NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

by | Nov 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a record-setting game, the Hurricanes extend their win streak, Alex Ovechkin continues his march toward the all-time goal record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in league history as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4. Ehlers had a goal and an assist to pass Frans Nielsen with 474 career regular-season points. Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov also had a goal and an assist each for the league-leading Jets (11-1-0, 22 points). Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Kyle Connor picked up an assist to extend his franchise-record season-opening points streak to 12 games.

The Lightning also lost center Brayden Point as he left the game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Dmitry Orlov in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, which extended their win streak to six games. Alex Ovechkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games and Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves as the Capitals’ win streak ended at three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has seven goals in 11 games and 860 for his career. He needs 35 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 35 shots and Artemi Panarin tallied twice to defeat the New York Islanders 5-2. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers (8-2-1) took over first place from the Capitals in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves in a losing cause as his club has dropped five of its last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders iced an injury-ravaged lineup with Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov and Mike Reilly sidelined. Meanwhile, there’s growing speculation the Isles are in the trade market for a defenseman. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

The Boston Bruins picked up their second straight shutout by blanking the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the win while Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle scored the game’s only goals. Joey Daccord turned aside 31 shots for the Kraken as they lost their third straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eyebrows were raised when Bruins winger David Pastrnak was benched for the third period. Head coach Jim Montgomery refused to explain why he parked his leading scorer in the final frame.

The Bruins honored former NESN broadcaster Jack Edwards in a pregame ceremony. Edwards was the play-by-play man for Bruins games on NESN from 2005 until his retirement at the end of last season.

The Edmonton Oilers won the latest game in the Battle of Alberta with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Zach Hyman snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Oilers won their second straight game. Anthony Mantha and Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Oilers captain Connor McDavid sidelined by an ankle injury, Draisaitl has stepped up to fill the leadership void. He has three goals and six points in his last two games.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan Hartman also scored and Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as the Wild picked up their third straight victory and seventh in the last eight games. William Nylander scored and Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves for the Leafs as they’ve gone 3-4-2 in their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov was held off the score sheet, ending his points streak at seven games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard collected three assists to lead his team over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 37 shots and Taylor Hall had two helpers for the Blackhawks. Brock McGinn and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks, who’ve lost five of their last seven.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers aren’t suffering a Stanley Cup hangover as they’re off to one of the best starts in franchise history. With a 9-3-1 record, they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

THE SCORE: The injury-ravaged Colorado Avalanche are getting a much-needed reinforcement to their forward lines as they activated Artturi Lehkonen off injured reserve on Sunday. He’d been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils winger Nathan Bastian will miss several weeks with a jaw injury during a fight with Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg during their game on Friday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to only miss a week after suffering a lower-body injury during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Bruins.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Adam Gaudette is making the most of his second chance in the NHL. After spending the last two seasons in the AHL, the 28-year-old forward is tied for second with Tim Stutzle among Senators scorers with six goals in 11 games.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

by | Sep 14, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 14, 2024

Check out the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Phil Kessel, the latest Flyers speculation, and more in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Ilya Sorokin suffered an injury during offseason training. The 29-year-old goaltender is skating and could miss the first couple of days of training camp. Lamoriello doesn’t believe Sorokin’s ailment will keep him out of the lineup for the regular season.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Sorokin was dealing with something. We’ll likely learn more about his status following his training camp medical next week.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Islanders, they’ve invited winger Matt Martin to training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Martin, 35, spent 13 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Islanders.

SPORTSNET: Phil Kessel isn’t ready to hang up his skates. Elliotte Friedman reports the 36-year-old winger still hopes for another NHL opportunity. The league’s reigning Ironman’s last NHL game was an Apr. 13, 2023 playoff contest with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The report suggests interest in Kessel among NHL clubs is lacking given his age and that he missed all of last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maybe someone will take a chance on Kessel with a PTO but it’s unlikely that he’ll land a job at this stage.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen won’t be a full participant when training camp opens next week. The 29-year-old had shoulder surgery during the offseason and there’s no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avs were already facing the start of the season without Valeri Nichushkin as he’s in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and remains suspended until mid-November. Team captain Gabriel Landeskog hopes to stage a comeback from knee surgeries but his status remains uncertain.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers hired Wayne Simmonds as a community relations ambassador and hockey operations consultant. Simmonds, 36, spent nearly eight seasons with the Flyers, scoring 203 goals and 175 assists for 378 points in 584 games.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Flyers, Kevin Kurz believes forward Joel Farabee will be in the spotlight early on this season. The 24-year-old forward struggled last season and Kurz doesn’t have him pencilled in among their top-six forwards.

Training camp will determine how things shake out. Kurz suggests Farabee and his $5 million average annual value through 2026-27 could hit the trade block if the Flyers try to free up cap space for next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Farabee sometimes popped up in last season’s rumor mill due to his inconsistent production. This season could determine if he has a future in Philadelphia beyond this season.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Rob Couch suggests Flyers prospect goaltender Alexei Kolosov could be a good option for the Nashville Predators to replace the departed Yaroslav Askarov, who was traded last month to the San Jose Sharks.

Kolosov, 22, is not attending Flyers training camp despite being on an entry-level contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s believed the Flyers will toll Kolosov’s contract a year if he stays in Europe this season. However, they might be willing to entertain trade offers for him.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs performance coach Greg Harden passed away Thursday from complications due to surgery. He was 75.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Harden’s family, friends and the Leafs organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

by | Nov 17, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 17, 2023

The Senators down the Red Wings in overtime to kick off the 2023 Global Series, the Golden Knights regain first place in the overall standings, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on a goal by Tim Stutzle in the dying seconds of overtime to kick off the 2023 NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. The Senators held a 4-0 lead at one point before the Red Wings stormed back to send the game into OT. Stutzle finished with a goal and two assists while Brady Tkachuk tallied twice for the Senators as they improved to 7-7-0. Shayne Gostisbehere netted the game-tying goal and finished with three points for the 8-5-3 Red Wings.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the NHL’s Alumni Association made Hall-of-Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom the inaugural winner of the Borje Salming Courage Award. It is presented each year to a European NHL Alumni member “who has been a positive influence in their community and best embodies Salming’s lasting legacy of bravery, courage, and dedication on and off the ice.”

Senators Hall-of-Famer Daniel Alfredsson was behind the Senators bench as an assistant coach at the request of Sens head coach D.J. Smith. He’ll return there again for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Third-period goals by Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse 28 seconds apart gave the Arizona Coyotes a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor Ingram stopped 39 shots as the Coyotes improved to 8-6-2. Damon Severson tallied twice for the slumping Blue Jackets (4-9-4), who have just one win in their last 10 games (1-7-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Something’s got to give for the Blue Jackets. They’re in last place in the Eastern Conference and there’s no indication that they’re anywhere close to reversing their fortunes. Struggling scorers Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau were benched during the final minutes of the third period in this contest.

Coyotes forwards Matias Maccelli and Barrett Hayton left this game with upper-body injuries.

The Vegas Golden Knights (13-3-1) regained first place in the overall standings by downing the Montreal Canadiens 6-5. Shea Theodore had a goal and three assists while Jack Eichel and Mark Stone each had a goal and two assists for the Golden Knights (27 points) as they overcame a 3-1 deficit in this contest. Jesse Ylonen scored twice for the Canadiens (7-8-2) as they’ve dropped three in a row.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj left this game in the second period favoring his left shoulder following a big hit by Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev. It is not the same shoulder that required season-ending surgery in February.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jesper Bratt, Alexander Holtz and Tyler Toffoli lifted the New Jersey Devils to a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Vitek Vanecek made 21 saves for the 8-6-1 Devils. Bryan Rust netted two goals for the Penguins (8-7-0) while team captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Timo Meier missed this game with an undisclosed injury. He should be considered as day-to-day.

The Tampa Bay Lightning ended a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Brayden Point had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (7-6-4). Corey Perry and Lukas Reichel replied for the Blackhawks as they slipped to 5-9-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Blackhawks placed defenseman Nikita Zaitsev on non-roster for personal reasons and recalled Filip Roos from their AHL affiliate in Rockford. Zaitsev missed practice on Wednesday and there’s no timetable for his return.

Calgary Flames center Elias Lindholm had a goal and two assists in a 5-2 upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist as the Flames moved to 6-8-2 on the season. Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander scored for the 12-4-1 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes collected an assist as he, Pettersson and J.T. Miller remain tied atop the league’s scoring leaders board with 27 points each. The Canucks kept forward Andrei Kuzmenko out of the lineup for this contest as he was undergoing medical assessments after taking a puck to the face during Wednesday’s game against the New York Islanders.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 as Kailer Yamamoto scored the winning goal during the eighth round of the shootout. Yamamoto finished the game with a goal and an assist in regulation for the 6-8-4 Kraken. Mathew Barzal collected two assists for the slumping Islanders as dropped to 5-6-5 with just two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Matt Martin missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Kings forwards Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar scored as their club held off the Florida Panthers by a score of 2-1. Fiala finished with two points while Cam Talbot kicked out 30 shots as the Kings improved to 9-3-3. Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers with his 13th goal of the season as the Panthers dropped to 10-5-1.

The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save performance by goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to upset the St. Louis Blues 5-1. Mike Hoffman tallied two goals for the 3-13-1 Sharks while Pavel Buchenich had the lone goal for the 8-6-1 Blues.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league is hoping to stage one final draft under the current format next year. Under the current format, all 32 teams travel to the draft’s host city. The change will allow the team representatives to stay at home to conduct their draft business.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports indicate the league hopes to hold the 2024 draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The NHL is also working with the NHL Players’ Association regarding the possible staging of a World Cup of Hockey in 2025 with NHL players participating the following year in the Winter Olympics.

In other league news, Commissioner Gary Bettman said he’s hopeful the Arizona Coyotes could have their new arena plan revealed by midseason…Bettman also acknowledged rumors of expansion to Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston and Salt Lake City but claimed the league currently has no plans to add teams, claiming they’re not in expansion mode…Germany could be on the shortlist to host a future NHL Global Series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL is not in expansion mode unless you can come up with a $1 billion expansion fee…Not you, Quebec City! Sit down! They’re only interested in big US markets.

NEW YORK POST: There is concern for Rangers forward Filip Chytil as he’s been out of the lineup since Nov. 2 by what is believed to be the fourth concussion of his NHL career. The club could end up shopping for a center if Chytil remains sidelined long-term.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that Chytil has been sidelined 10 different times since 2018-19, not including his two-week absence during training camp with an upper-body injury. It also doesn’t include the facial injury he suffered during the World Championships that bothered him well into the offseason.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is currently in a neck brace as he recovers from falling headfirst into the boards during last week’s game against the Kraken. There’s no real timeline for his return but it’s believed he could be out for weeks.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Erne was fined $2,018.00 by the league’s department of player safety for elbowing Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on Wednesday.

THE SCORE: Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson was named the GM of USA Hockey’s senior men’s national team. He’s their first-ever Black general manager. “It’s a great honor, and I’m excited to get a group of fantastic individuals together and see what happens,” said Peterson.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2023

by | Nov 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 12, 2023

Hat-trick performances by the Oilers’ Zach Hyman and the Blues’ Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich highlight the recaps of Saturday’s action in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A natural hat trick in the first period by Zach Hyman carried the Edmonton Oilers over the Seattle Kraken 4-1 to snap their four-game losing skid. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves for the 3-9-1 Oilers while Jaden Schwartz replied for the 5-7-3 Kraken.

Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were held scoreless in this contest. Kraken netminder Philipp Grubauer got the hook after giving up four goals on 17 shots.

Speaking of hat tricks, Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich each tallied three goals as the St. Louis Blues crushed the Colorado Avalanche 8-2. Robert Thomas collected four assists while Jordan Binnington stopped 36 shots as the Blues improved to 7-5-1. Mikko Rantanen and Jack Johnson replied for the Avalanche as they slipped to 8-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche were without forward Artturi Lehkonen as he’ll be sidelined for weeks with an upper-body injury suffered on Thursday against the Kraken.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander scored to extend his season-opening points streak to 15 games in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi each picked up two assists while Ilya Samsonov turned aside 31 shots as they improved their record to 8-5-2. J.T. Miller and Pius Suter scored for the 10-3-1 Canucks.

An overtime goal by Kaiden Guhle lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins, ending a 10-team losing streak against the Bruins. Brendan Gallagher and Nick Suzuki also scored for the 7-5-2 Canadiens. Pavel Zacha and Brad Marchand scored for the 11-1-2 Bruins, who remain on top of the Eastern Conference with 24 points.

The Carolina Hurricanes got a 22-save shutout performance from Pyotr Kochetkov to blank the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0. Sebastian Aho and Brent Burns each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes as they rose to 9-6-0 in the standings. Nikita Kucherov missed this game due to illness as his club dropped to 6-5-4 in his absence.

Speaking of 4-0 shutouts, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres by the same score as Tristan Jarry returned to action by kicking out 35 shots after missing one game with a facial injury. Erik Karlsson scored twice while Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Graves each had two points for the Penguins (7-6-0) as they picked up their fourth straight win. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 36 stops for the 7-7-1 Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres also returned forward Matthew Savoie to his WHL club in Wenatchee after he made his NHL debut on Friday against the Minnesota Wild.

Arizona Coyotes forwards Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley each picked up three points as their club overcame two 2-goal deficits to beat the Nashville Predators 7-5. Michael Carcone scored twice for the Coyotes, who boosted their record to 7-6-1. Filip Forsberg scored twice and collected an assist for the 5-9-0 Predators.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes played without center Jack McBain, who is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice as his Washington Capital (7-4-2) rolled to a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders (5-5-3), handing the latter their third straight loss. Call-up goalie Hunter Shepard turned in a 37-save performance for the Capitals. Alexander Romanov got the Islanders’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders fans aren’t pleased with their club’s performance this season, calling for head coach Lane Lambert to be fired during this game. Earlier in the week, they were chanting for general manager Lou Lamoriello to lose his job. Meanwhile, the Capitals placed sidelined defenseman Martin Fehervary (foot) on injured reserve.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4, handing the latter their fourth straight defeat. Jake Walman scored what proved to be the game-winner while Jeff Petry and Christian Fischer each had two assists for the 8-5-2 Red Wings. Patrik Laine scored in his first game back with the Blue Jackets (4-7-3) since suffering a concussion on Oct. 20.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: To make room for Laine’s return, the Jackets assigned defenseman David Jiricek to their AHL affiliate in Cleveland.

Dallas Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood made 31 saves while Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Cole Perfetti and Brenden Dillon tallied for the Jets (7-5-2) while the Stars (9-3-1) sit atop the Central Division with 19 points.

The Ottawa Senators ended a five-game losing skid on home ice by dousing the Calgary Flames 4-1. Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves while Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the 6-7-0 Senators. Blake Coleman replied for the Flames as they fell to 4-8-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The trade request made by Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov remains a hot topic among the pundits. I’ll have more in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

Former Los Angeles Kings netminder Cal Petersen made 35 saves to help the Philadelphia Flyers defeat his old team by a score of 4-2. Morgan Frost scored twice as the Flyers improved to 7-7-1 on the season. Carl Grundstrom and Adrian Kempe replied for the 8-3-3 Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Kings reclaimed forward Samuel Fagemo off waivers from the Predators.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2023

by | Nov 10, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 10, 2023

The Sharks upset the Oilers, Connor Bedard sets a Blackhawks record while the Jets’ Kyle Connor and the Bruins’ Charlie Coyle enjoy hat-trick performances. Details on these stories and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 39-save performance from Mackenzie Blackwood to hold off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Tomas Hertl and Fabian Zetterlund each had a goal and an assist for the 2-10-1 Sharks. Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins replied for 2-9-1 Oilers, who are tied with the Sharks with a league-worst five points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The arse has gone out of it for the free-falling Oilers. This could be Jay Woodcroft’s final game as their head coach. Whether a new bench boss can save their season remains to be seen given their porous goaltending, sloppy defensive play and lack of production but they have to do something.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (NHL Images).

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard became the youngest player in franchise history to have a multipoint game in a 5-3 upset of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bedard scored twice and set up two others while Nick Foligno collected three assists for the Blackhawks (5-7-0). Anthony Cirelli, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos replied for the Lightning as they slipped to 6-4-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard is also the youngest player since 1944 with a four-point game. He now leads all rookies this season with seven goals and 11 points. Meanwhile, Blackhawks winger Andreas Athanasiou left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

The Boston Bruins downed the New York Islanders 5-2 thanks to Charlie Coyle potting his first career NHL hat trick. Coyle finished with four points while David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists as the Bruins (23 points) took over first place in the overall standings with a record of 11-1-1. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves for the Islanders as they dropped to 5-4-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins activated forward Jakub Lauko off injured reserve but he didn’t skate in this game. They also placed forward Morgan Geekie (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech missed this contest with a lower-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor tallied a hat trick to lead his club over the Nashville Predators by a score of 6-3. Connor finished the night with four points while Mark Scheifele had four assists as the Jets rose to 7-4-2. Filip Forsberg scored twice for the 5-8-0 Predators.

An overtime goal by Cole Caufield lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Detroit Red Wings 3-2, snapping their four-game losing skid. Cayden Primeau made 27 saves for the win in his first game since Oct. 24 while Mike Matheson had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens improved to 6-5-2. Christian Fischer and JT Compher replied for the 7-5-2 Red Wings as they’re winless in their last four (0-3-1).

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin collected a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 13 games in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and two assists while Louis Domingue stopped 25 shots in his first NHL game since 2021-22 as the Rangers improved to 10-2-1. Brandon Duhaime replied for the Wild as they fell to 5-6-2.

The Vancouver Canucks (10-2-1) extended their win streak to five games and pushed their points streak to nine games as they beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Elias Pettersson took over the lead in the NHL scoring race (24 points) with a goal and two assists while Ilya Mikheyev tallied twice. Drake Batherson and Artem Zub replied for the 5-7-0 Senators as they’re at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 10 points.

Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene had a goal and two assists as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots as the Stars improved to 8-3-1 on the season. Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko replied for the Blue Jackets as they dropped to 4-6-3.

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas scored the game-winner as his club nipped the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. It was Thomas’ fifth straight goal as his club improved to 6-5-1. Lawson Crouse replied for the 6-6-1 Coyotes.

The Seattle Kraken (5-6-3) blew a 3-1 lead but still defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 as Oliver Bjorkstand scored his second goal of the game with 32 seconds remaining in the third period. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists for the 8-4-0 Avalanche as they dropped their first home game of the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche also lost forward Artturi Lehkonen in the second period after falling face-first into the boards. He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and is reportedly alert, responsive and has full movement of his limbs. An update on his condition could be released on Friday.

An overtime goal by Bryan Rust gave the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings (8-2-3). Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had his 450th career multipoint game with a goal and an assist while Erik Karlsson collected two assists as the Penguins improved to 6-6-0 with their third straight victory. Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar collected an assist to move into second place on the franchise’s all-time points list with 1,155.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kopitar has a ways to go to catch franchise leader Marcel Dionne’s 1,307 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PROVINCE: Former Vancouver Canucks great Trevor Linden slammed the club’s former general manager Jim Benning. Linden, who as team president hired Benning in 2014, claimed the former GM probably wouldn’t have chosen Elias Pettersson in the 2017 NHL Draft if he’d had the choice.

Benning refuted Linden’s story, claiming the decision to select Pettersson was a group one. “We were always going to draft Pettersson. The whole group like Petey,” he said.

Benning added that he felt the scouting group hadn’t watched other players enough and wanted them to conduct their due diligence. He called rumors that he liked another player over Pettersson “simply not true,” adding that he told team owner Francesco Aquilini he was drafting the young center the night before the draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This sad little attempt at a pissing contest serves no purpose and changes nothing regardless of whose side of the story you believe. The Canucks chose Pettersson, who is currently the NHL’s leading scorer and a big reason why the club is off to its best start in years.

THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh reports Kraken winger Jordan Eberle is doing well after suffering a deep cut to his leg from a skate blade during practice on Wednesday. He’s listed as day-to-day.

CBS SPORTS/DAILY FACEOFF: The Washington Capitals placed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (lower body) on injured reserve and announced winger Anthony Mantha is day-to-day after taking a puck to the ear during Wednesday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames have recalled goaltender Dustin Wolf amid speculation that starting goalie Jacob Markstrom could be nursing an injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2023

by | May 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2023

The Panthers take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series with the Leafs, the Stars tie their series with the Kraken and the finalists for the Norris Trophy are revealed. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in Game 2 of their second-round series. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 35 shots while Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling tallied three unanswered goals for the Panthers, who hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it shifts to Florida for Game 3 on Sunday. Alexander Kerfoot and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs also lost rookie forward Matthews Knies with an undisclosed injury after he was wrestled to the ice by Panthers center Sam Bennett. No penalty was called and it remains to be seen if Bennett will face supplemental discipline.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

The Leafs dominated large stretches of this game but costly defensive breakdowns saw them squander their early lead. Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending and physical shot-blocking by the Panthers stymied the Leafs’ offensive attack.

Some Toronto pundits are already declaring the Leafs’ season to be “on the brink”. The last time I checked, this was a best-of-seven series, not a best-of-five. A win in Game 3 by the Leafs could change the direction of this second-round saga. Of course, if the Leafs lose that game, then the “season on the brink” headlines will be justified.

The Dallas Stars doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to tie their second-round series at a game apiece. Joe Pavelski scored his fifth goal of this series, Tyler Seguin and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist and Jake Oettinger stopped 25 shots for the Stars. Tye Kartye and Jordan Eberle replied for the Kraken. This series heads to Seattle for Game 3 on Sunday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pavelski continues to show no lingering after-effects from the concussion that sidelined him for all but one game in their first-round series with the Minnesota Wild. He had four games in Game 1 against the Kraken.

The Kraken seemed somewhat sluggish in this game compared to their performance in the opening contest. Meanwhile, the Stars played with more energy and determination to avoid a 2-0 series deficit.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Adam Fox of the New York Rangers, Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks, and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche are the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as this season’s top NHL defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise that Karlsson is a nominee as he’s considered the front-runner after becoming the first defenseman in 31 years to reach 100 points in a season. I’m surprised that Winnipeg Jets blueliner Josh Morrissey or Vancouver Canucks rearguard Quinn Hughes didn’t get a nod here.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins winger David Pastrnak revealed he suffered a shoulder injury during his first shift of Game 1 of their first-round series against the Florida Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak faced some criticism from Boston fans and pundits over his performance in that series. Despite his injury, he was tied for the team lead in goals with five, including a game-winner.

I’ve noticed some readers calling on the Bruins to trade Pastrnak before his new contract kicks in on July 1 to free up salary cap space in order to improve the club’s overall depth. Management will likely shed some salary this summer but he’s not going anywhere.

Pastrnak is a genuine superstar. With Brad Marchand aging and Patrice Bergeron mulling retirement, he’s now the Bruins’ franchise player. That’s why they signed him to that expensive new deal in the first place. Like it or not, every move they make starting this offseason is to build around Pastrnak. That’s what you do when you have a superstar on your roster.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen will not be playing in the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championships in Finland. He suffered a broken toe during the Avs’ series against the Kraken. His recovery is four-to-six weeks.

TWINCITIES.COM: Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy knows that he’ll need to improve his playoff performance. He has just one goal and three points in 12 career postseason games stretching back to last season.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets signed center Dmitri Voronkov to a two-year entry-level contract. Chosen by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL draft, the 22-year-old has spent five seasons with the KHL’s Ak-Bars Kazan.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The province of Quebec renamed its Highway 50 to Autoroute Guy Lafleur in honor of the late Canadiens legend. The highway passes through his hometown of Thurso, Quebec. Lafleur died last April at age 70 from lung cancer.

NHL.COM: Former NHL forward Petr Klima passed away in his native Czechia at age 58. The cause of death is unknown.

Emigrating from communist Czechoslovakia in 1985, Klima spent 13 seasons in the NHL from 1985-86 to 1998-99 with the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Klima scored 313 goals and 573 points in 786 regular-season games. He also tallied 28 goals and 52 points in 95 playoff games. His most famous goal came in triple overtime in Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Final for the Oilers, who went on to win the Cup in five games.

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