NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2023

by | Feb 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2023

The Hurricanes stage a three-goal rally to defeat the Kings, the Capitals and Senators earn one-goal victories, plus the latest on Carey Price, Rasmus Dahlen and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Sebastian Aho lifted the Carolina Hurricanes over the Los Angeles Kings 5-4. The Hurricanes scored three unanswered third-period goals to set the stage for Aho’s game-winner. Andrei Svechnikov and Brent Burns each had two points for the Hurricanes (33-9-8), who sit seven points behind the first-overall Boston Bruins with 74 points. Adrian Kempe scored twice and Anze Kopitar had three points for the 28-18-7 Kings, who are tied with the first-place Seattle Kraken in the Pacific Division with 63 points.

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken holds first in the Pacific with four games in hand. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are riding a six-game win streak as they face off against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

The Washington Capitals nipped the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on an overtime goal by Evgeny Kuznetsov. Trevor van Riemsdyk tallied twice as the 27-20-6 Capitals enter the All-Star break holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 60 points. Johnny Gaudreau scored to send the game into overtime for the Blue Jackets, who remain mired at the bottom of the overall standings with a record of 15-32-4.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk scored in the dying minutes of the third period to down the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. Tim Stuzle scored twice and collected two assists while Thomas Chabot had three assists for the Senators (24-23-3) as they moved within six points of the final Eastern wild-card spot with 51 points. Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored twice for the Canadiens as they slide to 20-27-4.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, Carey Price and his family have put their Montreal-area home up for sale and are returning to his native British Columbia, where they live during the offseason. It’s being seen as another indication that the 35-year-old goaltender’s playing career is over. He remains sidelined by an ongoing knee injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price isn’t expected to retire as he has three more years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million. If this is the end of his playing days, he’ll spend the remainder of his contract on long-term injury reserve, allowing the Canadiens to exceed the cap if necessary to re-sign or add players.

WGR 550: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin sent an open letter to the club’s fans expressing his excitement whenever their home arena (KeyBank Center) is full this season as they inch toward playoff contention.

“It’s like we are 19,090 strong – 20 of us in uniform, the rest of us in the stand. Together we are going to break the other team mentally. That’s what it feels like,” wrote Dahlin.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres fans are sharing Dahlin’s excitement. The energy in their building comes through even on television. This is a promising, exciting young team that is pushing hard to end the club’s 12-year postseason drought and their fans are buying into it.

THE ATHLETIC: Brian Burke, president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins, expressed his disappointment over the Philadelphia Flyers’ Ivan Provorov’s refusal to wear a Pride-themed jersey for a recent pregame warmup followed by a similar move by the New York Rangers.

“For someone to say, ‘Well, I’m Orthodox Christian, I’m not wearing a Pride sweater’. Well, I don’t see how one has anything to do with the other,” said Burke. “We want to say, ‘Everyone is welcome here.’And that’s the risk here: The fragmentation, the distraction, losing sight of the message.”

Burke became a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ awareness in hockey after his son Brendan came out during an interview with TSN in 2009. Brendan was killed in a car accident in 2010 at age 21. The Burke family subsequently launched the advocacy group You Can Play.

Despite the recent incidents, Burke still believes things are going in the right direction in the NHL for LGBTQ+ awareness. He said league commissioner Gary Bettman told him he still solidly supports Pride.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2023

by | Jan 12, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 12, 2023

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid maintains his points streak, the Flyers’ Travis Konecny enjoys a hat-trick performance, the coaches for the 2023 All-Star Game are announced, plus the latest on Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 11 games with a goal and an assist to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 6-2. Klim Kostin tallied twice as the Oilers improved to 22-18-3 and hold the final Western Conference wild-card berth with 47 points. Sam Carrick and Simon Benoit replied for the Ducks as they dropped to 12-26-4.

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With a league-leading 35 goals and 79 points in 43 games, McDavid is on pace to become the NHL’s highest-scoring player since Mario Lemieux netted 161 points in 1995-96.

Ducks forward Max Jones returned to action for the first time since Dec. 12. Sidelined forward Isac Lundestrom (fractured finger) could join the club on its next road trip.

A hat-trick performance by Travis Konecny powered the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Scott Laughton had a goal and two assists for the Flyers (17-18-7). T.J. Oshie, Marcus Johansson and Garnet Hathaway tallied for the 23-15-6 Capitals, who hold the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot with 52 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny is among the few bright spots for the struggling Flyers this season. He has a team-leading 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games and is currently riding a 10-game points streak.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner snapped a 1-1 tie late in the third period to nip the Nashville Predators 2-1. Matt Murray made 32 saves while John Tavares scored his 20th goal of the season for the Leafs (26-9-7) as they hold a two-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for second place in the Eastern Conference with 59 points. Filip Forsberg replied for the Predators (19-15-6) as they sit three points behind the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs center Auston Matthews missed this game with an undisclosed ailment.

The Los Angeles Kings held off the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on third-period goals by Gabriel Vilardi and Drew Doughty scored 53 seconds apart. Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist for the 25-14-6 Kings as they sit in second place in the Pacific Division. Timo Meier had a goal and an assist for the Sharks as they fell to 13-22-8 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings and Vegas Golden Knights have the same number of points but the latter holds first place in the Pacific with two more victories and three games in hand.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The head coaches for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game were announced yesterday. The Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour will represent the Metropolitan Division, the Boston Bruins’ Jim Montgomery will be behind the Atlantic Division bench, the Dallas Stars’ Peter DeBoer will coach the Central Division while the Vegas Golden Knights’ Bruce Cassidy will coach the Pacific Division.

SPORTSNET: Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price discussed his exposure in the 2021 NHL expansion draft during an episode of the podcast La Poche Bleu with former teammates Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre.

Price said he had no problem with then-Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin asking him to waive his no-movement clause to be exposed in the expansion draft. “I had a feeling they (Seattle Kraken) wouldn’t pick me because of my contract and the stage of my career,” he said. “I felt like we could do a solid here if we exposed me because I really doubt that it was going to happen. So I felt like it was a tactical move to be able to protect another player.”

The long-time Canadiens goaltender also revealed that he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to address his alcohol abuse that was tied to dealing with his social anxiety. He was grateful for the help he received in the assistance program.

Price praised former teammate P.K. Subban for the upbeat energy and attitude that he brought to the Canadiens during the defenseman’s tenure in Montreal. He also applauded Shea Weber for his leadership and for holding his teammates accountable. The Canadiens traded Subban in 2016 to the Predators for Weber.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An interesting look behind the scenes regarding how Bergevin approached Price about waiving his NMC in the Kraken draft. Good on him as well for having the courage to seek assistance in dealing with his alcohol abuse. Meanwhile, Price’s playing career remains in limbo due to complications from a knee injury.

Speaking of the Canadiens, winger Brendan Gallagher will be sidelined for at least six weeks with a lower-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider will miss Thursday’s game against the Dallas Stars with an upper-body injury.

SPORTSNET: The Carolina Hurricanes activated goaltender Frederik Andersen off injured reserve. He’s been out since Nov. 6 with a lower-body injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Ryan Poehling on injured reserve and returned defenseman Mark Friedman to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

CBS SPORTS: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov could return to the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes after suffering an upper-body injury on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile, the Jackets placed winger Carson Meyer on IR with an oblique strain.

TSN: The Rangers claimed forward Jake Leschyshyn off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights. Meanwhile, defenseman Casey Fitzgerald was plucked off the waiver wire by the Florida Panthers from the Buffalo Sabres.

NHL.COM: The postponed Dec. 27 game between the Blue Jackets and Sabres has been rescheduled for Friday, April 14, 2023, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2022

by | Dec 7, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 7, 2022

The Leafs’ Mitch Marner extends his points streak while the Stars’ Jason Robertson’s comes to an end, the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon is sidelined for a lengthy period, an update on the Penguins’ Kris Letang, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner collected an assist to extend his points streak to 20 games in a 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. Matt Murray turned in a 44-save shutout while Auston Matthews had a goal and an assist as the Leafs improved their record to 16-5-6. The Stars’ Jason Robertson had his points streak end at 18 games as his club’s record falls to 14-7-5.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Victor Mete left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored twice and Tristan Jarry kicked out 38 shots to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist for the 14-8-4 Penguins. Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Blue Jackets, who fall to 8-14-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some good news for the Penguins as defenseman Kris Letang skated yesterday morning in full gear for the first time since suffering a minor stroke last week. There’s still no timetable for his return.

The New Jersey Devils picked up their 10th home win of the season by blanking the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0. Vitek Vanecek got the shutout by stopping 24 saves while Dougie Hamilton led the way with a goal and two assists as the Devils (21-4-1) vaulted into first place in the overall standings with 43 points. The Blackhawks (7-14-4) sink to second-last in the overall standings with 18 points.

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso made 44 saves, including 28 in the third period, as his club doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2. Andrew Copp and Filip Hronek each had two assists as the Wings improved to 13-7-5 while the Lightning (15-9-1) got goals from Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first game in Tampa Bay for former Lightning assistant coach Derek Lalonde, who was hired by the Wings as head coach during the offseason.

Winnipeg Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each scored twice to down the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2. Connor Hellebuyck picked up the win for the Jets (16-7-1) with a 39-save performance. The Panthers fell to 12-10-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jets spoiled the homecoming of Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, who was returning to Winnipeg for the first time since stepping down as the Jets bench boss a year ago.

The St. Louis Blues ended a four-game losing skid with a 7-4 win over the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss made 36 saves and Noel Acciari scored twice as the Blues improved to 12-14-0. Zach Parise and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist for the 16-11-0 Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blues went into this game without Torey Krug and Pavel Buchnevich. Krug has an upper-body ailment while Buchnevich has a lower-body injury. No word yet as to how long they could be sidelined.

Two goals within seven seconds by Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson in the second period powered the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Jake Allen stopped 31 shots as the Canadiens improved to 13-11-2. Rookie Shane Wright tallied his first career NHL goal for the 15-7-3 Kraken.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar collected three assists and winger Viktor Arvidsson tallied twice to down the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Kings goalie Pheonix Copley stopped 31 shots for his first NHL win since 2019 as his club improved to 14-10-4. Tim Stutzle had two assists for the 10-14-1 Senators.

An overtime goal by Ryan Strome lifted the Anaheim Ducks over the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. John Gibson made 34 saves for the Ducks (7-17-3) while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 26 shots for the 14-6-6- Hurricanes.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE DENVER POST: The injury-depleted Colorado Avalanche got more bad news yesterday as center Nathan MacKinnon will be sidelined for four weeks with an upper-body injury. The Avs are already missing Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Evan Rodrigues, Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson, Bo Byram, Darren Helm, Kurtis MacDermid, Jean-Luc Foudy and Shane Bowers.

CBC NEWS: Carey Price issued a statement yesterday saying he was aware of the anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal after the Canadiens claimed he was unaware of it. Price and the Canadiens were responding on Monday to a social media post by the goaltender supporting a guns rights group that recently used “POLY” as a promotional discount code.

Price’s initial social media post was in support of the group’s opposition to an upcoming Canadian government bill that could put restrictions on hunting rifles. He said he was unaware of the group’s use of the offensive promo code and didn’t support it.

On Tuesday, Price apologized for the timing of his original post. He said that he would never cause any intentional pain to victims of gun violence.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens really aren’t very good at handling controversial issues that arise involving one of their players. Rather than face the issue and address it honestly, they tried to give Price an out by denying his awareness of the Polytechnique Massacre and its upcoming anniversary. Not a good look for the storied franchise.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

by | Dec 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 6, 2022

The Golden Knights snap the Bruins’ home win streak, the Canucks rally from a 4-goal deficit to down the Canadiens, the three stars of the week are revealed and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Boston Bruins’ 14-game home winning streak came to an end as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated them 4-3 on a shootout goal by Reilly Smith. Vegas had jumped to a 3-0 lead with Paul Cotter scoring twice but the Bruins rallied to tie the game on goals by Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall. Logan Thompson made 40 saves for the Golden Knights (19-7-1) as they lead the Western Conference with 39 points. The Bruins (20-3-1) picked up a point to hold first place in the overall standings (41 points) with a game in hand over the New Jersey Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy picked up the win in his first game against the Bruins since they fired him as head coach in the off-season. He received a standing ovation from Boston fans during a video tribute in the first period.

Jack Eichel missed this game for the Golden Knights as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Teammate Alex Pietrangelo missed his fourth straight game due to personal reasons.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).

Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson scored in overtime as his club overcame 4-0 and 6-5 deficits to beat the Montreal Canadiens 7-6. Pettersson finished the night with three points while Ilya Mikheyev scored twice as the Canucks improved to 11-12-3. Nick Suzuki and Jordan Harris each had two points for the 12-11-2 Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens entered this game with winger Brendan Gallagher sidelined for two weeks with a lower-body injury and defenseman David Savard out with an upper-body injury. Center Sean Monahan left the game in the second period and was spotted after the game wearing a walking boot cast on his right foot. He’s been nursing that injury since the start of this road trip.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 5-3. Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim each had two points and Carter Hart made 29 saves for the Flyers (9-12-5). Alex Newhook tallied twice for the Avalanche (13-9-1), who also lost center Nathan MacKinnon in the first period with an apparent wrist injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was no update on MacKinnon’s condition following the game. The Avalanche went into this game already shorthanded with Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog, Bo Byram, Evan Rodrigues, Darren Helm and Kurtis MacDermid among their sidelined players.

Three unanswered third-period goals by K’Andre Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Chris Kreider lifted the New York Rangers to a 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck finished the night with two points apiece as the Rangers improved to 12-10-5. Jordan Kyrou had two points for the Blues (11-14-0) as they’ve dropped four straight.

A third-period goal by Nic Dowd snapped a 2-2 tie as the Washington Capitals nipped the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Lars Eller and TJ Oshie also scored for the 11-12-4 Capitals. Stuart Skinner stopped 47 shots for the Oilers (14-12-0) while Connor McDavid scored to extend his points streak to six games. He leads the league with 48 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kailer Yamamoto returned to action after missing 11 games with an undisclosed injury.

The Calgary Flames downed the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on a third-period power-play goal by Nazem Kadri, who finished the night with three points. Jakob Chychrun and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes (7-12-4) while the Flames improved to 12-10-3.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Dec. 4, 2022.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets winger Jakub Voracek acknowledged his playing days might be over due to concussion symptoms. The 33-year-old winger said he has a history of head injuries. He added there’s a slim chance he might be able to resume his playing career but it won’t be happening anytime soon.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Voracek has a year remaining on his contract but he’ll likely finish that on long-term injury reserve. He’s had a productive career with 806 points in 1,058 NHL games over 15 seasons but he has to put his health and well-being first.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers have placed winger Patric Hornqvist on LTIR after he suffered a concussion during Saturday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. He’ll be sidelined for at least 10 games and 24 days.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move also provides the Panthers with some short-term salary cap relief for Anthony Duclair’s expected return to action later this month.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Artem Zub could be sidelined for a month with a broken jaw. He suffered the injury when he was struck in the face by a puck during Friday’s game against the New York Rangers. Zub missed eight games earlier this season with an upper-body injury.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: The Kraken have recalled Shane Wright from his stint with their AHL affiliate in time for Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nice dramatic touch by Kraken management. The Canadiens passed over Wright during the opening round of the 2022 NHL Draft, using the first-overall pick to select Juraj Slafkovsky, who’ll be in the lineup for this contest.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Canadiens and Carey Price have apologized for the goaltender’s recent support of a pro-gun organization on social media just days before the Dec. 6 anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal. On that date, 14 women were killed and another 10 were wounded by a lone gunman armed with a legally purchased semi-automatic rifle.

Over the weekend, Price posted a message on Instagram expressing his support of the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights’ opposition to a proposed federal gun control bill (C-21). The bill originally targeted handguns but an amendment was tacked on that would focus on a number of rifles used for hunting. The government is still listening to feedback to ensure the bill doesn’t target hunting rifles or shotguns.

Price faced a backlash for his remarks over both the timing of his post and for supporting the CCFR, who recently ran a promo code “POLY” for 10 percent off merchandise purchases. According to a survivor of the Polytechnique shooting, the promo code mocked the massacre.

In their apology, the Canadiens announced they would make a donation to the “Week of the White Rose” campaign. The team also claimed Price was unaware of the Polytechnique anniversary. Meanwhile, Price followed up on social media claiming he meant no disrespect and didn’t agree with the CCFR’s promo code campaign. An avid hunter, he said he stood by his fellow hunters and sport shooters who have legally purchased firearms and use them safely.

Unlike the United States, Canadian citizens do not have a constitutional right to bear arms.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Commenters are asked to limit their replies to this story to Price’s remarks and the Canadiens’ response. I don’t want to see this derail off-topic into a broad debate on your personal views about gun control.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

by | Oct 26, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 26, 2022

Recaps of Tuesday’s games including the Golden Knight’s Phil Kessel setting the league’s Ironman record and the Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury reaching a goaltending milestone, plus the latest on the Canadiens’ Carey Price and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Phil Kessel set the NHL’s Ironman record by playing his 990th consecutive game and scored his 400th career goal as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist while Adin Hill made 29 saves for the win as the Golden Knights improved their record to 6-2-0 while the Sharks drop to 2-7-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Kessel on setting a league record for consecutive games and reaching the 400-goal milestone.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves to backstop the Minnesota Wild over the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. It was Fleury’s 944th career game, moving him past Curtis Joseph into sixth place on the all-time games-played list for NHL goaltenders. Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Wild as their record improves to 2-3-1 while the Canadiens fall to 3-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Habs winger Cole Caufield tallied his fifth goal in seven games.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored twice and collected an assist as his club defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-2, handing the latter their first regulation loss of the season. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Ryan Graves each had two points for the Devils (4-3-0) while Dylan Larkin and Dominik Kubalik replied for the Red Wings (3-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils winger Ondrej Palat missed this game with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev kicked out 44 shots against his former club in a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Mikko Rantanen and Evan Rodrigues scored in the shootout as the Avs record moves up to 4-2-1. Adam Fox scored for the Rangers (3-2-2) in the third period to send the game into overtime and the shootout.

The Boston Bruins got goals from David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall and Patrice Bergeron to down the Dallas Stars 3-1. Linus Ullmark made 30 saves as the Bruins improve to 6-1-0 while the Stars fall to 4-2-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo returned to action after missing four games with a concussion.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri scored twice and added an assist while Jacob Markstrom stopped 32 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames (5-1-0) while Evgeni Malkin replied for the Penguins (4-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Penguins winger Jake Guentzel missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury while Jason Zucker is with a suspected right-hip injury suffered during their loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 24.

Jonathan Quick made 23 saves while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to improve their record to 4-4-0. The Lightning (3-4-0) got goals from Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Lightning appear to be feeling the effects of a long 2021-22 season and a shortened offseason after their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Patrick Kane tallied his first goal of the season and added an assist as the Chicago Blackhawks upset the Florida Panthers 4-2. Alex Stalock stopped 29 shots for the 4-2-0 Blackhawks. Matthew Tkachuk was one of the goal scorers for the Panthers (4-2-1).

The Seattle Kraken improved their record to 3-3-2 by downing the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Daniel Sprong had a goal and two assists while Martin Jones made 15 saves for the win. The Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin saw his record-setting, season-opening goal streak for defenseman end at five games while his club’s record drops to 4-2-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer missed this game as he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Three-point performances by Shayne Gostibehere (two goals, one assist) and Clayton Keller (three assists) powered the Arizona Coyotes (2-4-0) over the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3, dropping the latter’s record to 3-5-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine was held scoreless as he returned from injured reserve. Earlier in the day, the Jackets announced forward Justin Danforth will be sidelined for six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price revealed his battle with alcoholism pushed him to seek help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program last fall.

The 35-year-old said it was the combination of coming so close to his goal of winning the Stanley Cup in 2021, followed by knee surgery and the realization that he’s in the latter stages of his career. “I was not a happy person, I wasn’t being a good father. I was drinking a lot,” he said.

Price also admitted the pressure to perform game in and game out was not easy to handle and became a weight on his mind.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price isn’t ready to retire and continues to explore treatment for his injured knee. What’s most important is his life and health beyond the rink. He recognized he had a problem and sought treatment voluntarily. Best wishes to Price in his ongoing sobriety.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Toronto Maple Leafs placed Jake Muzzin on long-term injury reserve due to a neck injury. It provides the Leafs with an additional $5.625 million of cap relief.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We don’t know how long Muzzin will be sidelined. If he’s out for the season they could use it to bolster their roster. If he’s not, they’ll have to ensure they’re cap compliant when he returns to action.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fractured finger.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A tough break (no pun intended) for van Riemsdyk, who was off to a good start with five points in his first six games of this season.

THE ATHLETIC: The St. Louis Blues placed forward Pavel Buchnevich on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2022

by | Oct 25, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 25, 2022

Milestones reached by Alex Ovechkin, Phil Kessel, and Shane Pinto, the Canucks’ winless streak continues, the three stars of the week are revealed, Carey Price talks publicly about his future, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored what proved to be the winning goal in a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Ovechkin moves past Gordie Howe into second place on the all-time game-winning goals list with 122. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren got the win with a 38-save performance while Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood got the hook after giving up five goals on 18 shots.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Jaromir Jagr is the all-time leader in NHL game-winning goals with 135. The Capitals are 4-3-0 while the Devils drop to 3-3-0.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel tied the NHL’s Ironman record by appearing in his 989th consecutive game as his club downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1. Kessel also picked an assist on the Golden Knights’ game-opening goal. Chandler Stephenson and Michael Amadio scored in the third period to give Vegas the win.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kessel appeared to have scored his 400th career goal in this game but it was overturned as offside by a coach’s challenge. Leafs captain John Tavares briefly left the game after being struck in the leg by a shot but returned and finished the contest. The Golden Knights improved to 5-2-0 while the Leafs are 4-3-0.

Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto set a franchise rookie record during a 4-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. Pinto scored to extend his goal streak to five games while teammate Brady Tkachuk scored and collected an assist. Stars forward Denis Gurianov was a healthy scratch. The Senators’ record is now 4-2-0 while the Stars are 4-1-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators backup Magnus Hellberg made 29 saves as starter Anton Forsberg sat out this game with an undisclosed injury. Before this game, they learned center Josh Norris could be sidelined for at least two weeks with an injured shoulder.

The Vancouver Canucks’ winless streak extended to 0-5-2 as they fell 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes(4-1-1). Third-period goals by Sebastian Aho and Jesper Fast snapped a 1-1 tie while J.T. Miller scored twice for the Canucks and teammate Thatcher Demko made 36 saves.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The score flatter the Canucks as they were dominated by the Hurricanes for most of this game. They managed just 16 shots on goal while Demko was peppered by the Canes. The loss capped a lousy day for the Canucks as they learned defenseman Quinn Hughes is week-to-week with a lower-body injury while winger Brock Boeser is day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment.

Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists to rally the Edmonton Oilers from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3. Evander Kane, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers while Penguins Rickard Rakell and Jason Zucker each had two points. The Oilers improved to 3-3-0 while the Penguins are 4-1-1.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid left the game after crashing awkwardly into the Penguins’ net but would return to action.

Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves to shut out the St. Louis Blues 4-0, handing the latter their first loss of the season (3-1-0). Mark Scheifele tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal as his club improved to 3-3-0. Jets head coach Rick Bowness sat out this game as he’s still feeling the after-effects of his bout with COVID-19. 

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Oct. 23, 2022.

MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Canadiens goaltender Carey Price said he has no plans to retire despite a career-threatening knee injury that is expected to sideline him for the entirety of this season.

The 35-year-old netminder admitted it’s been an emotional roller coaster to go from the 2021 Stanley Cup Final to where he is today. He acknowledged the possibility of undergoing another surgery but knows it has a 50 percent success rate and could come with risks to his quality of life away from the game. Price is signed through 2025-26 with an average annual value of $10.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Price revealed the possibility of another surgery to The Athletic’s Arpon Basu but this is the first time he’s spoken publicly about it. He hasn’t given up hope of resuming his career but he seems fully aware that it could be a long shot.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, rookie winger Juraj Slafkovsky is considered day-to-day after undergoing tests for an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo is getting close to returning to the lineup after suffering the fifth concussion of his career during an Oct. 15th game against the Arizona Coyotes. He indicated that his vision went black in one of his eyes and he couldn’t follow the play following the hit so he went to the locker room where he was diagnosed with a concussion.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carlo is aware of the risk of accumulating concussions but insists he still feels very good from a hockey aspect. Nevertheless, he’s reached a worrying level of concern with these injuries that could become career-threatening.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers center Filip Chytil will miss the next four games with a suspected concussion.

TSN: Tyler Ennis has signed with SC Bern of the Swiss National League. The 33-year-old forward scored 144 goals and 202 assists in 700 games over 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators.