NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2023

by | Jan 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 21, 2023

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel reach scoring milestones, Canucks fans voice support for embattled coach Bruce Boudreau and Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty is sidelined again. Details and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists and Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (24-17-3), who moved ahead of the Calgary Flames into the final Western Conference wild-card berth. Both clubs have 51 points but the Avs hold three more wins and two games in hand over the Flames. Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (18-24-3), who’ve now lost six of their last seven contests.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon reached the 50-point mark for the eighth consecutive season.

Meanwhile, Vancouver fans supported embattled Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau by serenading him with cries of “Bruce, there it is!” Another fan unfurled a sign that read, “We Stand With Bruce”.

There’s been intensifying rumors over the last two weeks suggesting Boudreau could be replaced by TNT hockey analyst and former Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet. The Canucks’ front office (specifically, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin) has the power to make coaching changes if they wish.

Boudreau was already in the job when they took over and he isn’t the guy they want behind the bench. The problem, however, is they’re just letting him twist in the wind.

Everyone knows, Boudreau included, that he’s going to be replaced by Tocchet. If they don’t want him, they should’ve replaced him with an interim coach until they brought in his permanent replacement.

Their shabby treatment of Boudreau reflects poorly on the franchise and deepens the frustration among their fans over the club’s direction under team owner Francesco Aquilini.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel scored two goals and collected an assist in a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Tristan Jarry made 44 saves in his first start for the Penguins since Jan. 2 following an injury as the Penguins (23-15-7, 53 points) hold a two-point lead over the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Brady Tkachuk replied for the Senators, who dropped to 20-22-3 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Guentzel reached the 20-goal, 40-point plateau for the sixth straight season. Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry also returned to action for the first time since Dec. 10. Meanwhile, winger Kasperi Kapanen missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as week-to-week.

HEADLINES

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Bad news for Carolina Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty as an MRI revealed he tore his right Achilles tendon for the second time since August. The 33-year-old winger made his season debut on Jan. 5 and appeared in five games with the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This injury not only ends Pacioretty’s season but could potentially derail his career. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Hurricanes could pursue a potential replacement before the March 3 trade deadline.

TSN: The Minnesota Wild will scratch defenseman Matt Dumba for Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers. He was also scratched from Thursday’s contest with the Carolina Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dumba’s been the subject of growing trade speculation. I’ll have more later today in my NHL Rumor Mill update.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Oft-injured Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi suffered a lower-body injury during their 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. He’s not expected to be out of the lineup for long.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was fined $5,000.00 for interference on Florida Panthers center Eric Staal during their game on Thursday.

Speaking of the Canadiens, former Hab P.K. Subban helped raise $6.3 million for Montreal’s Children’s Hospital. The original goal was to raise $10 million by 2022 but fundraising was slowed by the pandemic. Subban said he’ll extend the pledge to 2025 to reach the $10 million goal and he hopes to continue his partnership with the hospital for the long term.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have assigned goaltender Spencer Knight to their AHL affiliate in Charlotte for a conditioning stint.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken will take to the ice for their warmups before Saturday’s game against the Avalanche wearing jerseys to honor the Year of the Rabbit.

DEFECTOR: Vox Media yesterday announced layoffs that will shut down all but six of their SB Nation NHL websites as well as most of their MLS websites. 130 employees will be affected.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will affect a number of sites such as Blueshirt Banter, Broad Street Hockey, Copper and Blue, Davy Jones Locker Room, Die By The Blade, Five for Howling, Hockey Wilderness, Japers Rink, Knights on Ice, Nucks Misconduct, On The Forecheck, Pension Plan Puppets, Raw Charge, Second City Hockey, The Cannon and Winging It in Motown.

Many of those sites began as blogs between 15 and 20 years ago. I followed most of them for years and got to know some of the good folks who wrote for them, showcasing their work for several years with my Hockey Blog Beat.

Those blogs/websites provided an invaluable hockey community for fans and aspiring writers to share their views on their favorite teams and on the NHL in general. I know how painful it is to be laid off so I really feel for those who worked so hard to contribute to and maintain those sites. It’s such a shame to see them cast aside like this. Here’s hoping those sites can live on in some form.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2023

by | Jan 20, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 20, 2023

The Sabres retire Ryan Miller’s No. 30, milestone games for the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron and the Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, the final 12 players are named to the 2023 All-Star Game, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres retired Ryan Miller’s No. 30 in a pregame ceremony before downing the New York Islanders 3-2 on an overtime goal by Dylan Cozens. Rasmus Dahlen collected two assists for the Sabres (22-19-3) as they sit four points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Ilya Sorokin stopped 42 shots for the Islanders (23-19-6), who remain tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins with 51 points. The Penguins, however, hold the last wild-card spot with three games in hand over the Isles.

Buffalo Sabres raise Ryan Miller’s banner (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller played 11 seasons with the Sabres from 2002 to 2014. He’s their all-time goaltending leader with 284 wins, 540 games played, 14, 847 saves and single-season wins with 41. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2009-10 and was named to that season’s First All-Star Team. He retired in 2021 after 18 NHL seasons.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron scored the game-winning goal and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. Bergeron surpassed Phil Esposito to move into second place among Bruins scorers with 78 game-winning goals. Boston (35-5-4) maintains a 12-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 76 points. The 25-14-7 Rangers sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 57 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: John Bucyk is Boston’s all-time leader in game-winning goals with 88. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo left this game after blocking a shot with his left leg.

Speaking of the Hurricanes, they defeated the Minnesota Wild by a score of 5-2. Frederik Andersen turned aside 29 shots while Martin Necas had a goal and an assist for the 28-9-8 Hurricanes. Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored his 100th career goal, becoming the third-fastest active skater to reach that milestone by doing it in his 180th career NHL game. The Wild (25-14-4) remain in third place in the Central Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly loss for the Hurricanes as winger Max Pacioretty left the game in the third period after suffering an injury to the same leg that sidelined him for all but five games this season. It remains to be seen if he reinjured the Achilles tendon.

The Dallas Stars got a 34-save shutout from Scott Wedgewood to blank the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Tyler Seguin scored twice and collected an assist as the Stars (27-13-7) took over sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with 61 points. The Kings slipped to 25-16-6 and hold third place in the Pacific Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews scored twice and Ilya Samsonov kicked out 37 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Mitch Marner scored to extend his home points streak record to 20 games as the Leafs (28-11-7) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points. Kyle Connor replied for the Jets (29-16-1) as they slipped two points behind the Stars in the Western Conference standings.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their fifth straight win by downing the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Connor McDavid netted his league-leading 39 goal of the season to snap a 3-3 in the third period while Zach Hyman tallied twice for the 26-18-3 Oilers, who hold the first Western Conference wild-card berth with 55 points. Brayden Point had a goal and an assist for the Lightning (29-14-1) as their five-game win streak came to an end, leaving them four points behind the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers winger Evander Kane faces two trials next week in a San Jose courtroom after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy two years ago. The two creditors hope to block a discharge that would allow Kane to walk away from his remaining debts. His trial briefs revealed he borrowed $48 million between 2014 and 2019.

An overtime goal by Andre Burakovsky lifted the Seattle Kraken over the New Jersey Devils 4-3, snapping the latter’s five-game win streak. Ryan Donato scored two goals and added an assist for the 27-14-4 Kraken, who moved ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights into first place in the Pacific Division with 58 points. Devils captain Nico Hischier tallied his 21st goal of the season as they sit two points behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes with 62 points (29-12-4).

Speaking of the Golden Knights (28-16-2), they fell 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings. Ville Husso made 33 saves while Joe Veleno scored what proved to be the game-winning goal. Reilly Smith collected two assists for the Golden Knights, who have the same number of points as the Kraken (58) but the latter hold first in the Pacific with a game in hand. The Wings, meanwhile, improved to 19-17-8 on the season.

Washington Capitals goalie Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves to pick up his league-leading fifth shutout of the season to beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-0. Dylan Strome scored twice for the Capitals (25-17-6) as they opened a five-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first Eastern wild-card spot with 56 points. The Coyotes (14-26-5) played without leading goal scorer Lawson Crouse (16 goals) as he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

St. Louis Blues forwards Brandon Saad and Robert Thomas each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. The Blues improved to 23-20-3 (49 points) to sit two points behind the Calgary Flames for the final Western wild-card spot. The Predators (21-18-6) sit one point back of the Blues.

The Florida Panthers (22-20-5, 49 points) moved to within two points of the Penguins for the final Eastern wild-card spot with a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and Aleksander Barkov collected two assists for the Panthers. The Canadiens fell to 19-24-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Eric Staal left this game with injuries. Backup netminder Alex Lyon made 23 saves for the win. Earlier in the day, Panthers coach Paul Maurice was fined $25,000 by the NHL for making comments about the officiating in their game against the Leafs on Jan. 17.

Five unanswered goals rallied the Anaheim Ducks over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3. Trevor Zegras, Cam Fowler and Adam Henrique each had a goal and an assist for the 13-28-5 Ducks as they snapped a five-game losing skid. The Jackets dropped to 13-20-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks activated forward Isac Lundestrom off injured reserve but forward Mason McTavish missed this contest with a lower-body injury.

The Chicago Blackhawks ended a 17-game regular-season road winless skid against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 4-1 victory. Petr Mrazek stopped 37 shots while Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist for the 13-26-4 Blackhawks. The Flyers fell to 19-20-7.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The final 12 players were named to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Leafs center Auston Matthews, Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Rangers winger Artemi Panarin were among the notables chosen by fan voting.

Speaking of the All-Star game, the jerseys for the event were also unveiled yesterday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers head coach John Tortorella continued to support Ivan Provorov after the defenseman declined to participate in a warm-up skate before Tuesday’s game against Anaheim wearing an LGBTQ+-themed jersey during Pride Night citing his religious beliefs. “Prov did nothing wrong,” said Tortorella. “Just because you don’t agree with his decision doesn’t mean he did anything wrong.”

DAILY FACEOFF: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman weighed in on the situation to put the focus on the 700 players who supported LGBTQ+ Pride and embrace inclusivity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those comments did little to quell the wave of criticism from a number of fans and pundits on social media over Provorov’s stance and Tortorella’s support of his decision.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Mathieu Joseph was scratched from the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Penguins for breaking a team rule. Neither he or the club elaborated on the situation but Joseph is keen to return to action for Friday’s rematch in Pittsburgh.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2023

by | Jan 15, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2023

The Kraken set a league record for consecutive road wins, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin ties another scoring record, the Blue Jackets’ Patrik Laine nets a notable hat trick, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken became the first team in NHL history to sweep a seven-game road trip by downing the Chicago Blackhawks 8-5. Jared McCann scored three times while Matty Beniers had a goal and an assist as the Kraken (26-12-4) moved into second place in the Pacific Division with 56 points. Seth Jones had three assists and Taylor Raddysh had a goal and two assists for the 11-26-4 Blackhawks as they sink to the bottom of the overall standings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken are riding an eight-game win streak. Seattle winger Jordan Eberle collected an assist in what was his 900th career NHL game. Teammate Jaden Schwartz missed this game and is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tied an NHL record for the most 30-goal seasons but his club dropped a 3-1 decision to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ovechkin and Mike Gartner each have 17 30-goal seasons. Carter Hart made 39 saves and Scott Laughton had a goal and an assist for the Flyers as they improved to 18-18-7. The Capitals (23-16-6) hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth with 52 points.

The Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a 10-game road losing skid by holding off the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 4-3. Patrik Laine netted the 10th hat trick of his career while Johnny Gaudreau collected two assists for the 13-27-3 Blue Jackets. Olli Maatta, Jake Walman and Lucas Raymond scored third-period goals for the Red Wings as they slipped to 18-16-7.

A late goal by Matt Grzelcyk lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. David Pastrnak scored his 33rd goal of the season as the league-league Bruins (33-5-4) maintained a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes with 70 points. Mitch Marner and Michael Bunting each had two points for the 26-11-7 Maple Leafs, who sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Following the game, the Bruins announced they reached an agreement with winger Pavel Zacha on a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $4.75 million. Zacha, 25, was acquired from the New Jersey Devils last summer and has five goals and 25 points in 42 games this season as the Bruins’ third-line left winger. He’s completing a one-year, $3.5 million deal.

As for the Hurricanes, they got a 34-save performance from Frederik Andersen to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Brady Skjei and Jalen Chatfield scored for the Hurricanes as they improved to 27-9-7 and sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 61 points. Rickard Rakell replied for the Penguins (21-15-6) as they’ve dropped eight of their last 10 contests. With 48 points, they’ve fallen one point of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty missed this game with a lower-body injury and will likely miss Sunday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He could return for Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson remains sidelined by illness.

Speaking of road records, the New Jersey Devils became the first team in league history to win 17 of their first 20 road games in a season with a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Jack Hughes, Ryan Graves and Yegor Sherangovich each had two points while MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 35 shots as the Devils (28-12-3) sit two points back of the Hurricanes in the Metro Division. Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar replied for the Kings (25-15-6) as they slipped to third place in the Pacific Division with 56 points.

The New York Islanders, meanwhile, vaulted one point ahead of the Penguins into that wild-card spot by holding off the Montreal Canadiens by a 2-1 score. Casey Cizikas and Anthony Beauvillier scored first-period goals for the 23-18-3 Islanders. Sam Montembeault turned aside 36 shots while Nick Suzuki scored for the 17-23-3 Canadiens, who also lost forward Jake Evans in the first period to an apparent knee injury.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz turned in a 29-save shutout in a 7-0 drubbing of the Ottawa Senators. Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen and Alex Newhook each had two goals as the Avalanche improved to 21-17-3. With 45 points, they’re six back of the Edmonton Oilers for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Senators slide to 19-20-3 and also lost defenseman Artum Zub in the second period to a lower-body injury.

The Edmonton Oilers picked up their third straight win by dropping the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3. Leon Draisaitl scored twice while Zach Hyman collected two assists and Mattias Janmark had a goal and an assist. The Oilers (24-18-3) are tied in points with the Calgary Flames but the latter has a game in hand. Logan Thompson made 33 saves for the Golden Knights (28-14-2), who lead the Western Conference with 58 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other Golden Knights news, Robin Lehner filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy due to his ownership of an exotic snake farm in Missouri. The 31-year-old goaltender underwent hip surgery in August and is sidelined for the season.

Speaking of the Flames, they took a 6-1 lead over the Dallas Stars and held on for a 6-5 victory. Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar were among five Flames to collect two points in this contest. The Flames maintained their hold on the first Western Conference wild-card spot with a record of 21-14-9. Joe Pavelski scored two third-period goals for the Stars (25-12-7) as they slipped to second place in the Central Division with 57 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point scored twice and collected an assist in a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. The Bolts (27-13-1) sit third in the Atlantic Division with 55 points while the Blues (21-20-3) slipped to 45 points and six points out of a Western wild-card spot.

The Minnesota Wild got a 27-save effort from Marc-Andre Fleury to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. Mats Zuccarello and Frederick Gaudreau scored for the Wild (24-14-4) as they sit in third place in the Central Division with 52 points. Lawson Crouse replied for the Coyotes as they dropped their eighth straight and fell to 13-24-5 on the season.

Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves (including 14 in the third period) in a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Aleksander Barkov scored what proved to be the game-winner while Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist for the 20-20-4 Panthers. Bo Horvat tallied his 30th goal of the season as his Canucks fell to 17-22-3.

Third-period goals by Kyle Okposo and Jack Quinn lifted the Buffalo Sabres over the Nashville Predators by a score of 5-3. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kicked out 38 shots as the Sabres improved to 21-18-2. Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist as the Predators slipped to 19-17-6.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2023

by | Jan 13, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 13, 2023

The Kraken hand the Bruins their first home regulation loss, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour collects his 200th win, the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos edges closer to 500 career goals, the Canadiens honor P.K. Subban, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Seattle Kraken blanked the Boston Bruins 3-0, handing the latter their first home regulation loss of the season. Martin Jones stopped 27 shots for his second straight shutout while Brandon Tanev, Eeli Tolvanen and Jaden Schwartz scored for the Kraken (25-12-4), who sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 54 points. Linus Ullmark made 28 saves for the 35-5-4 Bruins as they remain in first place in the overall standings with 68 points.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour collected his 200th career victory as his club thumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2. Brett Pesce scored twice, Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each collected two assists and Frederik Anderson made 21 saves for the win in his first start since Nov. 6. The Hurricanes (26-9-7) sit in second place in the overall standings with 59 points. Sean Kuraly and Johnny Gaudreau replied for the 12-27-2 Blue Jackets as they sink into last place overall.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes winger Max Pacioretty left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury. It was his fourth game of the season since returning for an off-season Achilles’ injury. Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets activated defenseman Nick Blankenburg off injured reserve and placed forward Eric Robinson on IR.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (NHL Images).

The Tampa Bay Lightning held off the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 5-4. Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos tallied his 499th career goal and collected an assist as they stretched their home win streak to nine games. The Lightning (26-13-1) sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with 53 points. Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists as the Canucks fell to 17-21-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of Hughes, he expressed his unhappiness over the treatment teammate Tanner Pearson received when he suffered a broken hand two months ago. Hughes felt it wasn’t handled properly, leading to Pearson undergoing two more procedures that ended his season. Vancouver also lost defenseman Travis Dermott in this game to an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson was a healthy scratch from this contest.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield tallied two power-play goals in a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators. Jonathan Drouin collected three assists while Sam Montembeault kicked out 39 shots as the Canadiens improved to 17-22-3 on the season. Nashville goalie Yaroslav Askarov stopped 31 shots in his NHL debut. The Predators (19-16-6) are three points out of the finals Western Conference wild-card berth with 44 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens honored recently-retired defenseman P.K. Subban in a pre-game ceremony. Subban played for both clubs during his 13 NHL seasons, spending seven of those in Montreal where he became a fan favorite. He thanked the club, his teammates and the Montreal fans and staged a final “low-five” celebration with sidelined Habs goalie Carey Price.

A third-period goal by Taylor Raddysh lifted the Chicago Blackhawks over the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. Petr Mrazek made 31 saves for Chicago (11-25-4) as they rose to second-last in the overall standings with 26 points. The Avalanche (20-17-3) got two assists from Nathan MacKinnon but sit four points out of a Western wild-card spot with 43 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The defending Stanley Cup champions have been walloped by injuries this season but they’re also feeling the offseason departures of such notable players as Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky. Having lost seven of their last eight games, they’re in danger of falling further behind in the playoff race.

The Detroit Red Wings upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 as Lucas Raymond led the way with a goal and two assists. Ville Husso made 32 saves as the Wings (18-15-7) sit within five points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 43 points. Rasmus Sandin replied for the Leafs, who sit behind the Hurricanes for second place in the East with 59 points as the latter has a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs center Auston Matthews missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury that has nagged him this season. He’s expected to return to the lineup on Saturday.

An overtime goal by Adam Fox gave the New York Rangers a 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars. K’Andre Miller tied the game with a second remaining in regulation to force the extra frame as the Rangers (24-12-7) sit one point back of the second-place New Jersey Devils in the Metropolitan Division with 55 points as the Devils hold two games in hand. Tyler Seguin scored for the 25-11-7 Stars as they slip to second place in the Western Conference with 57 points.

The Vegas Golden Knights got third-period goals from Jack Eichel, William Carrier and William Karlson to double up the Florida Panthers 4-2. Adin Hill stopped 38 shots for the Golden Knights as they improved to 28-13-2 and took over first place in the West with 58 points. Nick Cousins and Sam Reinhart replied for the Panthers as their record fell to 19-20-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas captain Mark Stone left his contest in the first period with an undisclosed injury. No other information was provided.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 39 saves in a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Kyle Connor scored the game-winner and also collected an assist as the 27-14-1 Jets sit in fourth place in the Western Conference with 55 points. Victor Olofsson and Tyson Jost scored for the Sabres as they slipped to 20-18-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Jets activated forward Saku Maenalanen off injured reserve and moved forward David Gustafsson on IR.

The Minnesota Wild snapped a three-game losing skid to down the New York Islanders 3-1 on third-period goals by Frederick Gaudreau, Sam Steel and Kirill Kaprisov. The 23-14-4 Wild hold third place in the Central Division with 50 points. Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders (22-18-3) and Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves as they sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card berth with 47 points.

Calgary Flames winger Dillon Dube netted two goals and Dan Vladar made 25 saves in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. At 20-14-9, the Flames hold the first wild-card spot in the West with 49 points. Jake Neighbours tallied for the Blues (21-19-3), who sit two points out of a Western wild-card spot with 45 points.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Arizona Coyotes 5-3, handing the latter their seventh straight loss. Alex DeBrincat had a goal and an assist for the Senators as they improved to 19-19-3 on the season. Goalie Karel Vejmelka stopped 42 shots in a losing cause for the 13-23-5 Coyotes.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2023

by | Jan 6, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2023

Predators goaltender Juuse Saros sets a franchise record, the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl reach assist milestone, the top 32 players are named to the 2023 All-Star Game, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros made a franchise-record 64 saves to upset the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3. Third-period goals by Mark Jankowski and Colton Sissons put the game away for the Predators as they improved their record to 17-14-6 on the season. Max Pacioretty was held scoreless in his season debut with the Hurricanes (25-8-6) as they hold a five-point lead over the New York Rangers for first place in the Metropolitan Division with 56 points.

Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (NHL Images).

Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had two points in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. McDavid collected two assists to reach 500 career assists while Draisaitl scored and collected an assist to reach the 400 career assist milestone as the Oilers improved to 21-17-2. Mathew Barzal and Cal Clutterbuck replied for the 22-16-2 Islanders.

The league-leading Boston Bruins picked up their 30th win of the season with a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Trent Frederic scored twice within 34 seconds in the third period while David Pastrnak tallied twice for the Bruins, who hold an eight-point lead over the Hurricanes for first overall with 64 points. Phillip Danault and Sean Durzi replied for the Kings (22-14-6), who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 50 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Bruins placed winger Jake DeBrusk (fractured fibula) on long-term injury reserve. He’s expected to miss approximately four weeks.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Eichel had been sidelined for 11 games with a lower-body injury. Adin Hill made 38 saves for the Golden Knights (27-12-2), who sit atop the Western Conference with 56 points. Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each had two points for the Penguins (19-13-6), who’ve dropped six straight games.

The Washington Capitals (22-13-6) extended their road win streak record to seven games with a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. T.J. Oshie scored twice, Dylan Strome collected three assists, and Alex Ovechkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games. Johnny Gaudreau scored one of the goals for the 11-24-2 Blue Jackets.

Three goals within a 2:33 span in the second period rallied the Vancouver Canucks over the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Andrei Kuzmenko scored two goals and Brock Boeser tallied what proved to be the game-winner for the Canucks (17-18-3). Mikko Rantanen and Samuel Girard replied for the 19-15-3 Avalanche. With 41 points, the defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche sits two points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Seattle Kraken picked up their third straight win to dump the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn scored and picked up two assists while Martin Jones kicked out 26 shots for the 21-12-4 Kraken. Their 11 road wins thus far equal their total from last season. John Tavares scored for the Leafs (23-9-7) as they sit in third overall in the Eastern Conference with 53 points.

St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas scored twice and picked up an assist while Jordan Binnington made 36 saves for a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils, handing the latter their eighth straight home loss. Jack Hughes tallied twice for the Devils (24-12-3) as they hold a one-point lead over the New York Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points. The Blues improved their record to 19-17-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ondrej Palat was held scoreless in his return to the Devils’ lineup after being sidelined for 32 games by groin surgery.

The Rangers, meanwhile, picked up a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens (15-21-3), leaving the latter winless in their last seven games (0-6-1). Filip Chytil tallied twice for the 22-12-6 Rangers as they picked up their third straight victory. Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Philadelphia Flyers forwards Travis Konecny and Kevin Hayes each had a goal and two assists as their club tallied five second-period goals to beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-2. The Flyers improved to 15-17-7 while the Coyotes fall to 13-19-5.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson and Kraken center Matty Beniers are among 11 first-time selections for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game to be held at Sunrise, Florida on Feb. 4, 2023. Other first-timers included Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov, Golden Knights goalie Logan Thompson and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The fans will vote for the final three players for each division All-Star team.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks listed Patrick Kane as a “maybe” for Friday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. He’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and skipped practice yesterday for a maintenance day.

OTTAWA SUN: Attendance for Senators games is up by over 25 percent over last season, averaging 15,798 fans after 20 home games this season.

THE ATHLETIC: Speaking of the Senators, another potential buyer is poised to make a bid for the club. A group headed by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks is preparing to submit a bid when the sale process formally opens. One source said they’re prepared to go upwards of $950 million to purchase the team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A reminder that any potential owner who purchases the Senators understands that a condition of the sale is the franchise cannot be relocated.

DAILY FACEOFF: An overtime goal by Arizona Coyotes forward Dylan Guenther propelled Canada to a 3-2 victory over Czechia in the Gold Medal Game at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Halifax.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright scored one of Canada’s three goals. Connor Bedard of the WHL’s Regina Pats was named tournament MVP with 23 points. The 17-year-old is considered the top prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft, scheduled for June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2023

by | Jan 5, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 5, 2023

Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild over the Lightning, the Red Wings make some roster moves, the 2023 Winter Classic ratings improve over last season’s, plus updates on Nicklas Backstrom, Max Pacioretty and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and Calen Addison had a three-point performance in a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kaprizov has 22 goals on the season as the Wild (22-13-2) move to within three points of the second-place Winnipeg Jets in the Central Division with 46 points. The Lightning (24-12-1, 49 points) remain four points back of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning’s Brayden Point also tallied his 22nd goal of the season.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Alexander Holtz each had a goal and an assist for the Devils (24-11-3), who hold a three-point lead over the New York Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points. Lucas Raymond replied for the Red Wings, who fell to 16-13-7 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri made his season debut since suffering a lower-body injury last March. Jakub Vrana cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids while goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was assigned to Grand Rapids on a conditioning stint.

No surprise that Vrana cleared waivers. With a large number of teams carrying less than $3 million in salary-cap space, there were no takers for his $5.25 million annual cap hit through 2023-24.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson turned in a 35-save shutout to upset the Dallas Stars 2-0. Mason McTavish scored and collected an assist on Adam Henrique’s goal as the Ducks sit with a record of 11-24-4. The Stars (23-11-6, 52 points) remain two points behind the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: 1.8 million viewers tuned in on Jan. 2 to watch the Boston Bruins down the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park. That’s up 31 percent over the 2022 event.

ESPN.COM: The NHL has revamped its All-Star Game selection process to make it more inclusive for fans. The league’s hockey operations department has selected the first 32 All-Stars (one from each team), leaving the fans to vote for the rest.

THE ATHLETIC: Nickas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are close to making their season debuts for the Washington Capitals. Backstrom has been recovering from hip resurfacing in June while Wilson underwent surgery on his right knee in May.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals will have to free up cap room when Backstrom and his $9.2 million AAV come off long-term injury reserve. They could put defenseman John Carlson ($8 million) on LTIR as he’s sidelined indefinitely with a facial injury suffered on Dec. 23.

SPORTSNET: Max Pacioretty could soon make his season debut with the Carolina Hurricanes as the club activated him off LTIR. The 34-year-old winger has been sidelined since suffering a torn Achilles during offseason training.

DAILY FACEOFF: Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk reportedly suffered a fractured fibula. It’s uncertain if he suffered the injury during the Winter Classic (when he scored both goals for the Bruins) or sometime afterward.

PHILLY.COM: The Flyers activated goaltender Carter Hart from injured reserve. He’d been sidelined with a concussion since Dec. 23.

OTTAWA SUN: Cam Talbot is willing to re-sign with the Senators. The 35-year-old goaltender is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He’s interested in signing a contract extension but indicated there haven’t been any formal discussions yet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That conversation might not happen until the end of the season. Much will depend on how the Senators end the season and if Pierre Dorion remains general manager under the club’s new ownership. It’s expected the team will have a new owner in place sometime in March.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers signed winger Jimmy Vesey to a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension. The average annual value is $800K.