Maple Leafs Need Matthews At His Best To Achieve Overdue Playoff Success

by | Apr 17, 2022

Maple Leafs Need Matthews At His Best To Achieve Overdue Playoff Success

In his sixth NHL season, Auston Matthews is on a torrid goal-scoring pace not seen in the league for some time.

With 58 goals in 69 games entering Sunday’s game against the New York Islanders, the 24-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs center is poised to become the first player to score 60 goals in a season since Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos in 2011-12. With seven games remaining in the schedule, he also has a shot at becoming the first player to reach 65 goals since Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08.

Matthews has already secured his spot in Leafs history by establishing their single-season goal-scoring record. Having become the first player in franchise history to win the Maurice Richard Trophy with 41 goals in 52 games last season, he seems likely to take home that honor for the second straight year.

Thanks to his goal-scoring exploits, Matthews must be considered a serious challenger for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. He could become the first Leaf to win that award since Teeder Kennedy in 1955.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

Leafs Nation is giddy over Matthews’ performance and they have every right to be. He’s been a bonafide star since winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 2016-17. Injuries prevented him from reaching the 50-goal plateau earlier in his career but his offensive brilliance was never in doubt.

This season, however, Matthews has taken his game to a higher level, establishing himself as his generation’s best goal scorer. Of his 58 goals, 43 were scored at even strength. He’s their puck possession leader with a shot-attempts percentage of 59.8. The Leafs center has also improved his defensive game, tied for the league lead in takeaways (86) with Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. He’s also solid in the faceoff circle, winning 56.6 percent of his draws.

The problem is, none of Matthews’ accomplishments this season will matter if the Leafs fail to get past the opening round of the playoffs.

Matthews could win the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award along with the Richard Trophy when the NHL Awards are handed out this summer and it won’t mean squat to Leafs fans if they suffer another first-round exit.

Even if the Leafs advance past the first round for the first time since 2004, Matthews’ regular-season efforts won’t count for much if they get bounced in the second round. Nothing less than at least reaching the Eastern Conference Final will satisfy long-suffering Leafs fans, and even then, there will be some grumbling that they didn’t go all the way and win the Stanley Cup.

Everyone knows the Leafs’ last Cup win was in 1967. It’s the longest championship drought in league history. Generations of Leafs fans have been born without seeing their favorite team win hockey’s holy grail. Every year, the pressure increases, especially when the Leafs have rosters with the capability of ending that streak.

The Leafs dominated their all-Canadian division during last season’s COVID-shortened campaign. Squaring off in the opening round against the lowly Montreal Canadiens, they held a 3-1 stranglehold on the series before the Canadiens roared back with three straight wins to take the series, sending the Leafs and their fans into an offseason of bitter disappointment.

Being among the Leafs’ core players, Matthews caught his fair share of criticism from Toronto fans and pundits. For good reason, too, as he was held to just one goal and five points by the Canadiens checkers and goaltender Carey Price.

Matthews’ stellar performance this season has served as a balm to soothe the jangled nerves of Leafs fans, but it’s also raised expectations. With the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs approaching, he will be expected to pilot his club toward that long-overdue championship glory. John Tavares may be the team captain, but the burden of leadership is truly on Matthews’ shoulders.

Yes, other members of the Leafs’ core – Tavares, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Jack Campbell – must also step up. But Matthews’ showstopping production this season has thrust him into a much brighter spotlight. He will be expected to carry this club to its first opening-round series victory in nearly 20 years and its first Stanley Cup in over a half-century.

If Matthews isn’t at his very best this spring, everything he accomplished during the regular season will be overshadowed by his postseason failure and that of his teammates.

The calls for change from the restless denizens of Leafs Nation will grow louder, perhaps leading to a change in management or coaching, maybe even a roster shakeup. Matthews probably wouldn’t be part of the latter but who can say what could happen following another discouraging postseason finish in Toronto?

All that can be avoided, or at least the odds of it happening greatly reduced if Matthews’ outstanding regular-season effort carries over into the 2022 postseason.

Failure is no longer an option for Matthews and the Leafs. He and his teammates must rise to the occasion this spring or remain damned as playoff choke artists.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2022

by | Apr 17, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 17, 2022

The Avalanche clinch the top seed in the Western Conference, the Flames, Blues and Bruins secure playoff berths, Kirill Kaprizov sets a new Wild scoring record, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche secured the top seed in the Western Conference with 116 points by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 7-4. Nathan MacKinnon and J.T. Compher each scored twice while rookie forward Ben Meyers scored in his first NHL game. Jordan Staal scored twice for Carolina but left the game with an undisclosed injury following a hit by Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar. Hurricanes goaltender Frederic Andersen left the game in the third period with an apparent injury to his left leg. The Hurricanes remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 104 points.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Calgary Flames forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk each had two goals and two assists in a 9-1 drubbing of the Arizona Coyotes. Elias Lindholm had a goal and three assists for the Flames, who sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 101 points. They clinched a playoff berth earlier in the day following the Edmonton Oilers’ win over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Speaking of the Oilers, they blanked the Golden Knights 4-0 with Mike Smith kicking out 39 shots for his second shutout in as many games. Kris Russell, Cody Ceci, Warren Foegele and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for the goal scorers as the Oilers sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 94 points. The Golden Knights (87 points) sit four points out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

After blowing leads of 4-1 and 5-3, the St. Louis Blues bested the Minnesota Wild 6-5 on an overtime goal by Brayden Schenn to clinch a playoff berth. Schenn and teammate Pavel Buchnevich each had a goal and two assists as the Blues hold second place in the Central Division with 100 points. Minnesota center Ryan Hartman scored twice and collected an assist while teammate Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 43rd goal to set a single-season franchise record. The Wild are one point back of the Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues defenseman Nick Leddy left the game after taking a stick near one of his eyes. He’ll be undergoing further evaluation. Meanwhile, Wild forward Tyson Jost suffered a lower-body injury and will miss today’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

The Boston Bruins secured a playoff berth by holding off the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 thanks to early first-period goals by Trent Frederic and Erik Haula and a 23-save effort by goaltender Jeremy Swayman. With 97 points, they hold the first wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. Danton Heinen replied for the Penguins, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 97 points. Earlier in the day, they announced goalie Tristan Jarry is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins have already clinched a playoff berth so Jarry’s absence won’t hurt them in that regard. However, this could be a problem if he’s still sidelined when the playoffs open in early May.

New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves to shut out the Detroit Red Wings 4-0. Alexis Lafreniere put the game out of reach with two third-period goals. The Rangers are tied with the Hurricanes with 104 points but the former holds first in the Metro division with 42 regulation wins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. It was only his fourth match since missing 31 games with a wrist injury. On Friday, the club revealed winger Tyler Motte will be sidelined for at least the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Mark Giordano gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators. Giordano finished the game with a goal and two assists while Mitch Marner scored twice for the Leafs (104 points) as they tied a franchise record with their 49th win of the season. They hold a four-point lead over the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators played without Colin White as the 25-year-old center was placed in COVID protocol yesterday.

The Lightning, meanwhile, got four-point performances from Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman to down the Winnipeg Jets 7-4. Kyle Connor tallied his 43rd goal of the season for the Jets, who sit 10 points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets aren’t eliminated yet from the postseason chase but they’re on the brink.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars (91 points) maintained their grip on that final Western wild-card position by nipping the San Jose Sharks 2-1. Tyler Seguin and Michael Raffl scored for the Stars while Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the win.

Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi scored his 20th goal of the season as his club held off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3. Juuse Saros picked up the win by stopping 28 shots while Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist. The Predators are tied with the Stars but they hold the first wild-card spot with 35 regulation wins.

The Los Angeles Kings strengthened their hold on third place in the Pacific Division with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Dustin Brown and Phillip Danault scored first-period goals and Jonathan Quick made 21 stops as the Kings sit three points ahead of the Golden Knights with 90 points and are four back of the Oilers.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 47th goal in an 8-4 thrashing of the Montreal Canadiens. Anthony Mantha and Dmitry Orlov each had four-point performances as the Capitals hold the final Eastern wild-card spot with 94 points. Canadiens center Nick Suzuki reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career while Ryan Poehling tallied twice.

The Seattle Kraken got a shootout goal from Ryan Donato to defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Kraken rookie Matty Beniers scored his first NHL goal in his second game while Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves for the win.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and an assist while teammate Kyle Okposo netted his 20th goal of the season in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2022

by | Apr 15, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 15, 2022

The Penguins and Lightning clinch postseason berths, Auston Matthews hits the 100-point plateau, NHLPA votes to release findings of Kyle Beach investigation, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Jake Guentzel scored twice and set up two others and Sidney Crosby had a three-point game as they led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. With the win, the Penguins sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 97 points, securing a playoff spot for the 16th consecutive season. Zdeno Chara scored his first goal of the season for the Islanders while teammate Brock Nelson collected two assists.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel (NHL Images).

The Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a postseason berth by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 4-3. Anthony Cirelli scored in overtime after Nikita Kucherov tied the game for Tampa Bay in the final seconds of regulation. Cirelli, Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn finished the night with two points for the Lightning as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Adam Henrique scored twice for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was pulled in the second period after giving up three goals on 13 shots, marking the first time he’s gotten the hook since March 2018. He’s 0-3-1 in his last five starts.

John Tavares collected three assists while William Nylander, Michael Bunting and Ilya Mikheyev each scored two goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Washington Capitals 7-3. Auston Matthews picked up two assists to reach 101 points, becoming the third player in Leafs history to reach the 100-point plateau. The Leafs sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 102 points. John Carlson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 92 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews sits fourth among this season’s points leaders and remains in first place in the goal-scoring race with 58. He joins Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour as the only Leafs with 100-point seasons.

St. Louis Blues forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Robert Thomas each collected five points in a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tarasenko tallied a hat trick and two assists while Thomas had five helpers. Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and two assists while Jordan Binnington got the win with a 35-save effort. With seven straight wins, the Blues sit in third place in the Central Division with 98 points.

Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick and Mike Smith kicked out 30 shots as the Edmonton Oilers shut out the Nashville Predators 4-0. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists for the Oilers as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 92 points. The Predators, meanwhile, cling to the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 89 points.

An overtime goal by Frederick Gaudreau lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. Kevin Fiala scored twice for the Wild while Jason Robertson netted both goals for the Stars. The Wild are tied with the Blues with 98 points but hold second place in the Central Division with a game in hand. The Stars, meanwhile, are tied with Nashville but hold the final Western wild-card spot because the Predators have more regulation wins.

The Vegas Golden Knights remain two points back of the Stars after snuffing out the Calgary Flames 6-1. Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson each had a goal and two assists while Logan Thompson made 35 saves for the win. The loss prevented the Flames from clinching a playoff spot. They remain in first place in the Pacific with 99 points, sitting seven up on the second-place Oilers.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller picked up five assists in a 7-1 drubbing of the Arizona Coyotes. Quinn Hughes picked up three assists while Vasily Podkolzin and Alex Chiasson each tallied two goals. The Canucks remain in the Western playoff chase with 84 points, five behind the Predators and Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks captain Bo Horvat left the game in the second period after taking an Anton Stralman slapshot off his right ankle. He was seen following the game wearing a walking boot. No word yet on his status but his potential absence from the Canucks’ remaining games could be a big blow for their postseason hopes. Head coach Bruce Boudreau remains optimistic over his captain’s condition.

The Ottawa Senators netted three unanswered second-period goals to defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2. Tim Stutzle led the way for the Senators with a goal and two assists while Anton Forsberg made 40 saves. Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark left the game with an injury following the first period after taking a shot to the mask. No further word on his condition following the game. With 95 points, the Bruins remain three points ahead of the Capitals for the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic turned in a 46-save shutout to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Moritz Seider, Adam Erne and Filip Zadina were the goal scorers. The loss leaves the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes just two points up on the second-place New York Rangers with 104 points.

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche picked up their eighth straight win by beating the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Pavel Francouz made 26 saves and Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who hold a four-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the overall standings with 114 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche need just two more wins to tie their single-season franchise record of 118 points.

Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists and Alex DeBrincat collected three helpers as the Chicago Blackhawks snapped an eight-game losing skid with a 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks to officially eliminate the latter from playoff contention. DeBrincat tallied the winning goal in the shootout as the Blackhawks handed the Sharks their eighth straight loss.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The NHL Players’ Association executive board voted yesterday to release the findings of an independent investigation into the association’s handling of former Chicago Blackhawks winger Kyle Beach’s sexual assault allegations against the club’s video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. PA executive director Donald Fehr was contacted twice about Beach’s allegations against Aldrich. Fehr said he couldn’t recall the conversations but didn’t deny that they had taken place.

THE ATHLETIC: Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek defended Ducks center Trevor Zegras’ lacrosse-style goals he’s scored this season, which drew criticism from some circles amid the widespread attention and praise those goals have garnered.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some “old school” critics can’t handle the fact that the game, like everything in life, is evolving and changing. Zegras’ goals aren’t against the rules and require a certain amount of skill to pull off. His critics accuse him of disrespecting the game or “hotdogging” but what he’s really doing is using creativity to score goals, which is what the game is about. Those supposed gatekeepers of hockey should be appreciative of Zegras’ skill and the positive attention it’s bringing to the NHL in its efforts to grow the game while entertaining the current fans.

ESPN.COM: Minnesota Wild center Ryan Hartman is flattered by the outpouring of donations to help him pay his $4,500.00 fine for recently flipping off Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane in a recent game. He indicated he can afford to pay off the fine and will donate the money sent by the fans to a pediatric hospital located two blocks from the Wild’s home arena.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Former Minnesota North Stars forward Tom McCarthy passed away yesterday at age 61. McCarthy spent nine seasons in the NHL from 1979-80 to 1987-88, spending seven seasons with the North Stars and two with the Boston Bruins. He tallied 179 goals and 399 points in 460 games before injuries cut short his career, including a career-best 39 goals and 70 points in 66 games in 1983-84.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to McCarthy’s family, friends and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2022

by | Apr 10, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2022

The Maple Leafs and Rangers clinch playoff berths, Auston Matthews, Chris Kreider and Alex Ovechkin each approach significant scoring milestones, the Avalanche tie a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs clinched a playoff berth by holding off the Montreal Canadiens 3-2. Matthews reached 58 goals on the season, becoming the ninth player in league history to score 50 goals in a 50-game period. The Leafs sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 100 points. Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry returned to action after missing seven games with a lower-body injury. However, Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is two goals away from becoming the NHL’s first 60-goal scorer since the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos reached that mark in 2011-12. Meanwhile, Allen’s injury is not expected to hasten the timeline for Carey Price’s return to the Canadiens’ net. Earlier in the day, the club announced winger Jonathan Drouin underwent season-ending wrist surgery on Friday.

The New York Rangers also clinched a postseason berth with a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Chris Kreider tallied two goals to reach 49 on the season while Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists. With 100 points, the Rangers are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes but the latter holds first place in the Metropolitan Division with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kreider sits third in the goal-scoring race and is poised to become the third player to reach the 50-goal plateau this season. He’s also five away from tying Jaromir Jagr for the single-season franchise record of 54 goals.

Three unanswered third-period goals lifted the Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Alex Ovechkin scored his 44th goal of the season while Tom Wilson and John Carlson each collected two points for the Capitals, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 88 points. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, sits just four points ahead of the Capitals for third place in the Metro Division. Penguins winger Jason Zucker returned to the lineup after missing three games with a core-muscle injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is tied with Gordie Howe for the second-most goals scored in a season by a player 36-or-old. He’s four behind record-holder Teemu Selanne. The Capitals captain also needs six more goals to tie Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons (nine) in a career.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon scored the tying goal and the only goal in the shootout in a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Darcy Kuemper turned in a 49-save performance as Colorado tied a franchise single-season record with 52 wins. The Avalanche sits two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for first in the overall standings with 110 points. With 90 points, the Oilers hold a four-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned to action after missing 13 games with a lower-body injury.

Speaking of the Panthers, they picked up their seventh straight victory by dropping the Nashville Predators 4-1. Jonathan Huberdeau scored to extend his points streak to 11 games while Spencer Knight got the win by stopping 24 shots. The Predators hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 86 points.

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin collected assists on each of his club’s goals on route to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. With 97 points, the Flames are seven points up on the Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division.

The St. Louis Blues took over sole possession of second place in the Central Division with 94 points as they thumped the New York Islanders 6-1. Justin Faulk scored two goals and collected an assist as his club extended its points streak to eight games. Vladimir Tarasenko and Robert Thomas each had a goal and an assist. The Islanders were playing without Casey Cizikas, who served a one-game suspension for boarding Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith on Friday.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist to lead his club to a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars. The loss leaves the Stars two points behind the Predators and clinging to the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 84 points.

Max Pacioretty scored in his return to the Vegas Golden Knights lineup as they crushed the Arizona Coyotes 6-1. Pacioretty had missed 12 games with an undisclosed ailment. Brayden McNabb had a goal and two assists while Robin Lehner turned aside 29 shots. The Golden Knights are tied with the Stars but the latter has two games in hand.

The Vancouver Canucks remain alive in the chase for the final Western wild-card berth by doubling up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Thatcher Demko stopped 35 shots while Alex Chiasson had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who are four points behind the Stars and Golden Knights.

A hat trick by Jack Roslovic, including the winner in overtime, powered the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings, handing the latter their eighth defeat in their last nine contests. Jakub Vrana tallied twice for the Wings.

Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras scored two goals to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3. Flyers forward Joel Farabee missed this game as he’s suffering from the flu.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2022

by | Apr 8, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2022

Auston Matthews reaches two goal-scoring milestones, the Hurricanes clinch a playoff berth, Roman Josi sets a Predators record, Doug Wilson steps down as Sharks GM, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews scored twice, including the winning goal in overtime, as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Dallas Stars 4-3. William Nylander had two points for the Leafs, who hold a five-point lead over the Boston Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division with 98 points. Joe Pavelski and Jason Robertson each had two points for the Stars (82 points), who hold a two-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews broke the Leafs’ single-season goal-scoring record with his 55th goal while his 56th set the league record for most goals in a season by an American-born player. At this point, it’s a matter of when, not if, Matthews reaches the 60-goal plateau. He could reach 65 goals before the season ends.

The Carolina Hurricanes became the third team to clinch a playoff berth with a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Jordan Staal scored twice as Carolina overcame a 3-2 deficit with three unanswered third-period goals. Sebastian Aho also tallied two goals for the Hurricanes, who hold a two-point lead over the New York Rangers for first place in the Metropolitan Division with 100 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sadly for the Sabres, they set an NHL record by missing the playoffs for the 11th straight season.

Roman Josi collected three assists to lead the Nashville Predators over the Ottawa Senators 3-2. Josi set Nashville’s single-season franchise record with 87 points. Matt Duchene scored his 37th goal of the season for the Predators as they sit two points up on the Stars in the first Western wild-card spot with 86 points. Senators forward Tim Stutzle missed this game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Josi is running away with the scoring races for defensemen, sitting 12 points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar. With 12 games remaining in the season, the Predators’ captain has a legitimate shot at becoming the first blueliner to reach 100 points since Brian Leetch in 1991-92.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 15 games in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Evan Bouchard has a goal and two assists for the Oilers (89 points) as they sit six points behind the first-place Calgary Flames in the Pacific Division. Kings forward Trevor Moore had a goal and an assist as his club remains three points behind the Oilers.

The Flames meanwhile got two goals from Elias Lindholm and a three-point performance from Matthew Tkachuk to double up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Lindholm has 38 goals on the season and Tkachuk 34 while Dan Vladar got the win with a 31-save performance. Sharks netminder James Reimer left the game with an injury in the third period.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stopped 30 shots to shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. Mika Zibanejad picked up two assists as the Rangers sit two points behind the first-place Hurricanes in the Metro Division. Sidney Crosby, John Marino and Radim Zohorna missed this game with undisclosed illnesses as the Penguins are six points behind the Rangers.

The Vancouver Canucks kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson each had three-point performances while Jaroslav Halak kicked out 27 shots for the Canucks (78 points), who sit six points behind the Stars for that final wild-card spot in the West.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks have no room for error now as the Stars hold two games in hand.

Seattle Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer had a 29-save shutout to blank the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0. Alex Wennberg and Jordan Eberle were the goal scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During the first TV timeout, the Blackhawks announced they will retire Marian Hossa’s No. 81 in 2022-23. Earlier in the day, Hossa signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Blackhawk. He will become the eighth player in franchise history to have his number retired.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the New Jersey Devils 7-4 to pick up their first regulation win over the Devils since January 2017. Christian Dvorak, Chris Wideman and Kale Clague each had a goal and two assists. Jesper Bratt and Tomas Tatar both had a goal and an assist for the Devils.

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Martin Jones turned aside 26 shots and Travis Sanheim had two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Philadelphia winger Cam Atkinson was held scoreless in his first game in Columbus since being traded to the Flyers last summer.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Doug Wilson announced yesterday he is stepping down as general manager of the San Jose Sharks after 19 seasons. Under his management, the Sharks reached the playoffs 14 times. He is currently on medical leave but hopes to continue his NHL career in the future. Wilson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 2020.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: During Wilson’s tenure as general manager, the Sharks topped the Pacific Division five times, won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2009, reaching the Western Conference Finals four times and the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. He was responsible for drafting such notable Sharks as Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and acquiring Joe Thornton and Brent Burns via trades. Best wishes to Wilson for a full recovery.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba will not play in tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues with an apparent shoulder injury. However, he remains with the club on their current road trip.

TSN: Former Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play man Bob Cole will receive a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards show. Cole joined the CBC in 1969 and called his final game in 2019. He received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Cole for this recognition of his outstanding work over his long career.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2022

by | Apr 5, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 5, 2022

Auston Matthews ties a Leafs’ records, the Flames widen their lead in the Pacific Division, the three stars of the week are revealed, an update on Mike Bossy and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Auston Matthews tallied a hat trick as the Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Matthews now has a league-leading 54 goals, tying Rick Vaive’s single-season franchise record. Mitch Marner collected three points and Jack Campbell got the win with a 32-save performance. Leafs forward William Nylander missed the game with a non-COVID-related illness. The Leafs sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 95 points.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: At this pace, Matthews will not only set a new franchise goal record but will become the first player to reach the 60-goal plateau since the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos hit that mark in 2011-12.

Johnny Gaudreau scored twice and picked up an assist to give the Calgary Flames a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. With 91 points, the Flames hold a five-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. Adrian Kempe netted both of the Kings’ goals.

Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk scored twice (including the winner in overtime) to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. With the win, the Bruins have won seven of their last eight games. They are tied with the Lightning with 93 points but the Bruins move into third place in the Atlantic Division with 44 regulation wins.

A four-goal second period carried the St. Louis Blues to a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice while teammate Pavel Buchnevich collected three points for the Blues (88 points), who sit three points behind the second-place Minnesota Wild in the Central Division.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, and New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov are the three stars for the weekend ending April 3, 2022.

CBC SPORTS: The family of former New York Islanders superstar Mike Bossy said he is resting peacefully at home while continuing his battle with lung cancer. This comes following unconfirmed reports claiming the 65-year-old Hall-of-Famer had entered palliative care.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Bossy in his battle with this insidious disease.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price took part in a full practice with his teammates on Monday for the first time this season. Price, 34, has been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery. There remains no timeline for his return to game action.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price reportedly looked good during yesterday’s practice, which suggests he might return for a handful of games before the end of the Canadiens’ season on April 29.

TSN: Kyle Connor and Nate Schmidt emerged from COVID protocol yesterday and rejoined their Winnipeg Jets teammates after missing the last three games.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin is expected to return to action tonight against the Florida Panthers. He’s been sidelined by a concussion since Feb. 21.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jason Zucker is still being evaluated since suffering an undisclosed injury last Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. A more complete update on his condition is expected today.

THE MERCURY NEWS: The San Jose Sharks could decide to shut down winger Kevin Labanc for the remainder of the season to allow more time for his recovery from shoulder surgery.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram has rejoined his teammates after being sidelined for nearly three months with concussion issues. He’s been practicing with his teammates for weeks and was recalled from an AHL conditioning stint.

GOPHNX.COM: The Tempe City Council will discuss the Arizona Coyotes proposed arena and entertainment district in an executive session on Thursday. The proposal is reportedly tightly contested and could come down to one or two swing votes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ future in Arizona could be determined by the outcome of this vote.