NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2026

by | Feb 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 6, 2026

Recapping the final games before the Olympic break, Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis is named to Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up their fifth straight win by taming the Florida Panthers 6-1. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 33 shots, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Pontus Holmberg had a goal and an assist, and Nikita Kucherov picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games for the Lightning (37-14-5), who lead the Eastern Conference with 78 points. Mackie Samoskevich scored for the 29-25-3 Panthers, who have lost five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning-Panthers feud continued as multiple fights occurred in the third period, highlighted by a spirited tilt between Brandon Hagel of the Lightning and Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers. Florida head coach Paul Maurice was ejected as the two teams combined for 114 minutes in penalties, with nine players receiving 10-minute misconducts.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Adin Hill made 32 saves, and Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for the 27-16-12 Golden Knights, who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 68 points. Trevor Moore replied for the Kings (23-19-14), who are 1-3-1 in their last five games.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings captain Anze Kopitar picked up an assist on Moore’s goal, becoming the 39th player in league history to reach 1,300 career regular-season points. He needs eight more points to break Marcel Dionne’s franchise record of 1,307.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi made 16 saves to shut out the New York Rangers 2-0. Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes (36-15-6), who are 8-0-2 in their last 10, and hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Jonathan Quick kicked out 41 of 42 shots for the 22-29-6 Rangers, who have lost seven of their last eight contests.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Avery Hayes scored twice in his NHL debut in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Rookie Ben Kindel also tallied two goals for the Penguins (29-15-12). Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker scored for the Sabres (32-19-6), who are 1-2-1 in their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins called up Hayes with forwards Blake Lizotte, Rickard Rakell, and Noel Acciari out of this game for various reasons.

Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois returned from a 47-game absence (abdominal surgery) with a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators. Logan Thompson made 27 saves after missing four games with an upper-body injury as the Capitals (29-23-7) have won four of their last five contests. Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron replied for the 26-24-7 Predators.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. Nick Cousins also scored for the Senators, who have won five of their last six games to improve their record to 28-22-7. Jamie Drysdale tied the game late in the third period for the Flyers (25-20-11).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators’ backup goalie James Reimer filled in for starter Linus Ullmark, who was a late scratch due to illness.

Speaking of the Senators, top prospect Carter Yakemchuk remains focused on becoming a full-time member of their defense corps. He said that he was drafted to one day become a defense partner for Jake Sanderson. It’s expected that Yakemchuk could be called up from their AHL affiliate in Belleville following the Olympic break.

The New York Islanders beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1. Bo Horvat scored the winning goal and collected an assist while Ilya Sorokin made 23 saves for the 32-21-5 Islanders. Nico Hischier scored for the Devils (28-27-2), who have dropped five of their last six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL schedule is now on its’ Olympic break until Wednesday, Feb. 25.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis will replace Tampa Bay Lightning center Braydon Point on Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey team in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Point suffered a knee injury on Jan. 12 and hasn’t fully recovered in time for the Olympics. Jarvis played for Canada in last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Point is the second member of the Lightning forced to miss the Olympics due to an injury. Teammate Anthony Cirelli was also selected as a member of Team Canada, but he was replaced earlier this week with Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett, who also played in the 4 Nations tournament.

THE SCORE: cited a report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, claiming Artemi Panarin rejected a $56 million contract offer from the Seattle Kraken before agreeing to be traded to the Los Angeles Kings earlier this week, where he signed a two-year, $22 million deal.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: cited Friedman saying that Panarin’s agent was telling teams that his client was going to the Carolina Hurricanes, but that seemed to have been posturing to try and get other interested club to raise their offers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken have been seeking a scoring star for years, but offering up a 34-year-old winger a four-year deal worth $14 million annually is ridiculous. Panarin turns 35 in October, and his production has declined since his career-high of 120 points in 2023-24. That contract would’ve aged poorly for the Kraken.

SPORTSNET: Details are emerging regarding the incident that led to Penn State forward Gavin McKenna facing charges of aggravated and simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct.

A police affidavit stated McKenna was caught on video punching a man in the face twice, resulting in the victim requiring surgery for a fractured jaw that had to be wired shut.

The alleged assault occurred as McKenna and several of his teammates were coming from a pub after Penn State had hosted Michigan State at Beaver Stadium. He allegedly punched the victim after words were exchanged between the two men.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna, 18, is considered among the top prospects in this year’s NHL Draft.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2026

by | Jan 17, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 17, 2026

Four-point performances by the Predators’ Ryan O’Reilly and the Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers, the Rangers announce their intention to retool their roster, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly tallied a hat trick and collected an assist in a 7-3 upset of the Colorado Avalanche. Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi each had three points as the Predators picked up their third straight win and improved to 23-20-4. Brock Nelson scored two goals for the Avalanche (33-5-8), who remain atop the overall standings with 74 points.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Avalanche’s first regulation loss on home ice this season.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a hat trick plus an assist as his club crushed the Florida Panthers 9-1. Taylor Hall tallied twice, and Mark Jankowski had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes (29-15-4), who sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 62 points. Uvis Balinskis replied for the 24-19-3 Panthers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Panthers signed Balinskis to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $875,000.

A shootout goal by Jordan Kyrou lifted the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, snapping the latter’s 11-game win streak. Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots while Jake Neighbours and Nick Bjugstad gave the Blues a 2-0 lead before the Lightning rallied on goals by Nikita Kucherov and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The Blues (19-21-8) picked up their second consecutive win, while the Lightning (29-13-4) clings to first place in the Eastern Conference with 62 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning hold first place in the East because they have two games in hand over the Hurricanes. Earlier in the day, the Lightning placed center Brayden Point on injured reserve.

The Detroit Red Wings doubled up the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Lucas Raymond had three assists, and Marco Kasper had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (29-16-4), who are tied with the Lightning and Hurricanes with 62 points. Will Smith and Nick Leddy scored for the 24-20-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Smith’s first game since being sidelined for 13 games by an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Sharks traded minor-league defenseman Kyle Masters to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2027 fifth-round pick to make room for Michael Misa’s entry-level contract.

Anaheim Ducks rookie winger Beckett Sennecke had two assists in regulation, and Mason McTavish tallied the winning goal in the shootout to nip the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. Joel Armia had a goal and an assist for the 19-16-12 Kings, while the Ducks improved to 23-21-3.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Ducks announced that center Leo Carlsson will be sidelined three to five weeks with a thigh injury. They also placed winger Troy Terry (upper body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Rangers general manager Chris Drury released a letter to the team’s fans on Friday promising to retool the club’s struggling roster. This comes less than eight years after former GM Jeff Gorton penned a similar letter to the club’s followers.

Drury acknowledged the fans’ disappointment over the Rangers’ difficulties since last season, when they missed the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2024. He promised to retool around the team’s core players and prospects, targeting players with “tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree,” putting the focus on young players and prospects, while freeing up cap space for flexibility going forward.

The Rangers GM also indicated that the club could be parting ways with players “that have brought us and our fans great moments over the years.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The letter prompted speculation over which players will be moved. The most obvious is Artemi Panarin, who is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Management has already informed the 34-year-old center that they won’t be offering him a contract extension. I’ll have more about this situation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

DAILY FACEOFF: Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander is considered doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. He exited Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury.

THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE: The Minnesota Wild placed Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Jonas Brodin, and Zach Bogosian on injured reserve.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers starting goaltender Dan Vladar is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. He won’t be suiting up for Saturday’s game against the Rangers.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens have returned goaltender Jacob Fowler and forward Owen Beck to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fowler did a good job in difficult circumstances for the Canadiens, providing much-needed stability between the pipes when the regular goalie tandem of Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes was struggling. Given Montembeault’s improvement, Fowler will resume his development in Laval.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

by | Jan 14, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 14, 2026

Oilers captain Connor McDavid extends his points streak, the Lightning set a franchise record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected two assists to extend his points streak to 20 games, but his club dropped a 4-3 decision to the Nashville Predators on an overtime goal by Roman Josi, who finished the game with two goals. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the 22-20-4 Predators. Zach Hyman tallied twice, and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two points for the Oilers (23-16-8).

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry made 23 saves and defenseman Jake Walman logged over 17 minutes as both returned from lengthy absences due to injuries. Meanwhile, Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault missed his 13th straight game with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won a franchise-record 11th straight game by nipping the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on a shootout goal by Nikita Kucherov. J.J. Moser scored in regulation, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots for the Lightning (29-13-3), who hold first place in the Eastern Conference with 61 points. Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (21-14-10), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Both clubs were missing a key player in this contest. Lightning center Brayden Point is week-to-week with an injured knee. It is not considered season-ending, but his participation in next month’s Winter Olympics for Canada’s men’s hockey team is in question. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson missed this game with an undisclosed ailment that has landed him on injured reserve. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman turned aside 24 shots as his club picked up its fourth consecutive win, and the second straight by shutout, as they blanked the Detroit Red Wings 3-0. Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten, and Mark Kastelic were the goal scorers for the 26-19-2 Bruins. Cam Talbot stopped 38 of 40 shots for the Red Wings (28-16-4) as their four-game win streak ended.

The Columbus Blue Jackets picked up their first win under new head coach Rick Bowness by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3. Boone Jenner snapped a 3-3 tie while Zach Werenski and Charlie Coyle each had a goal and two assists for the 20-19-7 Blue Jackets. Morgan Frost and Mikael Backlund each had a goal and an assist as the Flames dropped to 19-23-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman missed this game with an undisclosed injury and was placed on IR. The Flames sent forward Martin Pospisil to their AHL affiliate in Calgary for a conditioning stint as he works his way back into the lineup from an undisclosed injury that has sidelined him from this season. Blue Jackets defensemen Denton Mateychuk (upper-body injury) and Damon Severson (illness) missed this game.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer collected his fourth shutout of the season with a 33-save performance to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0. Nick Bjugstad, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jimmy Snuggerud scored for the Blues (18-21-8) as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Brandon Bussi turned aside 28 shots for the 28-15-4 Hurricanes, who hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 60 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced the signing of defenseman Logan Mailloux to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension. Hurricanes blueliner Jaccob Slavin missed this game due to injury rehab protocol, meaning they want him to avoid playing back-to-back after returning from a lengthy injury on Monday.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Ethan Frank tallied twice to tie the game in regulation before Connor McMichael won it in overtime for the 24-17-6 Capitals. Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens (26-14-7), who are 4-1-1 in their last six contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens scratched Kaiden Guhle from this game. Like Slavin, they wanted him to avoid playing in back-to-back games so soon after returning from a long absence due to an injury.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Adam Lowry and Kyle Connor each had a goal and an assist as their club held off the New York Islanders 5-4. Mark Scheifele collected two assists for the 18-22-5 Jets as they picked up their third straight victory. Emil Heineman had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (25-16-5).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders got a scare when rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was injured twice during this game, including taking a Luke Schenn slapshot off his right knee in the second period. He’d also been taken off the ice by a concussion spotter in the first period, but was cleared to return. Schaefer missed the post-game interview because he was having his knee evaluated by team doctors.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 10-game points streak ended with a 6-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth. Dylan Guenther tallied two goals and an assist, and Jake McBain had a goal and two assists for the Mammoth, who improved to 23-20-4. Calle Jarnkrok replied for the 23-16-7 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson missed this game as he’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made 24 saves as his club snapped a nine-game winless skid (0-8-1) by downing the Dallas Stars 3-1. Chris Kreider, Beckett Sennecke, and Jacob Trouba scored for the 22-21-3 Ducks. Roope Hintz tallied for the Stars (27-11-9).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks were already short on forwards as Frank Vatrano and Tory Terry were sidelined with upper-body injuries. Center Leo Carlsson (upper-body injury) and winger Cutter Gauthier (illness) also missed this game. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen was absent due to a personal family matter.

First-period goals scored 15 seconds apart by Artem Zub and Jordan Spence lifted the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, snapping a four-game losing streak and improving their record to 21-19-5. Elias Pettersson replied for the Canucks (16-25-8), who are 0-6-2 in their last eight games.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

by | Nov 23, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 23, 2025

The Flyers set a franchise record against the Devils, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby reached a points milestone, Lightning winger Brandon Hagel had a four-point performance, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers scored four first-period goals, including three in 26 seconds, in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Tyson Foerster tallied twice in 17 seconds, and Noah Cates had a goal and two assists for the 11-6-3 Flyers. Nico Hischier scored two goals and set up another as the Devils (13-7-1) dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers set a franchise record for the fastest three goals in one period.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for his 500th career multipoint game in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Brandon Montour scored in overtime, and Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist as the Kraken improved to 11-5-5. Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins (10-6-5), who have one win in their last six games (1-2-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby is sixth on the all-time multipoint games list. Wayne Gretzky leads with 824 games, followed by Jaromir Jagr (540), Marcel Dionne and Mark Messier (513), and Gordie Howe (511).

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel scored two goals and collected two assists in a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists as the Lightning (12-7-2) extended their winning streak to three games. Jakob Chychrun had a goal and an assist for the 11-9-2 Capitals as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov and teammate Brayden Point left this game with undisclosed injuries. There was no postgame update regarding their statuses. Meanwhile, Capitals forward Nic Dowd missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0. Nathan MacKinnon scored to extend his points streak to 12 games as the league-leading Avalanche (15-1-5, 35 points) extended its win streak to eight games. Juuse Saros stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Predators (6-11-4) have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi returned to action after being sidelined since late October with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Avalanche announced that forward Gavin Brindley is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Detroit Red Wings got an overtime goal from Alex DeBrincat as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to nip the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots, and defensemen Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot each had a goal and an assist for the Detroit Red Wings, who improved to 13-8-1 and hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 27 points. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (11-8-3).

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington made 30 saves as his club held off the New York Islanders by a score of 2-1. Brayden Schenn and Pius Suter scored for the 7-9-6 Blues, who ended a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Anders Lee replied for the Islanders (12-8-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues placed forward Alexandre Texier on unconditional waivers for contract termination. The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are believed to be the front-runners, with the Canadiens considered the favorites to sign him. The 26-year-old winger is in his seventh NHL season. He’s a speedy two-way checking-line forward whose best season was a 30-point performance with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they picked up their first win in two weeks with a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Noah Dobson and Josh Anderson each tallied twice for the Canadiens, who improved to 11-7-3 after dropping seven of their previous eight games (1-4-3). William Nylander had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs, who dropped to 9-10-3 and have lost seven of their last eight contests (1-5-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Edmonton Oilers got two goals from Jack Roslovic to defeat the Florida Panthers 6-3 in their first game since facing each other in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Stuart Skinner kicked out 35 shots, and blueliners Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm each had three points for the 10-9-5 Oilers, ending their three-game losing skid. Anton Lundell and Mackie Samoskevich each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers dropped to 11-9-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to travel with the team on Sunday and play in Monday’s game against the Nashville Predators.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle snapped a 2-2 tie to give his club a 3-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. He also collected an assist to finish the game with two points as the Senators (11-6-4) picked up their third win in four games. John Klingberg and Barclay Goodrow replied for the 10-9-3 Sharks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot returned to action after missing three games with an upper-body injury. However, he left this contest in the third period after reinjuring himself.

The Utah Mammoth nipped the New York Rangers 3-2 on a third-period goal by Nick DeSimone. JJ Peterka and Clayton Keller also scored for the 11-8-3 Mammoth, ending a four-game winless skid (0-1-3). Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who’ve lost four straight games and dropped to 10-11-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller missed this game with an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.

Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier scored in overtime in a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Gauthier, Troy Terry, and Jackson LaCombe each had a goal and an assist as the Ducks improved to 14-7-1, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division with 29 points. Jack Eichel had two assists for the Golden Knights (10-4-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Mitch Marner was the goat of this game as his turnover in front of his own net led to Gauthier’s game-winner.

The Calgary Flames upset the Dallas Stars 3-2 on a shootout goal by Nazem Kadri. Matt Coronato scored to extend his goal streak to four games for the 7-13-3 Flames. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist for the 13-5-4 Stars.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars winger Mikko Rantanen received his second game misconduct in three games for boarding Coronato.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

by | Jan 15, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 15, 2025

The Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski’s home points streak puts him in elite company, Canadiens rookie Lane Hutson extends his lead in the rookie points race, the Bruins reveal their Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski scored twice to extend his home points streak to 17 games in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored in a shootout as the Blue Jackets won their fifth straight game. Bobby Brinks and Owen Tippett replied for the Flyers as their two-game win streak ended.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski’s streak puts him in elite company among NHL defensemen. He joins Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Ray Bourque and John Van Boxmeer with the longest home points streaks (17-plus games). Orr remains the all-time leader with 25 games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets (48 points) hold the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson collected three assists to widen his lead in the rookie scoring race as his club downed the Utah Hockey Club 5-3. Kirby Dach scored twice and Cole Caufield tallied the winning goal for the Canadiens, who’ve won 10 of their last 13 games (10-2-1) and sit two points behind the Blue Jackets. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each collected two assists for Utah as they’ve dropped four of their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hutson leads all rookies with 35 points, four points ahead of Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers and Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks.

Canadiens winger Emil Heineman was struck by a car while walking in Salt Lake City and will be sidelined for three to four weeks recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, Utah HC activated John Marino off injured reserve for this game. The 27-year-old defenseman was making his season debut with Utah after recovering from back surgery. He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils last June.

The Nashville Predators won their 1,000th game with a 5-3 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. Steven Stamkos scored twice and collected an assist and Jonathan Marchessault got an assist in his first game against his former team since signing with the Predators last summer. Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev collected his first NHL hat trick as his club has dropped three of its last four games.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson made 19 saves to shut out the Anaheim Ducks 3-0, extending their points streak to eight games (5-0-3). Brandon Duhaime, John Carlson, and Ethen Frank were the goalscorers for the Capitals as they hold first place in the overall standings with 63 points. The Ducks have dropped four of their last five contests (1-3-1).

A natural hat trick by Kyle Connor within a 6:38 span in the first period carried the Winnipeg Jet to a 6-1 romp over the Vancouver Canucks. Connor also collected an assist while Gabriel Vilardi collected three helpers. Nils Hoglander scored for the struggling Canucks as they’ve lost five of their last six contests (1-3-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets also have 63 points but the Capitals hold a game in hand. Meanwhile, the Canucks (48 points) remain one point behind the Calgary Flames, who hold the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Speaking of the Flames, they dropped a 2-1 decision to the St. Louis Blues. Radek Faksa broke a 1-1 tie midway through the third period and Jordan Binnington stopped 26 shots as the Blues sit three points behind the Flames and two behind the Canucks. Kevin Bahl scored for the Flames.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists to reach his league-leading 70th point as his team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to nip the New York Rangers 3-2. Artturi Lehkonen scored with 1:13 remaining in regulation and Devon Toews tallied the winning goal in overtime for the Avalanche. Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom scored for the Rangers, extending their points streak to five games (3-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers activated Chris Kreider (upper body) off injured reserve for this game. Blueshirts center Filip Chytil returned to action after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury.

The Boston Bruins built an early 4-0 lead on their way to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightnings. David Pastrnak scored his 20th goal of the season and collected two assists and Jeremy Swayman kicked out 43 shots as the Bruins won their second straight game. Connor Geekie and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning center Brayden Point was scratched from this game for missing a team meeting earlier in the day. Meanwhile, the Bruins placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Mark Kastelic on injured reserve, blueliner Hampus Lindholm on long-term injury reserve, and recalled center Matthew Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

Dallas Stars forwards Matt Duchene and Logan Stankoven each had three points to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1, handing the latter their fourth straight loss. Jake Oettinger turned aside 27 shots for the Stars, who’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Auston Matthews scored for the Leafs, who were booed off the ice by their fans following this game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. There was no postgame update about his condition.

Shootout goals by Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell gave the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist scored in regulation for the Panthers while Nico Hischier tallied his 20th of the season for the Devils.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Marilainen made 24 saves for his second shutout in three games in a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders. Adam Gaudette and Artem Zub scored for the Senators, who’ve won three straight and sit one point out of the final Eastern wild-card spot. Marcus Hogberg stopped 25 shots for the Islanders as their three-game win streak is over.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left this game in the first period after being struck in the face by a shot from Islanders blueliner Adam Pelech. He was ruled out of the rest of this game for precautionary reasons.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Jamie Oleksiak, Eeli Tovanen and Kaapo Kakko lifted the Seattle Kraken over the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. Philip Tomasino and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, who have one win in their last eight (1-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins activated Evgeni Malkin from injured reserve after missing four games with an upper-body injury and sent winger Jesse Puljujarvi to their AHL affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton. The Penguins also released a statement indicating Malkin’s home was burglarized on Saturday and his three Stanley Cup rings were stolen.

The San Jose Sharks clipped the Detroit Red Wings 6-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. William Eklund and Tyler Toffoli each had a goal and two assists for the Sharks while Vladimir Tarasenko tallied twice for the Red Wings, who also lost forward Tyler Motte in the second period to an upper-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins revealed their Quarter-Century Team on Tuesday.

Forward Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand, defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, and goaltender Tim Thomas comprised the First Team.

Forwards Joe Thornton, David Pastrnak and Milan Lucic, defensemen Torey Krug and Dennis Seidenberg, and goaltender Tuukka Rask made up the Second Team.

The schedule for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the full team rosters were released on Tuesday. The series will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston with teams of NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for slew-footing Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid during Monday’s game between the two teams.

SPORTSNET: Former NHL defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s contract with KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg was terminated for family reasons.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

by | Nov 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 4, 2024

Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has a record-setting game, the Hurricanes extend their win streak, Alex Ovechkin continues his march toward the all-time goal record, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in league history as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4. Ehlers had a goal and an assist to pass Frans Nielsen with 474 career regular-season points. Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov also had a goal and an assist each for the league-leading Jets (11-1-0, 22 points). Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jets winger Kyle Connor picked up an assist to extend his franchise-record season-opening points streak to 12 games.

The Lightning also lost center Brayden Point as he left the game midway through the first period with an undisclosed injury. There was no postgame update on his condition.

The Carolina Hurricanes got two goals from Dmitry Orlov in a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, which extended their win streak to six games. Alex Ovechkin scored to extend his goal streak to four games and Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves as the Capitals’ win streak ended at three games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin has seven goals in 11 games and 860 for his career. He needs 35 to break Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped 35 shots and Artemi Panarin tallied twice to defeat the New York Islanders 5-2. Mika Zibanejad collected three assists as the Rangers (8-2-1) took over first place from the Capitals in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. Isles netminder Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves in a losing cause as his club has dropped five of its last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders iced an injury-ravaged lineup with Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech, Alexander Romanov and Mike Reilly sidelined. Meanwhile, there’s growing speculation the Isles are in the trade market for a defenseman. I’ll have more in today’s Rumors update.

The Boston Bruins picked up their second straight shutout by blanking the Seattle Kraken 2-0. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves for the win while Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle scored the game’s only goals. Joey Daccord turned aside 31 shots for the Kraken as they lost their third straight.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Eyebrows were raised when Bruins winger David Pastrnak was benched for the third period. Head coach Jim Montgomery refused to explain why he parked his leading scorer in the final frame.

The Bruins honored former NESN broadcaster Jack Edwards in a pregame ceremony. Edwards was the play-by-play man for Bruins games on NESN from 2005 until his retirement at the end of last season.

The Edmonton Oilers won the latest game in the Battle of Alberta with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists and Zach Hyman snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period as the Oilers won their second straight game. Anthony Mantha and Yegor Sherangovich replied for the Flames, who’ve dropped five of their last six.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With Oilers captain Connor McDavid sidelined by an ankle injury, Draisaitl has stepped up to fill the leadership void. He has three goals and six points in his last two games.

An overtime goal by Matt Boldy lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ryan Hartman also scored and Jared Spurgeon collected two assists as the Wild picked up their third straight victory and seventh in the last eight games. William Nylander scored and Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves for the Leafs as they’ve gone 3-4-2 in their last nine games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kaprizov was held off the score sheet, ending his points streak at seven games.

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard collected three assists to lead his team over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. Arvid Soderblom kicked out 37 shots and Taylor Hall had two helpers for the Blackhawks. Brock McGinn and Mason McTavish replied for the Ducks, who’ve lost five of their last seven.

IN OTHER NEWS…

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers aren’t suffering a Stanley Cup hangover as they’re off to one of the best starts in franchise history. With a 9-3-1 record, they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 19 points.

THE SCORE: The injury-ravaged Colorado Avalanche are getting a much-needed reinforcement to their forward lines as they activated Artturi Lehkonen off injured reserve on Sunday. He’d been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils winger Nathan Bastian will miss several weeks with a jaw injury during a fight with Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg during their game on Friday.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson is expected to only miss a week after suffering a lower-body injury during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Bruins.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Adam Gaudette is making the most of his second chance in the NHL. After spending the last two seasons in the AHL, the 28-year-old forward is tied for second with Tim Stutzle among Senators scorers with six goals in 11 games.