NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2023

by | Mar 8, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2023

Sidney Crosby caps a five-goal comeback by the Penguins over the Blue Jackets, Cale Makar has a four-point night as the Avalanche shut out the Sharks, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby tallied in overtime as his club overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. Crosby finished with three points on the night, Evgeni Malkin had three assists and Jason Zucker scored two goals for the Penguins, who improved to 32-22-9 and hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 73 points. The Blue Jackets fell to 20-37-7 as goaltender Elvis Merzlikins left the game following the first period with an illness and was replaced by Michael Hutchinson.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby now sits second on the all-time list for regular-season overtime goals with 20, five behind Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. Before the game, the Penguins recalled Alex Nylander and placed center Ryan Poehling (undisclosed) on long-term injury reserve.

The Colorado Avalanche blanked the San Jose Sharks 6-0 with Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin each scoring a goal and adding three assists. Alexandar Georgiev made 14 saves for the shutout as the Avalanche (35-21-6) hold third place in the Central Division with 76 points. San Jose defenseman Erik Karlsson received a 10-minute misconduct in the third period for throwing his helmet on the ice in reaction to being cut by a high stick by Alex Newhook that went uncalled by officials. The Sharks dropped to 19-34-12 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar reached the 50-point mark for the third time in his career and for the second straight season. He’s also the third active defenseman to reach 50 points in fewer than 50 games multiple times in their career, following Karlsson and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Brent Burns. The Sharks, meanwhile, played without blueliner Radim Simek as he’s listed as week-to-week with recurring concussion symptoms.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they nipped the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on a shootout goal by Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Frederik Andersen (13 saves) got the win after Antti Raanta was sidelined in the first period by an undisclosed injury, lifting the Hurricanes to 42-12-8 as they sit second in the overall standings with 92 points. Jake Allen made 36 saves and Michael Pezzetta had a goal and an assist for the 26-33-5 Canadiens.

Third-period goals by Michael Bunting and Auston Matthews lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the New Jersey Devils by a score of 4-3. Mitch Marner and William Nylander each had two points for the Leafs (39-17-8) while Erik Haula and Ondrej Palat each had three points for the 41-16-6 Devils. With 88 points, the Devils are four back of the Hurricanes for third place in the overall standings with the Leafs just two points behind them.

The Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a five-game losing skid with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Andrei Vasilevskiy kicked out 33 shots while Nikita Kucherov and Alex Killorn each had two goals and an assist for the Lightning (38-21-5) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 81 points. Philadelphia defenseman Tony DeAngelo received a five-minute major and game misconduct for spearing Lightning winger Corey Perry in the groin. The Flyers fell to 24-29-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning played without Victor Hedman as the veteran defenseman is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Third-period goals by Josh Bailey and Hudson Fasching lifted the New York Islanders over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Bailey, Fasching and Casey Cizikas each finished with a goal and an assist as the Islanders improved to 33-25-8 and hold a one-point lead over the Penguins for the first Eastern wild-card berth with 74 points. The Sabres (32-27-4) have dropped four of their last five games and sit five points back of the Penguins with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres seemed poised to break through into a wild-card berth less than two weeks ago but their momentum has stalled. They and the Penguins have the same number of games remaining (19) but the Sabres hold three games in hand over the Isles, who are six points ahead of them. If they don’t snap out of their funk soon, the Sabres will miss the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season.

The Florida Panthers, meanwhile, moved two points ahead of the Sabres and three back of the Penguins with a 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Sergei Bobrovsky turned in a 31-save performance while Ryan Lomberg and Aleksander Barkov scored for the 32-27-6 Panthers. Shea Theodore replied for the Golden Knights (38-20-6) as they remain in first place in the Western Conference with 82 points by holding one more win over the Dallas Stars.

Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann extended his team-leading goal total to 31 as his club downed the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. McCanna and rookie center Matty Beniers each finished with two points as the Kraken (37-21-6) sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. Trevor Zegras and Max Comtois replied for the 21-35-8 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCann, 26, has blossomed into a scorer since joining the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft. He had 27 goals and 50 points in 74 games last season and now has 31 goals and 50 points in 61 games.

The Calgary Flames kept their playoff hopes alive with a 1-0 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild. Tyler Toffoli netted the game-winner while Jacob Markstrom made 40 saves for his first shutout of the season. With 71 points, the 29-23-13 Flames are four back of the Winnipeg Jets for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Wild (36-21-7) are two points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 79 points.

A 40-save performance by Karel Vejmelka carried the Arizona Coyotes over the St. Louis Blues by a score of 6-2, snapping a three-game losing skid. Clayton Keller had a goal and two assists while Travis Boyd tallied two goals for the 22-32-10 Coyotes. Pavel Buchnevich scored both goals for the 27-31-5 Blues.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2023

by | Mar 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 5, 2023

Lightning stars benched in loss to Sabres, the league-leading Bruins pick up their 10th straight win by downing the Rangers, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres forwards Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Eric Comrie made 33 saves as the Sabres (32-25-4) sit within three points of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 68 points. Alex Killorn scored two goals for the Lightning (37-20-5) as they dropped their fourth straight game and sit third in the Atlantic Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn’t pleased with his club’s performance. He benched his top line of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point for the entire third period. “It just felt, in the third period, that they weren’t giving us the best chance to win,” said Cooper. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee (NHL Images).

The New York Islanders got two goals from captain Anders Lee to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, handing the latter their fifth straight loss. The Islanders improved to 32-25-8 and vaulted over the Penguins into the first Eastern wild-card berth with 72 points. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings as they fell to 28-25-9 (65 points).

Speaking of the Penguins, their four-game win streak came to an end as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 31 shots while Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the 31-27-6 Panthers (68 points) as they sit three points back of the 31-22-9 Penguins (71 points). Kris Letang scored Pittsburgh’s only goal while Casey DeSmith made 38 saves.

The league-leading Boston Bruins picked up their 10th straight victory by doubling up the New York Rangers 4-2. Tyler Bertuzzi collected an assist in his Bruins debut while Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist as their club improved to 49-8-5 and sit atop the overall standings with 103 points. Alexis Lafreniere scored both goals for the Rangers (35-19-9), who’ve dropped six of their last eight and sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The much-anticipated reunion of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin has yet to pan out for the Rangers. In fairness, it’s only been two games and Kane is still adjusting to his new teammates after 16 seasons in Chicago. The Rangers were also short two defensemen with K’Andre Miller serving a suspension and Ryan Lindgren sidelined by an injury.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson scored twice and collected an assist as his club snowed under the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 7-3. Roope Hintz collected two assists as the Stars (34-16-13) hold a one-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Western Conference with 81 points. The Avalanche dropped to 34-21-5 and hold the final Western wild-card spot with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Cale Makar returned to the Avalanche lineup after being activated off concussion protocol. Meanwhile, Avs defenseman Josh Manson remains sidelined by a lower-body injury.

The Washington Capitals kept their playoff hopes alive with an 8-3 drubbing of the San Jose Sharks. Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and picked up an assist, Dylan Strome had a goal and two assists and Craig Smith tallied twice for the 31-27-6 Capitals, who sit three points back of the Penguins with 68 points. Erik Karlsson collected two assists for the 18-33-12 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks head coach David Quinn was ejected from this game after voicing his displeasure after winger Kevin Labanc was penalized for clipping. Quinn was apologetic following the game, admitting he was embarrassed by his actions.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey tallied twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Edmonton Oilers 7-5. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist as the Jets snapped a five-game losing skid (36-25-2) and move back into third place in the Central Division with 74 points. Leon Draisaitl collected a hat trick for the Oilers (34-22-8) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 76 points.

Two shorthanded goals by Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller 44 seconds apart carried the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thatcher Demko kicked out 36 shots for the 25-32-5 Canucks. John Tavares scored for the 38-17-8 Leafs as they hold second place in the Atlantic Division with 84 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly left this game in the second period after being struck in the hand by a shot by teammate Auston Matthews. An update on his condition isn’t expected until Monday.

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist and Gabriel Vilardi scored the game-winner for the 36-20-8 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 80 points. Robert Thomas and Kasperi Kapanen scored for the Blues as they dropped to 27-30-5.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson kicked out 31 shots to shut out the Calgary Flames 3-0. Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist as the Wild improved to 36-21-6 and hold second place in the Central Division with 78 points. The Flames (27-23-13) have dropped five straight and six points behind the Avalanche for the final Western wild-card spot with 67 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames were booed off the ice by the Saddledome crowd following the game. Their window of opportunity to secure a playoff berth is just about shut unless they can somehow reverse their fortunes soon.

The Ottawa Senators remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race following a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jakob Chychrun collected his first points with the Senators with a goal and an assist while Tim Stutzle scored two goals, including his 30th of the season. The Sens improved to 32-26-4 and are three points back of the Penguins with 68 points. Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic scored for the 20-37-6 Blue Jackets.

The Nashville Predators kept their playoff hopes alive by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. Tyson Barrie’s first goal with the Predators was the game-winner as they improved to 31-23-6 and sit five points back of the Avalanche with 68 points. Seth Jones replied for the 21-36-5 Blackhawks.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2023

by | Mar 4, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 4, 2023

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has a four-point game in Oilers’ victory over the Jets, some of the fallout from the NHL trade deadline, plus the latest on Cale Makar, Ville Husso and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two goals and collected two assists in a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Leon Draisaitl also scored twice and had an assist while Connor McDavid collected three assists for the 34-21-8 Oilers (76 points) as they hold a four-point lead over the Jets for the first Western Conference wild-card berth. The Jets (72 points) hold the final Western wild-card spot but have lost five straight games, dropping to 35-25-2.

Edmonton Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (NHL Images).

The Carolina Hurricanes thumped the Arizona Coyotes 6-1. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas each collected three points while Antti Raanta (17 saves) remains unbeaten in regulation (13-0-2) since Nov. 26 as the Hurricanes (40-12-8) sit second in the overall standings with 88 points. The Coyotes dropped to 21-32-9 on the season.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill kicked out 47 shots backstopping his club to a 4-3 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils. Shea Theodore scored the winning goal while Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and collected an assist for the 37-19-6 Golden Knights as they hold first overall in the Western Conference with 80 points. Dawson Mercer scored to extend his goals streak to eight games as the 40-15-6 Devils sit two points back of the Hurricanes in the overall standings.

The Seattle Kraken doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Jared McCann became the first player in Kraken history to score 30 goals in a season as his club improved to 35-21-6 and sit third in the Pacific Division with 76 points. Patrik Laine collected two points for the 20-36-4 Blue Jackets.

Third-period goals by Mason McTavish and Jakob Silfverberg enabled the Anaheim Ducks to hold off the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 3-2. The Ducks are 21-34-8 on the season while the Canadiens dropped to 26-32-4.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: 21 trades involving 34 players took place during Friday’s trade deadline.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Don’t be fooled by those numbers. The 2023 NHL trade deadline will go down as one of the quietest in league history in terms of significant moves involving notable talent. That’s because those moves were made in the weeks leading up to deadline day. 

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman explained why he became a seller in the days leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. He cited their back-to-back lopsided losses to the Ottawa Senators this week as an indication that his club still needs improvement. “I look at Ottawa and Buffalo, and in all honesty, I think they’re ahead of us with their group,” said Yzerman. He also indicated the Wings have to keep an eye on the rebuilding Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yzerman made a blunt assessment of his club, thinking with his head and not his heart. It would’ve been tempting for him to sacrifice some futures for a quick fix but he still has his eye firmly on the prize: building a long-term Stanley Cup contender as he did in Tampa Bay. The Wings have been improving but there’s still more work to do.

SPORTSNET: Canadiens GM Kent Hughes pointed to the high number of injuries to his roster that hampered his ability to make more significant moves leading up to the trade deadline. Sources told Eric Engels that the club is undergoing a thorough examination of its medical staff, procedures, training and therapeutic procedures, rehabilitation procedures, and practice and travel schedules.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hughes believes no other NHL club has been wracked by injuries over the past two seasons like the Canadiens. One season leading the league in man-games lost to injury could be chalked up to bad luck but two consecutive years suggest there could be other issues at play here.

CALGARY SUN: Flames GM Brad Treliving said trading away young assets or a draft pick for a quick fix wasn’t on the table for him during the trade deadline. “We were not entertaining moving any ‘A’ assets, significant assets, for short-term,” he said. “Where we’re at right now, that was never an option for us.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames are five points out of a Western wild-card spot. The returns Treliving brought in were minor ones that won’t move the needle. It’s up to their core talent to carry them through. Treliving said he’s not worried about losing his job but he’s on an expiring contract. Missing the playoffs for the second time in four years could prove costly.

TSN: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar has been cleared to return from concussion protocol.

MLIVE.COM: Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso could miss Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders with a minor injury.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators re-signed defenseman Dante Fabbro to a one-year, $2.5 million contract and goaltender Kevin Lankinen to a one-year, $2 million deal.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals re-signed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel to a one-year, $1.225 million contract.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly could miss the remainder of the season with an oblique strain.

CALGARY HOCKEY NOW: Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington is expected to remain out of the lineup for the remainder of the season. He’s been out since the start of the season due to personal family reasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2023

by | Mar 2, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 2, 2023

Recaps of Wednesday’s games, the three stars and rookie of the month for February are revealed, the Red Wings re-sign Dylan Larkin, the Penguins acquire Mikael Granlund, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored twice and collected an assist to down the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist against his former club as the Oilers improved to 33-21-8 and hold third place in the Pacific Division with 74 points. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist for the 37-16-8 Maple Leafs as they sit second in the Atlantic Division with 82 points.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid extended his multi-goal streak to five games. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm joined the Oilers for his first game after being acquired from the Nashville Predators the day prior, logging over 20 minutes of ice time and collecting an assist on Hyman’s goals.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer scored for the seventh straight game and collected three assists in a 7-5 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, snapping the latter’s six-game win streak. Tomas Tatar had a goal and two assists for the Devils (40-15-5) as they sit one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes with 85 points. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for the 34-20-5 Avalanche (73 points) as they remain one point back of the second-place Minnesota Wild in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Avalanche placed defenseman Cale Makar (concussion) on injured reserve.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Vegas Golden Knights. Jack Eichel scored twice while Reilly Smith snapped a 2-2 tie late in the third period as the Golden Knights improved to 36-19-6 and sit in first place in the Pacific Division with 78 points. Martin Necas and Jordan Staal replied for the Hurricanes (39-12-8) as they’ve dropped two straight games.

An overtime goal by Vladimir Tarasenko lifted the New York Rangers over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 3-2. Tarasenko also collected two assists while Igor Shesterkin kicked out 26 shots for the Rangers (35-17-9) as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points. The Flyers have lost eight of their last nine games and dropped to 23-28-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Patrick Kane will make his debut with the Rangers on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers acquired the 34-year-old winger from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin tallied two goals and collected an assist as his club doubled up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. The Stars improved to 32-16-13 and hold first place in the Central Division with 77 points. Coyotes forward Clayton Keller scored his 25th goal of the season as his club fell to 21-31-9.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz left the game in the second period after taking a puck to the left side of his face. Earlier in the day, the Stars placed forward Luke Glendening (undisclosed) on injured reserve.

The Washington Capitals kept their fading playoff hopes alive by nipping the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on an overtime tally by Tom Wilson, who finished the game with two goals. The Capitals (30-27-6) are three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 66 points. Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist for the 20-34-8 Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals defensemen Nick Jensen and Martin Fehervary left this game with injuries. Meanwhile, the Ducks withheld blueliners John Klingberg and Dmitry Kulikov from this game for trade-related reasons.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark are the NHL’s three stars for February 2023. Ottawa Senators goalie Mads Sogaard was named rookie of the month.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings and Dylan Larkin reached an agreement yesterday on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract extension. Larkin’s average annual value starting next season will be $8.7 million. The deal also comes with a full no-trade clause through the first five seasons and becomes a 10-team trade list for the final three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin’s lengthy contract negotiations at times made him the subject of trade speculation. However, it was clear the Wings weren’t going to trade him. Doing so would’ve left them without an established first-line center which would’ve significantly set back their development.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins made two trades yesterday. The first saw them ship forward Teddy Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights in a cost-cutting move, receiving a 2024 third-round pick and minor-league defenseman Peter Diliberatore in return. They followed up by acquiring forward Mikael Granlund from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a second-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Granlund is a versatile two-way playmaking forward who can play center or right wing. The 31-year-old carries an AAV of $5 million through 2024-25.

This move isn’t sitting well with some Penguins followers. They argue that adding Granlund does nothing to make the club younger, improve their speed or make them a bigger, tougher club.

The Predators, meanwhile, have accumulated nine picks in the four trades they’ve made since Feb. 25. They picked up a first-round pick in this year’s draft as well as a pick in the third, fourth and fifth rounds, two second-rounders and a fourth in 2024 and a first-rounder in 2025.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning traded forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Michael Eyssimont. That move frees up $500K in cap space for the Lightning.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2023

by | Feb 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 22, 2023

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl reach point milestones while Ryan O’Reilly and Mitch Marner play big roles in Leafs win over the Sabres. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid reached his 800th career point while teammate Leon Draisaitl netted his 700th in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. McDavid and Draisaitl each collected three points as the Oilers (31-19-8) snapped a four-game winless skid and hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 70 points. The Flyers slipped to 23-26-10 (56 points) and remain eight points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They played without Travis Konecny as he missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is the league leader in goals with 44 and points with 105. He’s also the fifth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 800 career points, doing so in 545 games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got a hat trick from Ryan O’Reilly and a five-assist performance by Mitch Marner to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. O’Reilly finished with four points while John Tavares had a goal and three assists as the Leafs improved to 35-15-8 to maintain their three-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division with 78 points. Alex Tuch had two points as the Sabres fall to 28-23-4 (60 points) to remain four points behind the Florida Panthers for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The line of O’Reilly, Marner and Tavares is showing impressive chemistry thus far for the Leafs.

Speaking of the Lightning, they thumped the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 6-1 to remain unbeaten in regular (14-0-1) over their last 15 games. Brayden Point tallied his 200th career goal while Nick Perbix recorded three assists. The Lightning (36-17-3) have 76 points and sit third in the Atlantic Division. The Ducks sank to 17-34-7 on the season and played without John Klingberg as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-1 thanks to three-point performances by Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots as the Hurricanes (38-10-8) have won 13 of their last 15 games and sit in second place in the overall standings with 84 points. Justin Faulk scored for the Blues as they dropped to 26-28-3. They also lost defenseman Torey Krug as he left this game with an undisclosed injury.

Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman scored twice in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings to snap the latter’s four-game win streak. Filip Gustavsson made 33 saves as the Wild improved to 31-21-5 (67 points), opening a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card berth. Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (32-19-7) as they remain one point up on the Seattle Kraken for second place in the Pacific Division with 71 points.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 to extend the latter’s losing skid to five games. Pius Suter tallied two goals and Ville Husso kicked out 26 shots for the 27-21-8 Red Wings (62 points). They moved to within two points of the final Eastern wild-card spot and sit ahead of the Capitals (28-25-6) with three games in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was ejected from this game in the second period for cross-checking Washington forward T.J. Oshie in the face. Capitals forward Anthony Mantha left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury following a hit by Wings defenseman Moritz Seider.

A shootout goal by Tyler Johnson lifted the Chicago Blackhawks over the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2, ending the latter’s five-game win streak. Johnson also scored the tying goal in the third period and finished with two points as the Blackhawks improved to 19-32-5. The Golden Knights (34-18-5) opened a two-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with 73 points.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault made 38 saves in a 5-2 upset of the New Jersey Devils to end the latter’s six-game home win streak. Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each had a goal and an assist as the Canadiens improved to 24-29-4. Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer replied for the 37-15-5 Devils as they sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Canadiens forward Joel Armia left this game following the first period with a non-COVID-related illness.

The Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 on a shootout goal by Matt Duchene. The win kept the Predators’ fading playoff hopes alive as they rose to 27-22-6 and sit seven points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 60 points. Andrei Kuzmenko tallied twice for the 22-30-5 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators forward Ryan Johansen left this game in the second period after suffering a cut. Following the game, head coach John Hynes said he was uncertain about Johansen’s condition but felt it was possible it might be serious. Meanwhile, the Canucks are sitting defenseman Luke Schenn for trade-related reasons with the March 3 trade deadline on the horizon.

IN OTHER NEWS…

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is in concussion protocol and will miss at least two games. He had missed four games earlier this month with a head injury and reinjured himself on Saturday after initiating contact with Alexei Toropchenko of the St. Louis Blues.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Winnipeg Jets placed forward Cole Perfetti (upper body) on injured reserve. He last played on Feb. 19.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Plans for the Bruins to play a two-game set against the Los Angeles Kings next September in Melbourne, Australia have been put on hold due to travel concerns.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2023

by | Feb 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 20, 2023

A hat-trick performance for Patrick Kane while Jonathan Toews steps away for health reasons, the Senators ship Tyler Motte to the Rangers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: A hat trick by Patrick Kane powered the Chicago Blackhawks to a 5-3 upset of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kane also collected an assist as he and Max Domi each finished the game with four points as the Blackhawks improved to 18-32-5 on the season. John Tavares and Mitch Marner were among the scorers for the Leafs (34-15-8) as they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 76 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane received a standing ovation from the fans at Chicago’s United Center as there is a sense that game could be among his last in a Blackhawks jersey. He could be playing for another club by the March 3 trade deadline.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (NHL Images).

Before the game, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews released a statement indicating he was stepping away from the team as he deals with the effects of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome which sidelined him for the entire 2020-21 season. He’s been sidelined since Jan. 28 but indicated he’d been struggling with symptoms for several weeks.

Toews’ condition effectively ends any talk of the Blackhawks shopping him before the March 3 trade deadline. General manager Kyle Davidson said the team will do all it can to help their captain regain his health and perhaps return to action at some point before the end of the season.

The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 on an overtime goal by Mikko Rantanen. J.T. Compher had a goal and three assists while Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and two assists as the 31-19-5 Avalanche (67 points) moved to within two points of the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division. Warren Foegele tallied twice for the Oilers (30-19-8) hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 68 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar missed this game with an upper-body injury after taking incidental contact to the head during Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. It was his first game after being sidelined since Feb. 7 with a similar injury. The Avs also announced that defenseman Erik Johnson will be sidelined for multiple weeks recovering from a broken ankle.

The Oilers played with Evander Kane as the winger is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Speaking of the Jets, they dropped a 4-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils. Dawson Mercer scored two goals as the Devils improved to 37-14-5 (79 points) to move within three points of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. Mark Scheifele and Neil Pionk each had two points for the Jets (34-21-1) as they remain three points behind the first-place Dallas Stars in the Central Division with 69 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers left the game with an undisclosed injury in the third period.

The Minnesota Wild nipped the Nashville Predators 4-3 on a goal by Ryan Hartman with 21 seconds remaining in the third period. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice as the Wild (30-21-5) sit in the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference with 65 points. Tommy Novak had a goal and two assists for the 26-22-6 Predators (58 points) as they sit seven points behind the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Predators announced they will be unveiling a statue of Pekka Rinne on March 10 outside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Rinne spent his entire NHL career with the Predators and is the only player on the team to have his number retired.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk and Alex DeBrincat each had three points to thump the St. Louis Blues 7-2. With 58 points, the Senators (27-24-4) are five points behind the New York Islanders, who hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Blues dropped to 26-27-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blues forward Jake Neighbours suffered an upper-body injury in the first period of this game. Head coach Craig Berube believes Neighbours will be sidelined for a while.

An overtime goal by Barrett Hayton lifted the Arizona Coyotes to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor Ingram made 34 saves as the Coyotes (20-28-4) have gone 5-0-4 in their last nine games. The Blue Jackets slipped to 18-34-5 as Johnny Gaudreau missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the Coyotes lineup for the first time since being sidelined on Jan. 24.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Prior to yesterday’s game against the Blues, the Ottawa Senators traded left wing Tyler Motte to the New York Rangers in exchange for right wing Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Motte returns to the Rangers after spending part of last season with the Blueshirts.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch speculates Gauthier could be a potential replacement for winger Austin Watson if he’s moved at the March 3 trade deadline. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple believes the Rangers have sufficient salary-cap space to add a fourth-line center at the trade deadline.

Speaking of the Senators, Garrioch also reports NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the sale price of the franchise could reach $1 billion. Former owner Eugene Melnyk bought the franchise 20 years ago for $130 million.

More than 15 groups were granted permission to review the Senators’ financial statements and a copy of the memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission for a new rink at LeBreton Flats.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks winger Timo Meier is questionable for today’s game against the Seattle Kraken with an upper-body injury.