NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2024

by | Oct 23, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 23, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s 16-game “Frozen Frenzy” sees the Jets remain undefeated, the Panthers sign Paul Maurice to an extension, the Blues re-sign Jake Neighbours, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Winnipeg Jets are this season’s only undefeated team, holding off the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Kyle Connor scored the winning goal and Cole Perfetti had three assists as the Jets extended their season-opening win streak to 6-0-0. Blues winger Brandon Saad scored both of his club’s goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues announced before the game that forward Jake Neighbours signed a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.75 million. It’s an affordable bridge deal for the Blues but it could lead to a more lucrative contract for the 22-year-old Neighbours, who tallied 27 goals and 38 points last season.

The Blues also announced before this game that they placed defenseman Nick Leddy (lower body) on injured reserve. It’s believed he suffered the injury blocking a shot last Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.

Minnesota Wild forwards Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist to beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 to extend their points streak to six games (4-0-2). Jake Middleton picked up three assists for the Wild. Sam Bennett replied for the Panthers, who pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky after he gave up five goals on 11 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers announced yesterday that head coach Paul Maurice had signed a contract extension. Details were not released. He’s in the final season of a three-year deal worth just under $4 million annually. Maurice guided the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024, winning the Cup last season.

Speaking of the Panthers, forward Sam Reinhart was the NHL’s first star for the week ending Oct. 20. New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin and Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson were the second and third stars.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel had a natural hat trick and collected an assist in an 8-5 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Victor Hedman scored two goals, Anthony Cirelli collected four assists and J.J. Moser had a goal and two assists for the Lightning. Timo Meier tallied twice and Jack Hughes had a goal and two assists for the Devils.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored two goals and collected two assists to lead his club over the Los Angeles Kings 6-1. Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and Alex Pietrangelo had three helpers for Vegas. Warren Foegele scored the Kings’ only goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore missed this game due to an illness.

The Buffalo Sabres upset the Dallas Stars 4-2. Owen Power collected three assists, including setting up Tage Thompson’s game-winning goal. Thompson and Alex Tuch each finished with a goal and an assist for the Sabres. Thomas Harley and Tyler Seguin scored for the Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave forward Zach Benson the night off to rest. He’s been playing through a lower-body injury suffered earlier this month in Prague.

A four-goal first period powered the New York Rangers to a 7-2 drubbing of the Montreal Canadiens. Filip Chytil scored two goals and picked up an assist and Kaapo Kakko had a goal and two assists for the Rangers. Nick Suzuki scored both Canadiens goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain Jacob Trouba injured Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron with a high hit in the third period. Barron left the game and didn’t return. There was no penalty on the play. The Canadiens also played without winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who is out for at least a week with an upper-body injury.

Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren made his season debut after suffering an injured jaw during the preseason.

The Columbus Blue Jackets stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2. Mathieu Olivier tallied two goals, Justin Danforth had a goal and two assists, and goalie Daniil Tarasov stopped 26 shots for the Blue Jackets. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson scored for the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs winger Max Pacioretty left this game after the second period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return. Earlier in the day, the NHL department of player safety fined Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson $5,000.00 for interference on Lightning winger Jake Guentzel on Monday.

Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson underwent shoulder surgery and is sidelined indefinitely.

Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3. Danton Heinen scored twice for the Canucks. Ryan Donato, Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall’s goal was his 700th career NHL point.

Washington Capitals forwards Nic Dowd and Andrew Mangiapane each scored shorthanded goals in the first period to lead their team to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Capitals have won four straight games. Travis Sanheim scored for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler made his season debut after being activated off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined by a knee injury during a preseason game against the Boston Bruins.

The Detroit Red Wings got a 29-save shutout from Alex Lyon to blank the New York Islanders 1-0. Patrick Kane scored the only goal as the Wings were limited to 11 shots by the Islanders.

Colorado Avalanche forward Joel Kiviranta scored twice, Nathan MacKinnon netted the game-winner, and Cale Makar collected two assists as they held on for a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. Makar and MacKinnon extended their point streaks to seven games. Jared McCann and Ryker Evans scored for the Kraken.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros turned aside 33 shots to shut out the Boston Bruins 4-0, snapping their season-opening losing skid at five games. Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi each had two points. Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves for the Bruins.

An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists as the Hurricanes overcame a 2-0 deficit. Connor McDavid scored both goals for the Oilers, who got a 30-save performance from Stuart Skinner.

The Ottawa Senators blanked the Utah Hockey Club 4-0. Anton Forsberg kicked out 31 shots for the shutout while Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Ridly Greig and Brady Tkachuk scored in the first period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark missed his fourth straight game with a muscle strain, forcing the club to call up Leevi Merilainen. Forward David Perron is away from the team for personal reasons.

Calgary Flames forward Justin Kirkland scored the deciding goal in a shootout to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3. Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman collected two points, Dustin Wolf stopped 35 shots and Nazem Kadri scored the tying goal in the dying seconds of the third period as the Flames extended their points streak to six games (5-0-1). Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Noel Aciari scored for the Penguins.

The Anaheim Ducks got their first power-play goals of the season from Troy Terry and Leo Carlsson in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Mikael Granlund scored for the Sharks, the only winless team with a record of 0-5-2.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2024

by | Jun 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 25, 2024

The Panthers are the 2024 Stanley Cup champions, Oilers captain Connor McDavid named playoff MVP, selections for the 2024 Hall of Fame class are to be made today, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

FLORIDA PANTHERS ARE 2024 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history.

Sam Reinhart snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period as the Panthers held off the Edmonton Oilers for a 2-1 victory in Game 7. Carter Verhaeghe also scored for the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for the win. Mattias Janmark replied for the Oilers, who had overcome a 3-0 series deficit to force the seventh and deciding game.

The Florida Panthers are 2024 Stanley Cup Champions (NHL.com).

Panthers center Aleksander Barkov became the first Finnish captain in NHL history to lead his team to the Stanley Cup.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Panthers on winning the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. They faced adversity in this series, becoming the first team in 79 years to blow a 3-0 series lead in the final. However, when it mattered most, they regained their focus, shutting down the Oilers with a solid defensive effort.

This is a historic moment for the Panthers. It wasn’t long ago they were considered a laughingstock, overshadowed by their rivals in Tampa Bay and regularly near the bottom of the league in terms of the standings and attendance. They’ve now emerged from the Lightning’s shadow as a league powerhouse in their own right.

Fun fact: since 2020, a Florida-based team has played in the Stanley Cup Final, winning hockey’s holy grail three times.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice ended 25 years of futility with the first Stanley Cup championship of his long coaching career. Following the game, he gave a shout out to his former club, the Winnipeg Jets. “If I could have one more thing, it would be for the Winnipeg Jets to win the next Stanley Cup.”

Meanwhile, Oilers captain Connor McDavid was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. McDavid led all postseason scorers with 42 points, becoming only the third player in Stanley Cup playoff history to exceed the 40-point plateau. McDavid also set a single postseason record with 34 assists. He is the sixth player on a losing team to win the Smythe and the first since 2003.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid received criticism on social media for not accepting the award. He was crushed by his club’s loss in Game 7 after rallying back from a 3-0 deficit. The Oilers captain spoke with the media following the game, acknowledging the honor but still coming to grips with the game’s outcome.

This was a heartbreaking end to the Oilers’ Stanley Cup dream. They will try to follow the example of the Panthers, who were thumped by the Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s Final but returned to win it all this year.

IN OTHER NEWS…

The Boston Bruins traded goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators before the start of Game 7. You can read the details and my take here.

NHL.COM: Former Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk is among the first-time candidates for the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Others include Patrick Marleau, Shea Weber, Pekka Rinne, and Ryan Miller.

The vote will take place on Tuesday morning with the results to be announced in the afternoon.

ARIZONA SPORTS: Alex Meruelo is reportedly walking away from ownership of the Coyotes with no plans to pursue a future arena. This comes after a land auction the Coyotes expected to win as the first step toward building a new arena was canceled last week.

The team was sold to a group led by Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith in April and moved to Utah. A condition of the sale was that Meruelo would have an opportunity to bring an expansion franchise back to Arizona if a new NHL arena could be constructed within the next five years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Meruelo is out the dream of bringing the NHL back to Arizona goes with him unless someone else steps up and succeeds in getting a new arena constructed.

BOSTON HERALD: The Bruins signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a one-year, two-way contract with a cap hit of $775K.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This signing was made before the Bruins traded Ullmark to Ottawa for Joonas Korpisalo. He’ll be spending next season in the minors unless the Bruins trade Korpisalo.

THE MERCURY NEWS: San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier said his club was not tendering a qualifying offer to Calen Addison. The 24-year-old defenseman will be eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Addison was once considered a promising puckmoving defenseman. He could become a reclamation project for another club seeking affordable blueline depth.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Hershey Bears won the AHL’s Calder Cup for the second straight year with a 5-4 overtime victory over Coachella Valley in Game 6. Hendrix Lapierre was named playoff MVP.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Bears on becoming back-to-back Calder Cup champions.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2024

by | Jun 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 24, 2024

The latest on the Oilers and Panthers on the eve of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, prospect Matvei Michkov could leave the KHL to join the Flyers, the Leafs hire Marc Savard as an assistant coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins felt “under the weather” and missed practice on Sunday. However, he’s expected to be in the lineup for the seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday at 8 pm EDT in Florida.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-serving member of the Oilers roster. The first-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, he’s spent his entire 13-season career in Edmonton.

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

Nugent-Hopkins has been through a lot during that time, including part of the “decade of darkness” that befell the franchise from 2006-07 to 2015-16. He’s not missing the most important game of his career.

Oilers winger Corey Perry isn’t giving any thought to retirement. The 39-year-old dismissed the suggestion that Game 7 could be his last as an NHL player. “I’ve got lots more in me: five more years,” he replied.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was evident this season that Perry’s performance is in decline. Still, I wouldn’t bet against someone signing him to a low-cost one-year contract. He’s been in four of the last five Stanley Cup Finals with the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Oilers. That experience could still make him useful to a contender.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed practice on Sunday but are expected to be in the lineup for Game 7. Panthers coach Paul Maurice explained that Bobrovsky’s not skating was part of his normal routine during the regular season and playoffs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bobrovsky was outstanding during the first three games of this series but struggled over the last three. The extra day of rest could help him reset and regain his form. The Panthers need him at his best in Game 7.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Maurice believes his players must put the last three games behind them and embrace the challenge of Game 7. “I’m not concerned about it at all,” he said, saying his players must feel positive and embrace the challenge of this critical game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pressure of this series has shifted to the Panthers after blowing a 3-0 lead. Nevertheless, it’ll be a significant achievement if they can rise to the occasion and hold off the Oilers in Game 7.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov is leaving KHL club SKA St. Petersburg to join the Flyers. Reports indicate the two clubs are close to an agreement to release the 19-year-old winger from his KHL contract which runs through 2025-26.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov is a highly-touted scoring winger who could boost the Flyers offense if he makes their roster next season. It’s believed the KHL will release him from his contract for compassionate reasons related to the death of his father last year. He will then sign a three-year entry-level contract with Philadelphia.

TORONTO SUN: The Maple Leafs hired Marc Savard as an assistant coach in charge of the power play. He held a similar role with the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed depth defenseman Ian Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K.

DAILY FACEOFF: Derick Brassard announced his retirement on Sunday.

The 36-year-old forward spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Brassard last played in the NHL in 2022-23. He finishes his career with 215 goals and 330 assists for 545 points in 1,013 regular-season games, and 68 points in 118 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated Brassard missed this season due to a lower-body injury and is still undergoing physiotherapy. Here’s hoping he makes a full recovery and enjoys a healthy retirement.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2024

by | Jun 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 15, 2024

The latest on the Panthers and Oilers on the eve of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

ESPN.COM: The Florida Panthers hold a 3-0 series lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and can win hockey’s holy grail with a win in Game 4 on Saturday.

Teams that previously sat in this position in the Cup Final have won 27 out of 28 times. The sole exception was in 1942 when the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame that deficit to upset the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.

Teams that were down 3-0 in the Final have avoided the sweep only eight times. The most recent examples were the Montreal Canadiens winning Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 and the New York Rangers doing the same against the Los Angeles Kings in 2014.

Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk (NHL Images).

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk indicated he and his teammates aren’t thinking about that as they approach Game 4. “We’ve done such a good job of having that one game, simple mindset. Win your first few shifts. It’s all you’ve got to do tomorrow,” he said on Friday. “It’s really calm, kind of chill and relaxed group today. We’ll use that to our advantage.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers may be outwardly calm approaching Game 4. Carrying a commanding series lead, however, they must be feeling some excitement and anticipation about being a win away from winning hockey’s greatest prize. How they handle those emotions will factor into their performance in Saturday’s crucial contest.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun and Shayna Goldman suggested Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, and defenseman Gustav Forsling as Conn Smythe Trophy candidates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It seems premature to start debating which Panthers will be named playoff MVP. Still, you can’t blame the pundits given everything we’ve seen in this series thus far.

Barkov, Bobrovsky, and Forsling certainly appear the most likely candidates. I think it’s down to Barkov or Bobrovsky. If I had a vote, I’d cast it for the Panthers’ goalie.

WINNIPEG SUN: Two-and-a-half years after resigning as coach of the Jets, Panthers bench boss Paul Maurice is on the verge of winning the Stanley Cup.

After nine seasons, Maurice stepped down from the Jets believing that the team needed somebody else behind the bench to help them get to the next level. They’re now on their third coach since his departure. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maurice guided the Jets to three of their best seasons, including the franchise-best 114-point performance in 2017-18 and marching to the 2018 Western Conference Final.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards wonders where the Panthers will hold their Stanley Cup parade.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers haven’t won Lord Stanley’s Mug yet but you can’t blame Richards or any of the club’s followers if they’re a little giddy with excitement right now. If there was ever an apt opportunity for the phrase “plan the parade” without sarcasm, it’s now.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychkowski reports the Oilers are clinging to hope but things are looking bleak for them approaching Game 4.

Zach Hyman was the latest Oiler to remind everyone that his club had been counted out earlier this season when they were near the bottom of the standings. However, Edmonton’s offense has been stymied thus far by the Panthers.

Hyman, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins don’t have a single point between them. The Oilers’ vaunted power play is 0-for-10 in this series.

Meanwhile, Jim Matheson reports the Oilers are trying to reignite their offense and find ways to score against Bobrovsky. Hyman acknowledged they must find a way to get to the dirty areas and cash in on rebounds and other opportunities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers believe they’re getting their chances but must bear down more and create more opportunities. The problem is they haven’t yet solved the riddle of Bobrovsky. If they can’t crack the code tonight, they’ll be watching the Panthers celebrate their first Stanley Cup championship.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2024

by | Feb 12, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 12, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s game and the Leafs Morgan Rielly faces an in-person hearing for cross-checking Ridly Greig. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by J.T. Miller with 4.8 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots for the 35-12-6 Canucks (76 points) as they opened a three-point lead over the Boston Bruins for first place in the overall standings. Alex Ovechkin scored for the fifth straight game as his Capitals (23-20-8) sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug (NHL Images).

St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug collected five assists as his club thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-2. Robert Thomas had a goal and three assists while Jordan Kyrou tallied twice for the Blues (28-21-2) as they hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 58 points. Nick Suzuki and Joel Armia scored for the 21-23-8 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug’s five assists were a single-game franchise record for a Blues defenseman.

Meanwhile, Canadiens blueliner Jordan Harris left the game with an upper-body injury (suspected concussion) after being boarded by Blues forward Sammy Blais, who received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct. Before this contest, the Canadiens announced that forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard would be sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has an in-person meeting with the NHL’s department of player safety for cross-checking Ottawa Senators center Ridly Grieg during Saturday’s game between their two clubs. Rielly took exception over Greig firing a slap shot into the empty Leafs net during the dying seconds of the game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rielly could be facing a suspension of five games for more. Meanwhile, Leafs and Senators fans lit up social media over the weekend arguing over the incident.

With the Senators assured of victory in that game, Greig may have been rubbing it in a bit with his slapshot empty-netter. Frustrated over the game’s result, Rielly took exception to it.

Rielly’s defenders argue that Greig violated an unwritten code or was guilty of poor sportsmanship. However, there is nothing in the rule book against the way that goal was scored. It was no excuse for Rielly deliberately attempting to injure Greig by cross-checking him in the head.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was fined $5,000.00 for spearing Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty on Saturday.

CBS SPORTS: Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno will miss the club’s next two games with a lower-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice picked up his 850th career NHL coaching victory when his club shut out the Colorado Avalanche 4-0 on Saturday. He moved into sole possession of fifth place for the most coaching victories in league history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: New Jersey Devils bench boss Lindy Ruff sits nine wins ahead of Maurice in fourth place with 859.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

by | Jan 25, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 25, 2024

Nathan MacKinnon regains the scoring lead with a four-goal performance, five members of Canada’s 2018 WJC team face sexual assault charges, Salt Lake City expresses interest in an expansion franchise, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon regained the lead in the NHL scoring race with a four-goal performance in a 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. MacKinnon also collected an assist for 82 points, two ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov. Mikko Rantanen had a goal and four assists while Cale Makar had a goal and two assists for the 31-14-3 Avalanche, who sit fourth in the overall standings with 65 points. Dylan Strome scored both goals for the 22-18-6 Capitals (50 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche extended their home point streak to a franchise-record 24 games. Makar netted his 76th career goal to become the franchise’s all-time leading goalscorer among defensemen. Meanwhile, Avs blueliner Jack Johnson missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice took over sole possession of second place for most games by an NHL coach with 1,813 as his club beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games while Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and an assist for the Panthers (29-14-4), who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points. Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for the 23-20-3 Coyotes (49 points) as they sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov collected an assist as he returned to action after being sidelined for three games by a lower-body injury.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 32 saves for his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Auston Matthews scored in overtime to collect his league-leading 39th goal of the season as his Maple Leafs (24-14-8) regained third place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Laurent Brossoit stopped 29 shots for the 30-11-6 Jets as they sit third in the overall standings with 65 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big win for Samsonov, whose struggles in December saw him briefly demoted to the Leafs’ AHL affiliate. He was touched by Leafs fans chanting his name, admitting he was nearly brought to tears. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left this game with a leg injury after blocking a shot by Leafs forward Matthew Knies.

The St. Louis Blues picked up their third straight win with a 4-3 overtime upset of the Vancouver Canucks. Brayden Schenn tallied the winning goal after his club blew a 3-1 while Jake Neighbours had a goal and an assist for the 24-20-8 Blues (50 points), who sit one point out of the final Western wild-card berth. Pius Suter had a hat trick for the Canucks (32-11-5) as they remain in first place in the overall standings with 69 points.

A late goal by Jordan Martinook lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins by a score of 3-2. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had two points for the Hurricanes (26-15-5), who moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points. Brad Marchand scored both goals for the 29-9-9 Bruins as they remain in second place in the overall standings with 67 points.

The Buffalo Sabres overcame a 3-1 deficit for a 5-3 upset victory over the Los Angeles Kings. JJ Peterka scored twice and collected an assist while Jack Quinn had a goal and two assists for the 21-23-4 Sabres. Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist for the Kings (22-14-9) as they hold the first Western wild-card berth with 53 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings have won just twice in their last 10 games. Head coach Todd McLellan blasted his players following this match. “The stupidity that went into that loss is beyond explanation,” he said. Asked about his job security, McLellan replied that it was “a very fair question.” Kings general manager Rob Blake recently gave him a vote of confidence but that could change if this club fails to snap out of its funk.

Seattle Kraken winger Tomas Tatar scored two goals as his club beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2. Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann each collected two points as the Kraken (20-18-9) sit two points out of the final Western wild-card spot with 49 points. Seth Jones had two assists for the 14-32-2 Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced they’d reached an agreement with goaltender Petr Mrazek on a two-year contract extension. He’ll earn an average annual value of $4.25 million.

HEADLINES

TSN: Five members of Canada’s 2018 World Juniors team have been ordered to report to London, Ontario police to face charges of sexual assault. London police announced they would hold a press conference on Feb. 5 to share further details.

The charges are related to an alleged sexual assault in June 2018 involving the players, who have a set time to report to the police.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote have taken indefinite leaves of absence from the team. The club indicated it has no further comment at this time.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators’ unsigned winger Alex Formenton has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his Swiss team where he’s played since last season. The club declined to comment on the matter.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers GM Daniel Briere made a statement yesterday regarding the indefinite leave of absence by goaltender Carter Hart. He acknowledged the reports regarding the five unnamed players of Canada’s 2018 WJC team but said neither he nor the Flyers would make any comment until the results of the investigation are released.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube is also on an indefinite leave of absence for what the club deemed mental health reasons. Nevertheless, it’s assumed by hockey fans on social media that Dube, Hart, Formenton, McLeod and Foote are the five players sought by London police. We’ll know for certain by Feb. 5.

DAILY FACEOFF: In a release shared with NHL media yesterday, the Smith Entertainment Group formally requested that the league begin the process of bringing an expansion team to Salt Lake City. The ownership group owns the NBA’s Utah Jazz and has talked with the NHL about an expansion club since 2022. The club would play in the Jazz’s current arena until a new venue is constructed at a later date.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Salt Lake City has a long hockey history with minor league teams playing there over the years. They also hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics.

SPORTSNET: In an interview with The Athletic, NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh said the clock is ticking on the ownership of the Arizona Coyotes as they continue efforts to find a location to build a new arena. At the most recent NHL Board of Governors’ meetings, Commissioner Gary Bettman said the Coyotes ownership had until the end of January to finalize a new plan.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Walsh’s comments combined with the news of the Utah Jazz ownership’s interest in an expansion franchise looks like a warning shot to Coyotes ownership. If they don’t soon get their plans for a new arena project sorted out, the league’s patience could finally run out. If so, this franchise could end up sold and moved to Salt Lake City.

CALGARY SUN: The Flames placed center Adam Ruzicka and defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators re-signed forward Cole Smith to a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $775K.

KLTV: Former NHL player Mike Ribeiro is on trial in Franklin County, Texas. He allegedly sexually assaulted two women on June 23, 2021, and attempted to assault another.