NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2024

by | Oct 15, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 15, 2024

In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines, recaps of Monday’s action, the three stars of the week are revealed, league commissioner Gary Bettman responds to a question about the possibility of a franchise in Quebec City and more.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Josh Norris lifted the Ottawa Senators to an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Norris finished with two goals and an assist, Zack MacEwen tallied twice and Drake Batherson had a goal and two assists for the Senators. Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each scored two goals and Anze Kopitar and Brandt Clarke each collected three assists for the Kings.

Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators starting goalie Linus Ullmark missed this game with a lower-body strain. While it isn’t considered serious, he’s undergoing further testing and might not be available for Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

The Senators called up goalie Mads Sogaard, who replaced Anton Forsberg after he gave up three goals on nine shots.

Ottawa defenseman Artem Zub left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury following a big hit from Kings forward Tanner Jeannot. The Senators also played without forward Ridly Greig, who is out for one-to-two weeks with an upper-body injury.

The New York Islanders picked up their first win of the season by trouncing the struggling Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Brock Nelson netted two second-period goals and Ilya Sorokin stopped 32 shots for the Isles. Avalanche rookie Calum Ritchie scored his first NHL goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar wasn’t pleased with his team’s performance. “There are no excuses. I didn’t like our game tonight,” said Bednar. “Top to bottom. It’s terrible.” They’re 0-3-0 to open this season.

Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews missed this game with a lower-body injury. He joined teammates Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder), Jonathan Drouin (upper body) and Valeri Nichushkin (NHL/NHLPA player assistance program) on the sidelines.

Florida Panthers forwards Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell each tallied two goals in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 24 shots for the win. John Beecher and Mason Lohrei each had a goal and an assist and Mark Kastelic picked up three assists for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk missed his second straight game due to illness and is expected to miss their next two games. It’s hoped he’ll return to action next Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.

The New York Rangers beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1. Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, Igor Shesterkin kicked out 31 shots and Reilly Smith potted his first goal as a Ranger. Dylan Larkin replied for the Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings sent goaltender Ville Husso to their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids before this game and recalled forward Austin Watson.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored his 499th career goal and Lars Eller tallied twice in a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Malkin finished with a goal and two assists. Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each had two assists for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was held off the scoreboard and remains one point shy of 1,600 for his career. Crosby also needs eight goals to reach 600 and 24 games to reach 1,300.

The New Jersey Devils got a 20-save shutout from Jake Allen to blank the Utah Hockey Club 3-0, handing the latter their first loss of the season. Seamus Casey, Stefan Noesen and Nico Hischier were the goal scorers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Sean Durzi left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury following an awkward hit from Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Utah Hockey Club winger Dylan Guenther, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 13.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the possibility of a new franchise in Quebec City when he met with reporters before Monday’s Penguins-Canadiens game at the Bell Centre.

Bettman said the league isn’t focused on expanding from 32 to 34 teams but would consider it if the right opportunity came along. As for the NHL returning to Quebec City, he said that depended on a lot of factors out of league control, “including someone – or an entity – that is engaged enough and committed enough financially to want to be even considered and it hasn’t happened yet.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s an assumption that media giant Quebecor, which operates the 18,259-seat Videotron Centre, would be the likely bidder to bring the NHL back to Quebec City via expansion or relocation of an existing franchise. Bettman’s comments suggest Quebecor hasn’t made any pitch for a franchise or made a failed attempt.

Quebec City may be an emotional choice but factors such as its market size mean it faces long odds when going up against bigger US-based markets in Houston and Atlanta. Those cities are considered the likely destinations when the league inevitably expands to 34 clubs in a few years.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Johnny Gaudreau’s father Guy Gaudreau joined the Blue Jackets’ practice on Monday as a guest. The club will honor Johnny’s memory on Tuesday in a pregame ceremony before their first home game of this season when they face the Florida Panthers.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be playing right wing for the first time in a decade as the club attempts to shake up its offense after dropping its season-opener to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Capitals defenseman Matt Roy is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Saturday’s games.

SPORTSNET: Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and forward Peyton Krebs had to be separated by their teammates when they dropped the gloves during practice on Monday.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sidelined Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini won’t be traveling with his teammates to Dallas for their game against the Stars on Tuesday. He was placed on injured reserve (lower body) retroactive to Oct. 11. It’s hoped he’ll join his teammates on Oct. 18 when they face the Jets in Winnipeg.

DAILY FACEOFF: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Alexandre Texier (upper body) on injured reserve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2024

by | Sep 17, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 17, 2024

Sidney Crosby talks about his new contract with the Penguins, the Red Wings re-sign Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren, plus the latest on Ilya Sorokin, Alex Ovechkin and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby spoke to the media on Monday after signing a two-year contract extension worth $8.7 million per season with the Penguins.

Crosby claimed the negotiations went smoothly. The 37-year-old center indicated the number of years on the deal was the sticking point on his part given the difficulty in determining how much longer he’ll be playing, adding he wanted it to make sense for himself and the team.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

The Penguins captain also received assurances from general manager Kyle Dubas that the ownership was committed to building a winning franchise.

“You want to try to find every way possible to get back in (to the playoffs) and make sure we compete for the Stanley Cup,” said Crosby. “So I think that was reassuring to hear, and that helped.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby’s comments indicate Penguins management will keep retooling the roster rather than rebuild. The focus this summer was adding more youth to the lineup and restocking their depleted prospect pool.

The Penguins captain made Dubas’ job easier by accepting less than market value, maintaining his usual average annual value of $8.7 million. Speculation out of Pittsburgh earlier this summer suggested Crosby could get a three-year extension with an annual cap hit of $10 million.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings signed winger Lucas Raymond to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.075 million.

Raymond, 22, was a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract. He led the Wings last season with a career-high 72 points. The young Swede was red-hot down the stretch, scoring seven goals and five assists in the Wings’ final eight games and 14 goals over their final 18 contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raymond bounced back from a disappointing 45-point sophomore season in 2022-23 following his promising 57-point debut. His performance last season suggests bigger things ahead for the skillful young winger.

Raymond’s new contract puts him just below captain Dylan Larkin’s team-leading AAV of $8.75 million.

The Wings still have Moritz Seider to re-sign but his new deal should be announced before they hit the ice for training camp on Thursday. He’ll also likely get an eight-year contract while his AAV could be just under Larkin’s.

TSN: The Wings also signed defenseman Jonatan Berggren to a one-year contract worth $875K.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy inadvertently revealed starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin underwent offseason back surgery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why Sorokin struggled in 2023-24 following strong performances over the previous three seasons, including being named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23.

Isles GM Lou Lamoriello recently said Sorokin is expected to miss only a few days of training camp. Nevertheless, he’ll now be under increased scrutiny by fans and pundits as the start of the season approaches.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin left Monday’s informal skate with his teammates after several minutes in apparent discomfort and didn’t return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No word from the team or Ovechkin regarding his condition. The report indicates he’s scheduled to speak with the media on Thursday. His early departure may have been for precautionary reasons.

Ovechkin turned 39 today.

TSN: Winger Cutter Gauthier is looking forward to his first full season with the Anaheim Ducks and putting behind the drama that led to his midseason trade from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Gauthier, 20, forced the trade after telling the Flyers he wouldn’t play for them. He claimed he and his family received death threats in the weeks and months following the trade.

“At the end of the day, I don’t really care what other people think,” said Gauthier. “It’s what I think and feel as a person and what my family thinks. I can’t let all the outside noise distract me or else I’m going nowhere.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Being upset that a promising young player doesn’t want to play for your team is one thing. Feel free to voice your displeasure by booing him whenever he plays the Flyers in Philadelphia.

Making death threats is beyond the pale.

If you’re that triggered over Gauthier spurning the Flyers, step back, take some deep breaths, and seriously evaluate where you are in your life right now. That rage has no place in our game or society.

And if that friendly advice upsets you, leave this site and don’t come back.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach said he’s fully recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2023-24 campaign just two games in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Dach will be crucial to the Canadiens’ hope of significant improvement this season. The 23-year-old could be reunited with Juraj Slafkovsky or recently-acquired winger Patrik Laine could be a linemate.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor said he’s good to go after undergoing season-ending hip surgery in March.

THE PROVINCE: The Canucks recently signed journeyman goaltender Dylan Ferguson to a professional tryout offer (PTO). He has three NHL games under his belt (one with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18 and two with the Ottawa Senators in 2022-23. The 25-year-old spent last season with KHL club Dinamo Minsk.










NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 15, 2024

by | Sep 15, 2024

NHL Headlines and Rumors – September 15, 2024

Several Capitals face pressure this season, Oilers winger Evander Kane to undergo surgery, plus the latest on the Canucks and Blue Jackets in today’s NHL Headlines and Rumors.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes Washington Capitals forwards Alex Ovechkin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and defenseman Jakob Chychrun will feel the heat entering this season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894. Dubois seeks a bounce-back performance after a lackluster 2023-24 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings led to his trade with the Capitals. Meanwhile, Chychrun hopes to re-establish himself as a top-pairing defenseman in his contract year after being traded by the Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators in successive years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is already well-established as a future Hall of Famer and the greatest player in Capitals history. Few fans and pundits will fault the 39-year-old winger if it takes him a couple of seasons to break Gretzky’s goal record.

Dubois and Chychrun have much more at stake. They must silence the growing criticism about their recent performances and prove they still belong among the league’s best players.

THE SCORE: Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane is scheduled to undergo sports hernia surgery within the next 10 days or so.

Kane, 33, played through the injury last season. It affected his performance, limiting him to 24 goals and 20 assists in 77 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane has a $5.125 million annual salary cap hit through 2025-26. He could end up on long-term injury reserve to start the season. The Oilers could use that cap relief to bolster their roster during his absence but must be cap-compliant when he’s ready to return to action.

CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Friday that the Vancouver Canucks offered a one-year contract to free-agent goaltender Kevin Lankinen. However, it’s believed worth under $1 million, which is less than the $2 million the 29-year-old netminder earned last season with the Nashville Predators.

THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston reports the Canucks also reached out to free-agent goalie Antti Raanta but the 35-year-old is not interested in playing in the NHL anymore.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks seek a veteran insurance policy between the pipes in case starter Thatcher Demko hasn’t recovered from a nagging undisclosed injury when the season opens next month. They’re bumping against the $88 million cap ceiling and don’t want to go into LTIR to address the issue. Perhaps they’ll consider a trade if a dollar-in, dollar-out deal can be found.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH’s Brian Hedger reports Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he’s down to 10 healthy forwards with Justin Danforth seeing a doctor on Monday for a wrist/hand issue that required offseason surgery.

Waddell indicated he’ll look at pursuing unsigned free-agent veterans to fill the void at forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports Waddell wants to sign players to actual contracts and not professional tryout offers. Portzline listed James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Labanc and Kyle Okposo among the notable UFA forwards still available. He also noted Phil Kessel is looking for an opportunity to play in the NHL after going unsigned last season.

Portzline also noted that Waddell could sign free agents currently on PTO contracts with other clubs.

Waddell also said he’s spoken with the league and the NHL Players’ Association for guidance about how to measure the Blue Jackets’ salary-cap figure for this season following the death of Johnny Gaudreau last month.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2024

by | Sep 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 6, 2024

Oilers captain Connor McDavid talks about his offseason, Alex Ovechkin prepares for his 20th season with the Capitals, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid revealed he adjusted his summer training schedule to account for his club’s shorter offseason following the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

McDavid, 27, was also motivated to change his offseason training following the Oilers’ poor start last season.

“I went with a little bit of a different strategy this summer,” said McDavid. “In years past, it’s just been very heavy volume. Very go, go, go. Throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks.”

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

McDavid admitted he felt fatigued at the start of last season following a long summer of heavy training. That contributed to a 2-9-1 start to the season for the Oilers before rebounding following a coaching change.

The Oilers captain said he took some time off the ice this summer though he continued his off-ice workouts. He resumed skating in August and feels good heading toward training camp.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid is in his playing prime but what worked for him in his offseason regimen several years ago isn’t as effective now. The human body changes as it ages and athletes must adjust accordingly.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Alex Ovechkin has returned to the United States to prepare for the upcoming season with the Washington Capitals.

Entering his 20th NHL season, the 38-year-old Ovechkin is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. Following a slow start last season, the Capitals captain finished with 31 goals, marking the 18th time he’d reached the 30-goal plateau.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Age is catching up with Ovechkin. Nevertheless, a better start could improve his chances of breaking Gretzky’s record this season.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The funeral of Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew has been scheduled for 12 pm on Monday in Philadelphia. The Gaudreaus were killed by a drunk driver last Thursday.

NEW YORK POST: Former Rangers defenseman Marc Staal has retired as an active player, rejoining the Rangers as a player development coach.

Chosen in the first round of the 2005 NHL Draft (12th overall) by the Rangers, Staal spent 13 seasons with the Rangers (2007-08 to 2019-20). He spent the following four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Staal had 53 goals and 234 points in 1,136 regular-season games and 20 points in 128 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The report also indicated that Staal overcame multiple concussions and played the last 11 years of his 17-season NHL career without vision in his right eye after being struck by a puck in 2012-13. He wore a visor after that and never missed a game because of his eye or vision.

THE SCORE: Long-time NHL defenseman Alex Goligoski also hung up his skates on Thursday.

A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2004 draft, Goligoski spent 17 seasons in the NHL from 2007-08 to 2023-24. He scored 87 goals and collected 388 assists for 475 career regular-season points with the Penguins, Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild. He also had 21 points in 47 playoff games. He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2008-09.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils invited defenseman Jakub Zboril and goaltender Michael Hutchinson to training camp on professional tryout offers (PTOs).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils also denied a rumor claiming they were bringing Milan Lucic to camp on a PTO. “Categorically untrue. His situation lies with the league. We haven’t and couldn’t sign him to a PTO.”

Lucic entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program following his arrest last fall for a domestic incident. He needs clearance from the league to resume his career but has not yet been cleared by league doctors to exit the program.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks prospect forward Beckett Sennecke suffered a broken foot during offseason training and will miss the next six to eight weeks. Sennecke, 18, was chosen third overall by the Ducks in this year’s draft.

The Ducks also signed goaltender Oskar Dansk to a one-year, two-way contract. The former Vegas Golden Knights netminder spent the past two seasons with the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate.

TSN: A London, Ontario court is hearing legal arguments in the sexual assault case of five former players of Canada’s 2018 World Junior Hockey team.

Dillon Dube, Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were charged earlier this year in connection with an alleged sexual assault at a hotel in 2018.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former NHL defenseman Larry Trader died Thursday at age 61. Trader played 91 games in the NHL with the Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens from 1982-83 to 1987-88, scoring five goals and 18 points. He also won a Calder Cup with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings in 1985-86 and a Spengler Cup for Canada in 1986-87.

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

US HOCKEY HALL OF FAME: Former NHL players Matt Cullen and Kevin Stevens are among the inductees in the Class of 2024. The induction ceremony will be held on Dec. 4, 2024, in Pittsburgh.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Cullen and Stevens for this great honor.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 29, 2024

by | Jul 29, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – July 29, 2024

Alex Ovechkin is dealing with an offseason injury, the Blue Jackets sign Kirill Marchensko, Ryan Lomberg looks forward to reuniting with Jonathan Huberdeau in Calgary, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Sammi Silber cited a report out of Russia indicating Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is dealing with a minor knee injury. It’s not considered serious and he’s expected to begin ramping up his offseason training soon in preparation for his 20th NHL season.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images)

Silber noted that Ovechkin missed a handful of games last season with a lower-body injury, but it’s unclear if it’s related to his current ailment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier this offseason, Ovechkin said he intended to change his training after getting off to a slow start last season. His production was down compared to previous years but he still tallied 30 goals, marking the 18th time he’s reached that plateau.

With 853 career NHL goals, the 38-year-old Ovechkin is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894. He could do it this season with a better start and a healthier season.

SPORTSNET: The Columbus Blue Jackets avoided arbitration with winger Kirill Marchenko, reaching an agreement on a three-year, $11.85 million contract. Marchenko, 23, is coming off back-to-back 20-plus goal seasons. He’ll earn an average annual value of $3.85 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchenko was among the few bright spots in a forgettable season for the Blue Jackets, leading the club with 23 goals and sitting third with 42 points.

Marchenko recently said he hadn’t received a contract offer from the Blue Jackets, sparking some speculation he might become available. That’s not the case as he remains part of their rebuilding process.

Only two scheduled hearings remain. New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren’s is slated for Aug. 2 and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas’ is Aug. 4.

Of the 14 players who filed for arbitration, only one required an arbitrator to settle. Nashville Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney was awarded a two-year, $1.675 million contract on July 24.

THE SCORE: Ryan Lomberg looks forward to reuniting with former Florida Panthers teammate Jonathan Huberdeau. He signed a two-year contract earlier this month with the Calgary Flames.

Lomberg is confident that Huberdeau will regain his high-scoring form. “There’s no doubt he’s one of the best players in the league,” he said, praising Huberdeau’s “world-class” skills. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s gonna get back to the level he was at.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Huberdeau’s production has significantly declined since arriving in Calgary in 2022. He had a career-high 115 points in 2021-22 but managed 55 points in 2022-23 and 52 points last season with a Flames team undergoing a significant roster shakeup.

TSN: The AHL’s Toronto Marlies signed forward Alex Nylander to a one-year AHL contract. Nylander, 26, is the younger brother of Leafs star William Nylander. Drafted eighth overall in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, he has 25 goals and 49 points in 121 career NHL games. The Marlies are the Leafs’ AHL affiliate.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: The Red Wings promoted Aaron Kahn as assistant general manager and director of hockey operations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2024

by | Apr 24, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 24, 2024

The Panthers and Rangers take 2-0 series leads while the Avalanche and Predators tie their first-round series. Get the details and the latest on the other playoff clubs and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Carter Verhaeghe lifted the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the Panthers, who hold a 2-0 series lead. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 34 shots and Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos replied for the Lightning. The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4 with Game 3 on Thursday, Apr. 25 at 7 pm ET.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made an acrobatic stop on a backhander by Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba that could be considered an early favorite for “save of the playoffs.”

Bennett left this game in the second period after being struck in the hand by a slapshot from teammate Brandon Montour. There was no update on his condition following the game.

New York Rangers forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the Washington Capitals 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals while teammate Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the second straight game. The series moves to Washington for Games 3 and 4 with the third game set for Friday, Apr. 26 at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Special teams made the difference in this game as the Rangers got power-play goals from Zibanejad and Jack Roslovic and a shorthanded tally by K’Andre Miller. Meanwhile, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said he felt Ovechkin was struggling to get scoring chances in part because of the Rangers’ shot blocks.

A four-goal second period carried the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their series with the Winnipeg Jets, tying their opening-round series at a game apiece. Miles Wood, Artturi Lehkonen, Zach Parise and Josh Manson were the second-period goal scorers while goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves. David Gustafsson and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets. Games 3 and 4 will be held in Denver with Game 3 on Friday at 10 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was redemption for Georgiev following his brutal performance in Game 1. The Jets did themselves no favors with their sloppy defensive play in the second period.

The Nashville Predators tied their first-round series with the Vancouver Canucks at one apiece with a 4-1 win. Filip Forsberg and former Canuck Anthony Beauvilier each had a goal and an assist for the Predators while Nikita Zadrov scored for the Canucks. The series heads to Nashville for Games 3 and 4 with the third game starting at 7:30 pm on Friday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Casey DeSmith suited up for Vancouver as starting goalie Thatcher Demko is out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said it is unrelated to the knee injury that sidelined Demko for 14 games this season. Nevertheless, the Canucks will be without their starting goalie for perhaps the remainder of this series.

Demko wasn’t the only Canuck on the shelf for this game. Defenseman Tyler Myers is sidelined with the flu.

DeSmith wasn’t to blame for the Canucks loss in this game. His teammates went 0-4 on the power play, had 32 shots blocked and missed the net 31 times.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe hinted it was possible William Nylander might return to action in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday in Toronto. The 27-year-old winger missed the first two games of this series with an undisclosed injury as the club has kept mum on his condition.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Bruins, defenseman Andrew Peeke is week-to-week with an upper-body injury (finger) suffered during Game 2 against the Leafs. The Bruins recalled defenseman Mason Lohrei from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

IN OTHER NEWS…

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan reports Alex Meruelo has a steep hill to climb to convince anyone he should remain as owner of the Arizona Coyotes.

Public opinion of Meruelo in Arizona is at an all-time low. His method of operation has burned many bridges with local politicians, business leaders and community leaders. There is skepticism he can get a new arena built to meet the league’s five-year timeline to bring back the Coyotes as an expansion franchise.

Morgan also reported that Meruelo must reactive the franchise at least 18 months before the end of that five-year window. He can do it earlier but the new arena must be at least 50 percent completed at the time he reactivates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Morgan’s report. He details the number of issues dogging Meruelo that raise questions about his efforts to construct a new arena and bring the NHL back to Arizona and his suitability as an NHL owner.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Remy Mastey looks at the potential consequences if Meruelo fails to meet the league’s timeline for arena construction.

Meruelo still technically owns the Coyotes as part of the recent agreement that relocates the franchise to Salt Lake City. The team is considered inactive until Meruelo gets a new NHL-suitable arena within five years.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Craig Morgan that the NHL will not entertain competing bids for the Coyotes as long as Meruelo owns the rights. Once he no longer does, Arizona would become like any other expansion team.

Muruel intends to bid on a parcel of land for his new arena project at an auction on June 27. If he loses that auction he could have other options but it would be a significant setback for his plans.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports a record 11 NHL teams will carry salary-cap overages into 2024-25. Multiple teams are expected to carry over more than $2 million in penalties.

Some overages were pre-planned as the clubs knew the salary cap would significantly rise for next season. Other overages are due to younger players reaching their performance bonuses this season.

The Edmonton Oilers top the list with projected overage penalties of $3.45 million, followed by the Dallas Stars ($2.595 million) and the Washington Capitals ($2.252 million).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Click the link provided for the complete list. The flattened cap for this season put some of those teams into this bind regarding those players reaching their performance bonuses.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forward Timo Meier underwent voluntary arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder yesterday. He’s expected to make a full recovery and be available for the start of the Devils’ training camp in September.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: The Flyers signed goaltender Ivan Fedotov to a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension. He appeared in three games with the Flyers this season after finally being allowed to leave the KHL to pursue his NHL career.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL winger Jakub Voracek announced his retirement on Tuesday. The 34-year-old winger was in the final season of his contract but didn’t play due to concussion issues.

Voracek spent 15 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 223 goals and 583 assists for 806 points in 1,058 regular-season games. He also had 28 points in 49 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Voracek’s contract was traded last year to the Coyotes. He returned to Czechia and has taken up coaching there.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs goaltender Ed Chadwick has passed away at age 90. He spent five seasons with the Leafs from 1955-56 to 1961-62, including back-to-back 70-game seasons. In 184 career games, he had a record of 57 wins, 92 losses and 35 ties with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. From 1982 to 2001, he was a scout with the Edmonton Oilers.

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