile, Dallas and Colorado also have the same amount of points (42) but the Stars hold two games in hand.

Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. While his agent recently said his client loves playing in Vancouver and there’s a plan with the club to improve his game, his ongoing absence from the lineup will ensure the trade rumors keep swirling.

Speaking of the Golden Knights, they dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning as Nick Paul potted the game-winner late in the third period. Paul and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point scored two goals and set up another while Victor Hedman had three assists for the 16-13-5 Lightning (37 points), who sit one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev missed this game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal lifted his team past the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Crosby also scored in regulation while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the win as the Penguins improved to 15-13-4. Teuvo Teravainen replied for the 17-12-4 Hurricanes.

An overtime goal by Alex Ovechkin gave the Washington Capitals a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anthony Mantha scored twice for the Capitals (17-9-4) as they hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 38 points. Cole Sillinger and Yegor Chinakhov scored for the 11-17-6 Blue Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was Ovechkin’s first goal in 15 games. Emotions boiled over during the overtime period as Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and Capitals winger Tom Wilson traded blows during a tangle-up in the Jackets net. The Capitals and Hurricanes have the same amount of points but the Capitals hold three games in hand.

The Edmonton Oilers tallied four unanswered goals led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a goal and an assist while Ryan McLeod tallied twice for the 14-15-1 Oilers. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for the 16-13-2 Devils.

St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich scored two goals and set up another as his club downed the Florida Panthers 4-1. Robert Thomas collected three assists while Joel Hofer made 37 saves for the 16-15-1 Blues. Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers (18-12-2), who’ve dropped four of their last five games but remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

The Nashville Predators doubled up the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on two goals by Philip Tomasino, snapping the Flyers’ nine-game points streak. Juuse Saros turned aside 29 shots for the Predators (19-14-0) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 38 points. Morgan Frost and Sean Couturier replied for the 18-11-3 Flyers as they sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Yakov Trenin was ejected from this game for boarding Frost during the second period. Frost spent several minutes in the Flyers dressing room but returned to finish the game.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Kaprizov and Marco Rossi each finished with a goal and two assists for the 14-13-4 Wild while Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky each had a goal and an assist for the 14-13-5 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild played without forward Ryan Hartman as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom kicked out 25 shots to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0. Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists for the Flames (14-14-5) as they’ve won three straight games. The Ducks dropped to 12-20-0 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks welcomed back Mason McTavish and Jamie Drysdale following their lengthy absences due to injuries. However, they also lost rookie Leo Carlsson to what could be a serious injury to his right leg after he and Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar became entangled during the third period.

The Arizona Coyotes picked up their fourth straight win by downing the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Clayton Keller and Alex Kerfoot each had a goal and two assists for the 17-13-2 Coyotes, who hold the final Western wild-card spot with 36 points. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves for the Sharks (9-21-3) as they made forward Alexander Barabanov a late scratch due to illness.