NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2025

by | Jun 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 8, 2025

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery wins the Jack Adams Award, the winner of the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy may have been inadvertently revealed, the latest on the Oilers and Panthers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals is the 2024-25 winner of the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. Carbery was surprised with the award by his wife and children in-studio during what he thought was an interview with Capitals play-by-play announcer Joe Beninati.

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery (NHL Images).

Carbery guided the Capitals to a 51-22-9 record and a first-overall finish in the Eastern Conference.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carter Brooks reports a slightly out-of-focus photograph circulated on social media Saturday, appearing to show Connor Hellebuyck posing in his backyard with the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Vezina Trophy. The 32-year-old Winnipeg Jets goaltender is a finalist for both awards.

Brooks pointed out that an NHL Media release indicated the winners of those trophies would be officially revealed during its Awards show on June 12.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It won’t be surprising if Hellebuyck won both awards. He had an outstanding regular season and was the most valuable player for his team. He would become the first goaltender to win the Hart and Vezina Trophies since Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens in 2014-15.

NHL.COM: The coaching staff and a cohesive dressing-room environment have contributed to the solid performance of the Florida Panthers’ defense corps. Nate Schmidt, Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are among the blueliners who have thrived in Florida.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples observes that Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse is struggling against the Florida Panthers again. Despite what may be his best regular season, he is having difficulty moving the puck, making unforced icings and turnovers in the first two games of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

Staples noted that Nurse played his best hockey when paired with Troy Stecher, suggesting reuniting the pair. The return of Mattias Ekholm relegated Stecher to the press box, with Nurse paired with Brett Kulak.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Hannah Kirkell cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas recently discussing the health of Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. They observed he skipped the 4 Nations Face Off in February to prioritize getting his body in the best possible shape for the playoffs.

The pair discussed whether Pietrangelo would be available to play for Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics. They don’t know the extent or the nature of the blueliner’s injury, but they wondered if he’d be ready for the start of next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo appeared to be playing with a lower-body injury this season. He had 33 points with a plus-minus of plus-11 in 71 games this season and had six points in 10 playoff games. However, the 17-year NHL veteran is 35 years old, and the physical toll of his long career could be catching up with him.

Pietrangelo is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $8.8 million and a full no-movement clause.

NEW YORK POST: Matthew Schaefer endured a season-ending injury and the recent deaths of his mother and billet mother. Nevertheless, how the 17-year-old Erie Otters defenseman handled the injury and his grief displayed a maturity and character that contributed to his rise to the top of the 2025 NHL Draft rankings.

TVA SPORTS: Radim Mrtka said the Montreal Canadiens are the team that has shown the most interest in him. However, the 17-year-old Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman isn’t expected to be available when the Canadiens make the first of their two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mrtka is a big (6’6”), smooth-skating blueliner who emulates Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings. The report noted he was taken to dinner by the Pittsburgh Penguins last week.

I have the Seattle Kraken taking Mrtka with the eighth overall pick in my mock draft, with the Canadiens choosing defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson of the OHL’s Barrie Colts at No. 16.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins forward Vasily Ponomarev is expected to return to the KHL with Omsk for 2025-26. The 23-year-old restricted free agent was part of the return the Penguins received from the Carolina Hurricanes in last year’s Jake Guentzel trade. He has no points in seven games with the Penguins this season and received no guarantees that he’d be in their lineup for 2025-26.

NEW YORK POST: The longest scoring review in NHL history reached its conclusion with former Hartford Whalers goaltender John Garrett receiving an assist on Gordie Howe’s final NHL goal on Apr. 9, 1980.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Trois-Rivieres Lions are the winners of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup for the first time. They are the secondary affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens and the first Canadian-based team to win the Kelly Cup in six years.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

by | May 3, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2025

The Blues forced a seventh and deciding game with the Jets, Marc-Andre Fleury retires, several major individual award finalists are revealed, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

A four-goal second period lifted the Blues to a 5-2 victory over the Jets in Game 6, tying their series at three games apiece. Alexey Toropchenko and Philip Broberg each had a goal and an assist and Radek Faksa collected two assists. Cole Perfetti and Nino Niederreiter replied for the Jets.

Game 7 will be in Winnipeg on Sunday, May 4, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Every game in this series has been won on home ice. The Jets hope to continue that trend to finish off the pesky Blues, while the latter hopes to ride the shift in momentum to their first road win of this series.

Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was pulled from this game following the second period after giving up five goals on 18 shots. During this series, he’s gotten the hook in every game in St. Louis.

Jets center Mark Scheifele missed this game, remaining in Winnipeg to recover from an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 5. Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after missing seven games with an injured foot.

NHL ALUMNI: Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has announced his retirement after 21 seasons.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We all knew Fleury intended to hang up his pads following this season. The future Hall-of-Famer had an impressive career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.

Fleury’s best seasons were with the Penguins and Golden Knights. He won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins, backstopped the Golden Knights to the Cup Final in 2018 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2021. He’s second all-time among NHL goaltenders with 575 regular-season wins.

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli, and Panthers forward Sam Reinhart for finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy honoring this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barkov won this award in 2020-21 and 2023-24, and will be considered the favorite to win it this season. This is the first time Cirelli and Reinhart have been finalists.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan are the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, honoring the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are worthy finalists but Landeskog should get the nod for resuming his NHL career after spending almost three years recovering from knee surgeries.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point are the finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy honoring the player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lady Byng Trophy gets a bad rap because of its name and that it honors the quaint notion of “gentlemanly conduct”, as if the winner is someone who shys away from physical play. That’s not the case at all. These finalists continue to play a disciplined game at a high level of competition. They’re the players you want on the ice when the game’s on the line.

Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets, Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals, and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens are this year’s finalists for the Jack Adams Award as this season’s NHL Coach of the Year.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are deserving finalists for their efforts to improve their respective teams. I’d give the nod to Carbery, who guided a Capitals team that squeaked into the playoffs last season into the top team in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL announced a change to the coverage of the 2025 Draft Lottery. Instead of a countdown from 16 to 1 after the lottery balls have been drawn behind the scenes, fans will watch live as the lottery balls are drawn at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The drawing will be shown live in-studio for the first time in the lottery’s 30-year history.

The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Monday, May 5, with the Toronto Maple Leafs facing off against the Florida Panthers. Game 1 of the Washington Capitals-Carolina Hurricanes series will begin on Tuesday, May 6.

TSN: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson and defenseman Miro Heiskanen will not be in the lineup for their club’s seventh and deciding game of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Heiskanen hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 28, while Robertson’s been sidelined since Apr. 16 with a knee injury. Game 7 is Saturday in Dallas, with the winner facing the St. Louis Blues or Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois confirmed head coach Jon Cooper will return next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: BriseBois was dispelling a recent rumor claiming Cooper might depart at the end of this season to join the Utah Hockey Club.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: BriseBois also revealed Lightning captain Victor Hedman fractured his right foot in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Florida Panthers.

Center Yanni Gourde broke a finger in Game 1 and center Anthony Cirelli suffered a sprained knee during that game.

BriseBois also said winger Oliver Bjorkstrand suffered a left-thigh acute compartment syndrome on Apr. 11 that required surgery soon afterward, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Winger Nikita Kucherov suffered a left-hand extensor injury on Feb. 25 but continued playing. Forward Luke Glendening suffered an AC joint separation on Apr. 9, forward Nick Paul dealt with a tear in his left wrist, defenseman Erik Cernak suffered a knee contusion in Game 1, and winger Brandon Hagel suffered a concussion in Game 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning were eliminated from their first-round series because the Panthers were the better team. Nevertheless, these injuries factored into their demise.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault said he tore his groin in Game 3 of his club’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals. He won’t require surgery this summer. Meanwhile, winger Patrik Laine suffered a broken finger in Game 2 and missed the remaining three games of the series.

Canadiens winger Josh Anderson revealed he suffered upper and lower-body injuries that he wouldn’t have played through had the club not been in a position to make the playoffs.

NEW YORK POST: John Tortorella will not be returning to the Rangers. It was recently reported that he may be part of new head coach Mike Sullivan’s staff.

Speaking of the Rangers, they signed forward Juuso Parssinen to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks co-owner Paolo Aquilini has stepped down from his positions with the team. The club’s ownership also denied rumors suggesting the club could go up for sale.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

by | May 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

The Canucks advance to the second round, the Golden Knights force Game 7 with the Stars, the Jack Adams Award finalists are revealed, the Penguins make a change to their coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs by eliminating the Nashville Predators with a 1-0 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series. Pius Suter scored the only goal with 1:39 remaining in the game and Arturs Silovs made 28 saves as the Canucks will face the Edmonton Oilers in the next round. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the Predators.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs. (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the fourth straight game in this series that was decided by one goal with the Canucks winning three of those contests. They also got those victories with three different goaltenders. Thatcher Demko won Game 1, Casey DeSmith took Game 3 filling in for the injured Demko, and Silovs got their other two wins from Game 4 onward after DeSmith was sidelined.

The Predators’ popgun powerplay was their biggest weakness, scoring just twice with 22 man-advantage opportunities. They also blew the lead in Games 1 and 4 which proved costly in this series.

There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the Dallas Stars and the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone scored in the third period and Adin Hill made 23 saves as the Golden Knights shut out the Stars 2-0. Jake Oettinger turned aside 28 shots for the Stars. Game 7 goes on Sunday, May 5 in Dallas at 7:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid defensive effort by Vegas made the difference in a goaltender’s duel between Hill and Oettinger. This was also a better-disciplined effort by the Golden Knights, avoiding the costly penalties that led to the Stars’ victories in Games 4 and 5.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators, and Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the league’s Coach of the Year for 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Bowness, Brunette and Tocchet. This is the first time Bowness and Tocchet have been named as finalists for this award. It’s the second time for Brunette as he was runner-up in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins fired associate coach Todd Reirden on Friday. He’d been with the club since 2020-21 and oversaw the club’s power play, which fell to 30th overall this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Sullivan were rumored to be in a “power struggle” over the coaching staff. However, it was clear a change had to be made given the club’s woeful performance on the power play this season.

This could further stoke rumors that Sullivan might quit or get fired but I don’t see either scenario happening. If he were getting fired it would’ve happened by now, especially with notable former NHL coaches like Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Dean Evason and Gerard Gallant available. Reirden’s firing shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for Sullivan.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is progressing in his recovery from an undisclosed illness. However, there’s been no determination regarding his availability for Saturday’s Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. The Leafs scoring star was sidelined for Games 5 and 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will likely be a game-time decision by Matthews and the Leafs depending on how he feels following practice on Saturday.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders confirmed general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy will return next season. Lamoriello sounded open to the possibility of roster changes during the offseason. Eight players are slated to become free agents, five of them unrestricted.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bolstering the offense should be Lamoriello’s priority. The Isles’ limited scoring punch nearly derailed their playoff hopes and proved costly in their elimination from the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty isn’t sure what the future holds after this season. The 34-year-old staged a comeback from double Achilles surgery in 2022-23 and played in 47 games this season but admitted being “a shell of my former self” with four goals and 23 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty is on a one-year, $2 million contract. With the Capitals transitioning toward younger players, it seems unlikely he’ll be brought back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

by | May 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2023

The Hurricanes take a 2-0 series lead over the Devils while the Jack Adams Award finalists are announced. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the New Jersey Devils 6-1 to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series. Jesperi Kotkaniemi tallied twice as the Hurricanes took a 4-0 lead in the first period while Frederik Andersen picked up the win with a 28-save performance. The series shifts to New Jersey for Game 3 on Sunday.

Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are dominating this series, outscoring New Jersey 11-2 in the first two games and outperforming them in every aspect. Following Game 2, Devils captain Nico Hischier said he and his teammates should be “pissed off” over how poorly they’ve played. That sentiment won’t mean much if they don’t find a way to get back into this series.

Devils winger Timo Meier returned to action in this contest after missing Game 1 due to an upper-body injury suffered during Game 7 of his club’s first-round series with the New Jersey Devils.

Dave Hakstol of the Seattle Kraken, Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins, and Lindy Ruff of the Devils are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2022-23.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Sam Bennett was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL player safety department for a cross-check to the neck of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting on Thursday.

TORONTO SUN: Bennett went unpunished for a hit that concussed Leafs rookie forward Matthew Knies in the same game. Knies will miss Games 3 and 4 and could be sidelined for the remainder of the series if it goes beyond Game 4. The Panthers lead two games to none.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett gets a fine for a dangerous hit to an opponent’s neck and nothing for injuring another by slamming him to the ice. And the league wonders why fans and pundits have so much disdain for its so-called “player safety” department.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl left practice early yesterday after being nicked by a puck. Head coach Jay Woodcroft said it was “a little bit of playoff makeup, I think he probably had one or two sutures. He’ll be just fine.”

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning signed forward Mikey Eyssimont to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $800K.

YARDBARKER: Dallas Stars prospect Lian Bichsel underwent surgery to repair a broken ankle. His recovery time is six-to-eight weeks. He was training in preparation to play for Switzerland in the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes it would be a plus for the Senators to have a Hollywood celebrity as part of its potential new ownership group. However, he believes the bids must stand on their own merit. Actor Ryan Reynolds and rapper Snoop Dogg are part of two competing groups bidding for ownership of the Senators. The deadline for binding bids is May 15.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2022

by | Jun 3, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 3, 2022

The Avalanche takes a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals, Darryl Sutter wins the Jack Adams Award plus updates on the Rangers, Lightning and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals by blanking the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 in Game 2 on Thursday. Pavel Francouz turned in a 24-save shutout while Nazem Kadri collected three assists as the Avalanche blew the game open with three goals in a 2:04-minute span in the second period. Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen each had a goal and an assist. The next two games are in Edmonton with Game 3 on Saturday.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are in big trouble as they head home for what will be the most crucial stretch of this series. After a sloppy 8-6 loss in Game 1, their offense was smothered by the Avalanche’s checking and Francouz’s goaltending in Game 2. They’re still having difficulty coping with the Avs’ speed, depth, and puck possession. If the Oilers don’t find solutions soon, this series will end in Edmonton by Game 4 on Monday.

THE DENVER POST: Speaking of Kadri, not only is he enjoying a postseason worthy of MVP recognition but he’s also turning Muslim kids in Denver into hockey fans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kadri’s performance in this postseason has been outstanding thus far. If his efforts are inspiring kids who share his faith to take up the game, it’s a welcome boost to the sport’s popularity and diversity.

SPORTSNET: Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto left Game 2 with an upper-body injury. It may have been the result of an open-ice hit by Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word yet if he’ll miss the upcoming games in Edmonton.

Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter is this year’s winner of the Jack Adams Award. In his first full season behind the Flames bench, he guided them to first place in the Pacific Division with 111 points. Sutter was a finalist for the award in 2004 during his first stint coaching the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise Sutter took home the award. The Flames made significant improvement, entering this season considered at best a wild-card contender after missing the playoffs during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

NEW YORK POST: Filip Chytil’s performance in this postseason could address the Rangers’ concerns over their second-line center position following this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been speculation for months suggesting the Rangers could either overpay to re-sign pending UFA Ryan Strome or seek a replacement via this summer’s trade or free-agent markets. It will save them a lot of time and money if they feel Chytil’s improved effort in this postseason will carry forward into next season and beyond.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Injuries to several players are testing the Lightning’s depth. Center Brayden Point remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Brandon Hagel remains hampered by a left-leg injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There are probably other Lightning players’ nursing injuries considering their shot-blocking defensive style.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal intends to ride out the final season of his contract before deciding on his future. He’s signed through 2022-23 and becomes a UFA next summer.

ESPN.COM: Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis suffered an apparent concussion following a hit by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba in Game 7 of their second-round series. He also faces dental work from a hit earlier in the series. Meanwhile, goalie Antti Raanta suffered a sprained MCL in that game that would’ve sidelined him six-to-eight weeks had the Hurricanes not been eliminated.

TSN: Jake Gardiner has received medical clearance to resume his playing career. The 31-year-old Hurricanes defenseman spent the entire season on long-term injury reserve following hip and back surgeries in September.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars winger Alexander Radulov could be returning to the KHL next season. Ak Bars Kazan teased a possible Radulov signing with a video on Twitter featurning the 35-year-old forward. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 13.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Tempe City Council voted 5-2 to enter negotiations with the Arizona Coyotes and its developer on plans for a new arena and entertainment district.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke remotely at the public meeting, promising the new arena would host an All-Star Game and the NHL Draft if built. He also said the Coyotes would not be allowed to relocate for 30 years.

THE PROVINCE: Former NHL player Gino Odjick will be inducted on June 9 into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. He spent 12 seasons in the NHL, nearly eight of those with the Vancouver Canucks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2022

by | May 20, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 20, 2022

The Lightning takes a 2-0 series lead over the Panthers, the Blues tie their series with the Avalanche, the Jack Adams Award finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series over the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 victory in Game 2. Ross Colton snapped a 1-1 tie with 3.8 seconds remaining in the third period on a terrific behind-the-back pass by Nikita Kucherov from behind the Panthers’ net. Corey Perry opened the scoring for the Lightning in the first period but Eetu Luostarinen tied the game in the second. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 35 saves for the win while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for the Panthers. The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Game 3 on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning have done an outstanding job neutralizing the Panthers’ vaunted offense, limiting the league’s high-scoring team in the regular season to just two goals thus far. They’re doing it with solid physical defensive play and strong goaltending from Vasilevskiy.

Like it or not, the Lightning are a great team, and great teams find a way to win. The Maple Leafs learned that lesson in the first round. Now, it’s the Panthers’ turn, and if they don’t address this issue soon, they’ll be joining the Leafs on the golf course next week.

St. Louis Blues winger David Perron (NHL Images).

A two-goal performance by David Perron led the St. Louis Blues to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 to tie their second-round series at a game apiece. Pavel Buchnevich collected two assists while Jordan Binnington kicked out 30 shots for the win. Gabriel Landeskog tallied the Avs’ lone goal. The series heads to St. Louis for Game 3 on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 1 was all about the Avalanche’s dominance. It was a different story in Game 2, thanks again to Binnington’s goaltending but also head coach Craig Berube shuffling his lines. Buchnevich was moved to the first line with Perron and Ryan O’Reilly, Robert Thomas centered the second line with Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad, while Vladimir Tarasenko was moved to the third line alongside Brayden Schenn and Ivan Barbashev.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers’ Andrew Brunette, the New York Rangers’ Gerard Gallant, and the Calgary Flames’ Darryl Sutter are the finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach in 2021-22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gallant won the award as coach of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and was a finalist with the Florida Panthers in 2015-16. It’s the second time Sutter has been named a finalist and the first time for Brunette.

Sutter shrugged off the nomination. He said he’d rather see it go to younger coaches or to Gallant, who he felt got a raw deal with the Golden Knights and Panthers over the way he was let go by those clubs.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Bruins president Cam Neely told reporters on Thursday that the club intends to extend the contract of general manager Don Sweeney. However, he was vague over the future of head coach Bruce Cassidy, suggesting the club needs some changes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe a coaching change will improve the Bruins next season. On the other hand, replacing Cassidy would make him appear the scapegoat for the front office’s inability to address the roster’s weaknesses, especially at the second-line center position.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Sweeney indicated he intends to open contract extension talks with David Pastrnak as soon as possible. The 25-year-old winger is eligible next summer for unrestricted free agent status.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s no indication that Pastrnak would entertain hitting the open market next summer. I expect the Bruins will try to get him signed to an eight-year extension worth between $8 million and $9 million annually.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Mike Smith will return in goal for the Oilers in Game 2 tonight against the Calgary Flames. He got the hook early in the first period of Game 1 after giving up three goals on 10 shots.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals winger T.J. Oshie faces some decisions over his recovery and healing from different ailments suffered over the course of this season. The 35-year-old winger was limited to 44 games this season by multiple injuries.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Aging bodies don’t bounce back as quickly from injuries. Oshie might also have to change the way he conducts his offseason training.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Anaheim Ducks forward Dominik Simon confirmed an altercation with Detroit Red Wings defenseman (and Czechia teammate) Filip Hronek during the ongoing World Championships led to his recent decision to leave the Czechia team and return home. Simon took responsibility for the incident, citing emotions from a recent game and from his personal life that led to his attempt to provoke a fight with Hronek.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan laments the deluge of sports betting ads on Hockey Night in Canada during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I understand why the NHL and HNiC are pushing gambling given the league’s recent tapping into the lucrative sports betting market. However, they’re going overboard with the neverending ads during commercial breaks and the constant huckstering by the HNiC staff. I also share Cowan’s unease over the effect it could have on compulsive gamblers and their families.

NORTH JERSEY.COM: New Jersey Devils play-by-play announcer Steve Cangialosi is stepping down after 11 seasons.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Savannah Ghost Pirates will be the ECHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Love the name of the franchise and the logo. I’ll have to look into buying a Ghost Pirates hat or a jersey at some point.