NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2023

by | Dec 19, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 19, 2023

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby continues moving up among the all-time points leaders, the three stars of the week are announced and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke a 3-3 tie in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Crosby also collected an assist to move into 13th place among the NHL’s all-time points leaders with 1,535. Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel also had a goal and an assist for the 14-13-3 Penguins (31 points), who sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Ryan Hartman, Jake Middleton and Vinni Lettieri scored for the Wild (12-13-4) as they overcame a 3-0 deficit before Crosby netted the game-winner.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby will soon overtake Joe Thornton, who sits 12th with 1,539 points. He’s also within range of Ray Bourque (1,579) and Phil Esposito (1,590).

An overtime goal by Justin Barron lifted the Montreal Canadiens over the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak gave the Canadiens a 2-0 lead but Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti replied for the Jets to force the extra period. The Canadiens improved to 14-13-4 (32 points) to sit two points out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. The Jets fell to 18-9-3 and slipped into third place in the Central Division with 39 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game early in the third period after taking a puck to the face but got stitched up and returned 11 minutes later.

Speaking of the Central Division, the Dallas Stars regained first place (40 points) by nipping the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on an overtime goal by Thomas Harley. Matt Duchene tallied twice and collected an assist as the Stars improved to 18-8-4. Matty Beniers and Tomas Tatar each had a goal and an assist for the 10-14-9 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer indicated that starting goaltender Jake Oettinger is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom stopped 33 shots in a 3-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Mikael Backlund broke a 1-1 tie in the third period as the Flames have won three of their last four and improved to 13-14-5 (31 points), sitting one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Sam Reinhart scored for the Panthers (18-11-2) as they sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 38 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Panthers placed forward Anton Lundell on injured reserve.

The Anaheim Ducks held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. Adam Henrique and Troy Terry each had a goal and an assist for the 12-19-0 Ducks, who’ve won two straight games. Alex DeBrincat tallied twice and Patrick Kane had two assists for the Red Wings (15-12-4), who have lost three straight and sit just outside the final Eastern wild-card spot with 34 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin returned to action after missing the last four games with a head injury. However, goaltender Ville Husso left this game with an injured right leg.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 17.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Columbus Blue Jackets placed winger Patrik Laine (fractured clavicle) on injured reserve.

TSN: The Boston Bruins have loaned forward Matthew Poitras to Canada for the upcoming 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Poitras, 19, has 13 points in 27 games with the Bruins this season.

TSN: The Carolina Hurricanes signed free-agent goaltender Aaron Dell to a professional tryout offer.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2023

by | Dec 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2023

The Penguins’ Tristan Jarry scored the first “goalie goal” of the season, the Flames trade Nikita Zadorov to the Canucks, the latest on Corey Perry and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Tristan Jarry scored the first “goalie goal” of the season with an empty-netter to seal his club’s 4-2 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jarry also finished the night with 39 saves while Jeff Carter broke a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Penguins improved to 11-10-1 on the season. Nikita Kucherov collected two assists as he remains atop the NHL scoring race with 39 points for the 10-9-5 Lightning.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jarry is the first goaltender in Penguins history to score a goal. 

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel commemorated his 500th career game with a goal and two assists as his club defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 4-1. The Golden Knights (15-5-4) snapped a three-game losing skid to reclaim first place in the overall standings with 34 points. Thatcher Demko stopped 40 shots and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the 15-8-1 Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill left the game following the second period for precautionary reasons due to a lower-body injury. Logan Thompson replaced him for the third period.

Before the game, the Canucks acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2026.

The Canucks were rumored to be interested in Zadorov for some time. The big rearguard brings size and physical defensive skill to their blueline corps. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July unless he and the Canucks agree to an extension before then. For now, he’s a welcome addition to their defense for the remainder of this season.

It was surprising that Flames general manager Craig Conroy was willing to ship Zadorov to a division rival, especially one that they’ll be facing as soon as Saturday. Nevertheless, he believes it’s a fair deal for both clubs.

Zadorov punched his ticket out of Calgary with a public trade request through his agent on Nov. 10. The Canucks were willing to take on his full $3.75 million cap hit, enabling the Flames to avoid any salary retention in the deal. While they didn’t get a useful roster player, top prospect or high draft pick in return, they added two picks to their draft stockpile.

Trading away Zadorov will likely ramp up trade rumors regarding the Flames’ notable pending UFAs such as Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. Those three haven’t requested trades (not publicly, at least). With the Flames rising in the standings, Conroy can wait until the March 8 trade deadline to decide if he’ll move any of them.

Speaking of the Flames, an overtime goal by Nazem Kadri gave them a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars. Jonathan Huberdeau collected two assists while MacKenzie Weegar scored the tying goal late in the third period for the 10-10-3 Flames (22 points), who sit one point out of the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Mason Marchment scored twice for the 13-5-3 Stars.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman had a 26-save shutout in a 3-0 blanking of the San Jose Sharks. Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist while David Pastrnak picked up two assists as the Bruins (15-4-3) snapped a three-game losing skid to sit one point back of the Golden Knights in the overall standings with 33 points. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 34 shots for the Sharks (5-16-2) as they remain winless (0-10-0) on the road this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks center Tomas Hertl returned to the lineup after undergoing kidney stone surgery on Monday. “It was a pretty s***ty situation. It was pretty painful,” said Hertl, who said he felt good for Thursday’s game. Having passed a kidney stone myself years ago, I know exactly what he means.

The Toronto Maple Leafs nipped the Seattle Kraken 4-3. Mitch Marner tallied a hat trick in regulation and netted the game-winner in the shootout as the Leafs rose to 12-6-3. Jared McCann scored twice for the 8-10-6 Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Leafs announced defenseman Mark Giordano is listed as week-to-week with a broken finger. Meanwhile, the Kraken revealed that winger Jaden Schwartz (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson picked up a hat trick as his club held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had two assists and now sits with 1,499 career points as his club improved their record to 12-6-2. Brett Leason and rookie Tristan Luneau each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (9-14-0) as they’ve dropped eight straight games.

The Minnesota Wild thumped the Nashville Predators 6-1 with Connor Dewar tallying his first career NHL hat trick. The win was John Hynes’ second behind the bench for the Wild (7-10-4) in as many games. Juuso Parssinen replied for the Predators (11-11-0) as their six-game win streak ended.

New Jersey Devils rookie defenseman Luke Hughes’ overtime goal gave his club a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Akira Schmid kicked out 44 shots while Luke’s brother Jack had a goal and two assists as the Devils (11-9-1) have won three straight games. Travis Konecny collected two assists for the 11-10-2 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers center Garnet Hathaway received a match penalty for boarding Luke Hughes in the first period. Hughes went to the dressing room but would return and play over 21 minutes in this contest. Meanwhile, Devils defenseman Brendan Smith faces a hearing with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Konecny across the chest late in the third period.

The New York Islanders downed the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on an overtime goal by Mathew Barzal, who also collected three assists on the night. Noah Dobson set up three goals while Semyon Varlamov stopped 39 shots as the Islanders improved to 9-7-6. Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist while Sebastian Aho sent the game into overtime for the Hurricanes (13-8-1)with just three seconds remaining in regulation time.

Detroit Red Wings forwards J.T. Compher and Robby Fabbri each scored two goals to lead their club over the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1. Alex Lyon made 34 saves for the 12-7-3 Red Wings. Lukas Reichel replied for the Blackhawks (7-14-0) with an assist from Connor Bedard.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, former Blackhawks winger Corey Perry released a statement for the first time since his contract was terminated by the club. He apologized to the entire organization and his family and friends, expressing shame and embarrassment for his actions that led to his dismissal.

Perry also vehemently denied the sickening and baseless rumors on social media that arose during the investigation into his conduct and apologized directly to those who may have been affected by them. He indicated that he is working with experts in the mental health and substance abuse field to discuss his struggles with alcohol, vowing he’ll take whatever steps are necessary to ensure this never happens again.

A four-goal third period saw the Florida Panthers romp to a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Aleksander Barkov and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist for the 14-7-2 Panthers. Johnathan Kovacevic scored for the 10-11-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens forward Alex Newhook will be re-evaluated on Friday after injuring his left leg during an awkward fall into the net early in the third period.

The St. Louis Blues blew a 3-0 lead but went on to beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-4. Jordan Binnington made 42 saves while Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours each tallied twice for the 12-9-1 Blues. Rasmus Dahlin, Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs each had a goal and an assist for the 10-11-2 Sabres.

Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl snapped a 1-1 tie as his club went on to a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Ryan McLeod had a goal and an assist as the Oilers (9-12-1) picked up their fourth straight win. Connor Hellebuyck made 36 saves while Cole Perfetti scored for the 12-8-2 Jets, who’ve now lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey underwent and clear concussion protocol following a second-period hit by Oilers forward Mattias Janmark. Morrissey and Jets coach Rick Bowness felt it was blatant interference and a pick by Janmark.

An overtime goal by Nick Bjugstad gave the Arizona Coyotes a 4-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Connor Ingram made 28 saves for the win as the Coyotes (11-9-2) held the final Western Conference wild-card spot with 24 points. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche (15-6-1), who hold first place in the Central Division with 31 points.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2023

by | Aug 22, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – August 22, 2023

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey will be ready for training camp, Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner hopes to improve in his sophomore season, Jakob Chychrun prepares for his first full season with the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Josh Morrissey said he’s fully recovered from his season-ending lower-body injury suffered during the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round playoff series with the Vegas Golden Knights. The 28-year-old defenseman said his recovery timeline was four-to-six weeks.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Morrissey is good news for the Jets and their playoff hopes for the coming season. He’s coming off a career-best 76-point performance in 2022-23.

Stuart Skinner hopes to take the lessons learned from his 2022-23 rookie campaign to be even better in his approaching sophomore season. Skinner appeared in the 2023 All-Star Game and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perhaps the biggest lesson learned for Skinner was handling NHL postseason pressure. He outplayed Jack Campbell for the starting goalie job during the regular season but struggled in the playoffs and at times was spelled off by Campbell. His inconsistent play was among the reasons why the Oilers failed to get past the second round against the Golden Knights.

OTTAWA SUN: Jakob Chychrun is preparing for his first full season with the Senators. The 25-year-old defenseman was traded from the Arizona Coyotes before the March 3 trade deadline.

Frequently sidelined by injuries, Chychrun’s taking a different approach to his offseason training with a group in Toronto to help him stay healthy this season. He’s working on improving his skating as well as incorporating a workout routine that includes pilates and treatment for the hamstring injury that hampered him last season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having Chychrun healthy and productive will be crucial for the Senators as they hope to finally qualify for the playoffs following several seasons of rebuilding.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Anthony Mantha is hoping to improve his speed and performance in his contract year. The 28-year-old Capitals winger has committed to trimming his playing weight from last season’s 242 to 232 in the hope that it will bolster his game.

Mantha is coming off a poor performance last season, tallying just 27 points in 67 games. He understands that he needs to have a successful effort in the final year of his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid season from Mantha will not only improve his free-agent value next summer but also the Capitals’ chance of reaching the playoffs. This is an aging club coming off a season where they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Carolina Hurricanes signed defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to a professional tryout offer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As the report points out, the Hurricanes already have a stacked blueline featuring Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Tony DeAngelo, Dylan Coghlan and Caleb Jones.

Pesce and Skjei have surfaced as trade candidates this summer due to their UFA eligibility next July. Signing Beaulieu to a PTO could stoke speculation of management’s intent to move one of them for a scoring forward before the season begins in October.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of PTOs, winger Alex Chiasson signed one with the Bruins.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge on Monday for uttering threats at a police offer. He was arrested in July on six charges, including private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating.

Five other charges against Galchenyuk were dismissed. He was ordered to spend 30 days in jail but 27 of those will be suspended if he completes an alcohol recovery program and goes 12 months without consuming or possessing alcohol.

NHL.COM: Jonathan Bernier announced his retirement yesterday after 14 NHL seasons. The 35-year-old goaltender did not play last season due to a hip injury.

Selected 11th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2006 NHL Draft, Bernier compiled a record of 165 wins, 163 losses and 40 overtime losses as well as a 2.77 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and 18 shutouts. He played 404 regular-season games with the Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils, winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 with the Kings as Jonathan Quick’s backup.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2023

by | Apr 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 23, 2023

The Devils, Golden Knights and Leafs garner tough overtime victories, the Avalanche hold off the pesky Kraken, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights needed overtime for a 5-4 victory in Game 3 over the Winnipeg Jets after the latter overcame a 4-1 deficit in the third period. Michael Amadio tallied the winning goal while Jack Eichel scored twice and collected an assist for Vegas. Nino Niederreiter, Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry scored in the third to rally the Jets while Neal Pionk collected three assists. The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets also lost puck-moving defenseman Josh Morrissey for the remainder of the series after he suffered a lower-body injury in the first period. That’s a major setback to their hopes of winning this series.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Morgan Rielly lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-3 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Ryan O’Reilly had a three-point performance, scoring the tying goal late in the third period to force the extra period. Brandon Hagel had a goal and an assist for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game could be a preview of what the remainder of this series will look like. After each club traded lopsided wins in the first two games, Game 3 was a more closely-contested and physical match. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos goaded Auston Matthews into a fight in the third period while Nikita Kucherov jumped Rielly after he crunched Lighting forward Brayden Point into the end boards.

Leafs fans have to be feeling better about the goaltending of Ilya Samsonov. He bounced back from a brutal 7-3 loss in Game 1 with two solid victories in the next two games, including a 36-save effort in Game 3.

The New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 on an overtime goal by Dougie Hamilton. Rookie goalie Akira Schmid stopped 35 shots to win his first NHL playoff game while Jack Hughes scored the tying goal for the Devils. Chris Kreider netted his playoff-leading fifth goal for the Rangers, who still hold a 2-1 lead in this first-round series.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a big win for the Devils. Had they lost Game 3 they would’ve faced the almost impossible task of overcoming an 0-3 deficit to win the series.

Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each scored twice as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-4 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Jaden Schwartz tallied two goals while Matty Beniers scored his first NHL playoff goal for the Kraken.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken opened the scoring, fell behind 3-1 and rallied back to tie the game before MacKinnon and Rantanen put this one out of reach. MacKinnon praised the Kraken as “a really great team,” calling this series the hardest first round he’s been in thus far.

The Avalanche got the win without winger Valeri Nichushkin as he’s out for what head coach Jared Bednar called “personal reasons.” Kraken forward Morgan Geekie missed this one with an undisclosed injury.

HEADLINES

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen underwent successful hand surgery and is sidelined indefinitely. He suffered the injury during Game 2 of the Hurricanes’ win over the New York Islanders.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said center David Krejci is 50-50 to play in Game 4 today against the Florida Panthers. Krejci missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: It’s uncertain if Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek will be in the lineup for Game 4 today against the Dallas Stars. He’d missed the final two weeks of the regular season and the first two games of this series with a lower-body injury. He played just one shift in Game 3.

NHL.COM: Speaking of the Wild, they’ve shaken up the coaching staff of their AHL affiliate. General manager Bill Guerin yesterday announced the Wild won’t renew the contracts of Iowa Wild head coach Tim Army and assistant coaches Nate DiCasmirro and Nolan Yonkman.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: There’s concern among Edmonton followers that the Oilers could lose their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers are down in the series 2-1 as they’ve struggled to hold leads and have been undisciplined at times against the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are an improved team over the one that pushed Edmonton to seven games in last year’s opening-round series. If the Oilers lose today they’ll be down 3-1 in the series and face elimination on home ice in Game 5.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers recalled defenseman Lucas Carlsson as Aaron Ekblad and Josh Mahura will be game-day decisions for today’s matchup with the Bruins.

OTTAWA SUN: The deadline for final bids for aspiring owners of the Senators is expected to be May 15.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2023

by | Mar 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 15, 2023

The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl reaches 100 points on the season, the Penguins’Jake Guentzel reaches a career milestone, plus the latest on the Leafs’ Auston Matthews, the Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored twice to become the second player this season to reach 100 points in a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a goal and an assist as the Oilers improved to 37-23-8 to vault over the Seattle Kraken into third place in the Pacific Division with 82 points. Tim Stutzle tallied twice for the 33-30-4 Senators (70 points), who’ve dropped three straight and remain six points behind the New York Islanders (76 points) for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid now leads all active players for most points in a season with 129. Meanwhile, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot and winger Mathieu Joseph missed this game due to injuries.

The Montreal Canadiens (27-35-6) snapped a seven-game winless skid by upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on third-period goals by Anthony Richard and Josh Anderson. Jake Guentzel scored twice and collected an assist to reach 400 career points for the 34-23-10 Penguins (78 points) as they remain two points over the Islanders for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot. They played without defenseman Dmitry Kulikov as he’s week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

Speaking of the Islanders, they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Los Angeles Kings, who blew the game open with a four-goal second period. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves and Vladislav Gavrikov collected two assists for the Kings (39-20-9) as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 87 points. Ryan Pulock had two assists for the 34-27-8 Islanders.

The New York Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals 5-3. Mika Zibanejad scored twice and Patrick Kane scored his first goal on home ice as a Ranger. With a record of 38-19-10, the Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 86 points. Injuries sidelined Alex Ovechkin and Sonny Milano for this game as the Capitals (32-29-7) remain five points behind the Islanders in the chase for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, who lost their grip on first place in the Metropolitan Division. Despite the absence of sidelined captain Steven Stamkos, the Lightning (40-22-6) moved within two points of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with 86 points. Damon Severson replied for the 44-17-6 Devils (94 points) as they fell two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they got two goals and an assist by Jesperi Kotkaniemi as they downed the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. With a record of 44-14-8, the Hurricanes sit in second place in the overall standings with 96 points. The Jets (38-27-3) hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 79 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Hurricanes announced winger Andrei Svechnikov will undergo season-ending surgery on his right ACL on Thursday. His absence will be keenly felt among their top-six scorers over the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey remains sidelined by an injury.

The Nashville Predators improved to 34-28-9 and moved within four points of the Jets by holding off the Detroit Red Wings 2-1. Juuse Saros made 28 saves while Kiefer Sherwood and Tommy Novak scored for the Predators, who played without sidelined defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Alex Chiasson replied for the 30-28-9 Red Wings.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jonathan Quick (27 saves) picked up his fourth straight win since joining the club in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and two assists while Ivan Barbashev tallied twice for the Golden Knights (42-20-6) as they hold first place in the Western Conference with 90 points. The Flyers sank to 24-32-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sidelined Flyers Sean Couturier took part in his first morning skate with the club this season after being sidelined by his second back surgery. His plan is to return to action for a handful of games before the end of the season.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Raddysh scored his first career hat trick to lead his club to a 6-3 upset of the Boston Bruins. Boris Katchouk had a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks as they improved to 23-38-6, though they lost goalie Petr Mrazek in the second period with his third groin injury of the season. Hampus Lindholm had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (50-11-5) as they remain comfortably atop the overall standings with 105 points.

The Vancouver Canucks collected their fifth straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 5-2. Brock Boeser had three assists for the 29-32-5 Canucks while Jamie Benn and Miro Heiskanen each had two points for the 37-18-13 Stars, who played without sidelined winger Mason Marchment in this game. The Stars are in first place in the Central Division with 87 points.

An overtime goal by Travis Boyd gave the Arizona Coyotes a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Clayton Keller scored twice, including his 31st goal of the season for the 25-31-11 Coyotes. Jonathan Huberdeau scored the tying goal for the 30-24-14 Flames (74 points) as they sit five points out of the final Western wild-card spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau scored twice (including the winner in overtime) and collected three assists in a 6-5 victory over the San Jose Sharks to officially eliminate the latter from playoff contention. The Blue Jackets sit at 21-38-7 on the season and sit last in the overall standings. Logan Couture had a goal and two assists for the 19-36-13 Sharks.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews revealed he’s been nursing a hand injury that has hampered his performance this season. However, he claims it’s feeling a lot better now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s good news for the Leafs as they head down the stretch toward what will be a crucial postseason for this team.

SPORTSNET: Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he’s expecting Ryan O’Reilly to return before the playoffs. He’s been sidelined with a broken finger since March 4 and underwent surgery on March 7 with a recovery timeline of four weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would mean returning by April 7 but it’s possible O’Reilly might not be good to go until the first game of the playoffs.

TSN: Speaking of broken fingers, Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s a big loss for the Avalanche. Lehkonen is fourth among Avalanche scorers with a career-best performance of 20 goals and 49 points in 62 games.

STARTRIBUNE.COM: Diamond Sports Group, which owns the Bally Sports regional network in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Tuesday. The company released a statement indicating it expects to continue operations during the bankruptcy process and that the coverage of games would not be affected. That coverage includes 12 NHL teams.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2023

by | Mar 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2023

The Bruins become the fastest team in history to reach 50 wins, Leafs winger Mitch Marner collects four points to beat the Oilers and Lightning captain Steven Stamkos sidelined by an injured leg. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 to become the fastest team in league history to reach 50 wins in a season by doing so in their 64th game. They overcame a 2-0 deficit on goals by Hampus Lindholm, Patrice Bergeron and Garnet Hathaway. With a record of 50-9-5, the Bruins lead the league with 105 points and became the first team this season to clinch a playoff berth. The Red Wings fell to 29-27-9 on the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner had a goal and three assists as his club overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers 7-4. John Tavares and Noel Acciari each scored two goals while Auston Matthews tallied his 30th of the season for the 40-17-8 Maple Leafs, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 88 points. Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the Oilers (36-23-8) as they hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 80 points.

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks was overshadowed by a leg injury suffered by captain Steven Stamkos during the first period. Brayden Point scored twice for the 39-21-6 Lightning (84 points) as they remain four points back of the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic Division. The Blackhawks dropped to 22-38-6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Early indications are the injury may not be as serious as originally feared. He was seen in the dressing room following the game walking normally without a limp.

A 33-save performance from Jonathan Quick carried the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-0 shutout of the Carolina Hurricanes. Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, Paul Cotter and Brett Howden scored for the Golden Knights (40-20-6), who sit atop the Western Conference with 86 points. The Hurricanes (43-13-8) sit second in the overall standings with 94 points.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer collected an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games in a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist for the 43-16-6 Devils as they moved to within two points of the Hurricanes in third overall. The Canadiens (26-34-6) have dropped six straight games.

The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 on two goals by Mark Scheifele, including the winner in overtime. Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov each had three points as the Jets improved to 37-26-3, sitting in the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 77 points. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and collected an assist as the Panthers (33-27-7) sit three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 73 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Jets as Josh Morrissey and Adam Lowry left this game with lower-body injuries. They’re doubtful for today’s game against the Lightning.

An overtime goal by Cale Makar gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each collected two points for the 36-22-6 Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division with 78 points. Connor Ingram made 41 saves for the Coyotes as they slipped to 23-32-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Makar set a franchise record for Avalanche defensemen with five overtime goals.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 35 shots to down the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (38-21-7), who sit second in the Central Division with 83 points. Erik Karlsson collected an assist to set a single-season points record for Sharks defensemen with 84 points. The Sharks dropped to 19-36-12.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan picked up his 400th career NHL win in a 5-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jake Guentzel and Mikael Granlund each had a goal and an assist for the 33-22-10 Penguins as they hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 76 points. The Flyers fell to 24-31-11.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins center Nick Bonino underwent a surgical procedure to repair a lacerated kidney suffered during Thursday’s loss to the New York Islanders. He’s listed as week-to-week.

The New York Rangers got an overtime goal from Artemi Panarin to nip the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. Patrick Kane also scored for the Rangers (37-19-9) as they sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 83 points. Jeff Skinner replied for the 32-28-5 Sabres, who sit seven points behind the New York Islanders for the final Eastern wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Islanders, they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Washington Capitals. Rasmus Sandin collected three assists for the Capitals (32-28-7), who sit five points back of the Islanders with 71 points. Pierre Engvall scored for the 34-26-8 Islanders, who welcomed back Cal Clutterbuck into the lineup after he missed 20 games with a lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Capitals announced the signing of Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The average annual value is $3 million.

A shootout goal by Matt Duchene lifted the Nashville Predators over the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Tommy Novak also scored and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for the 32-24-7 Predators, who sit six points behind the Jets for the final Western wild-card berth. The Kings (38-20-9) played without Kevin Fiala, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. They sit second in the Pacific Division with 85 points.

The Dallas Stars got an overtime goal from Miro Heiskanen in a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. Heiskanen and Roope Hintz each finished with two points while Joe Pavelski tallied the tying goal for the 36-17-13 Stars, who hold first place in the Central Division with 85 points. Vince Dunn had two assists for the 37-22-7 Kraken as they sit third in the Pacific Division with 81 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou tallied a hat trick to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Sammy Blais had a goal and two assists for the 29-31-5 Blues while Patrik Laine and Boone Jenner replied for the 20-38-7 Blue Jackets.

The Vancouver Canucks got two goals from Andrei Kuzmenko in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Canucks improved to 28-32-5 and have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Tim Stutzle collected two assists for the 33-28-4 Senators as they sit six points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth.