NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

by | Feb 13, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 13, 2022

Recaps of Saturday’s action, updates on Nathan MacKinnon, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl, the Canadiens acquire Andrew Hammond, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The red-hot Calgary Flames picked up their sixth straight victory by downing the New York Islanders 5-2. Adam Ruzicka had a goal and an assist while Johnny Gaudreau collected two assists. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves replacing Semyon Varlamov after the latter was placed in COVID protocol following pre-game warmups. With 58 points, the Flames sit one behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler (NHL Images)

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler scored twice and added three assists as he rallied his club from a 2-0 deficit to a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Mark Scheifele scored and collected two assists for the Jets (48 points) as they sit seven points out of a Western Conference wild-card berth. The Predators (60 points) slid one point behind the Minnesota Wild into third place in the Central Division. Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was ejected in the first period for elbowing Jets forward Evgeny Svechnikov in the face, who was forced to leave the game with an injury.

A 51- save performance by Thatcher Demko carried the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks while the Leafs Auston Matthews tallied his 32nd of the season. Defenseman Travis Hamonic returned to action for the first time since Dec. 8 for the Canucks (50 points), who sit five points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Leafs, meanwhile, remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 63 points.

The Minnesota Wild held off the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 to extend their home points streak to 12 games. Kevin Fiala tallied a goal and an assist for the Wild while Andrei Svechnikov netted both Hurricanes goals. Wild blueliner Matt Dumba returned from an upper-body injury suffered on Jan. 30. With 61 points, the Wild sit second in the Central Division while the Hurricanes (67 points) hold a one-point lead for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn collected two assists and Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, who were held to just 16 shots in this contest. The Blues hold the first Western Conference wild-card spot with 59 points.

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman picked up his first win since Jan. 2 with a 30-save shutout to blank the Ottawa Senators 2-0. The Bruins got first-period goals by Trent Frederic and Curtis Lazar. Matt Murray made 35 saves for the Senators. With 57 points, the Bruins are four behind the Washington Capitals for the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Senators forward Austin Watson faces a hearing today for interference on Bruins defenseman Jack Ahcan when he appeared to catch Ahcan in the head with a high hit.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had three assists in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Wings goalie Thomas Greiss made 32 saves in his first game since Jan. 9 as his club sits seven points behind the Bruins, who hold the final Eastern wild-card berth.

Patrik Laine’s power-play goal in the dying seconds of regulation gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A heartbreaking loss for the Canadiens, whose performance has noticeably improved under new head coach Martin St. Louis. Cole Caufield has definitely benefited from playing for St. Louis, scoring two goals in as many games after managing just one in 30 previous contests this season.

HEADLINES

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon will return to action today against the Dallas Stars after being sidelined since Jan.26 by a broken nose and concussion.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Tomas Hertl’s agent has been in contract extension talks with the Sharks, but the 28-year-old center has yet to decide if he’s staying. Hertl is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and could cost at least $7 million annually to re-sign.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As I’ve noted in the rumor mill, much could depend on how much cap space the Sharks have for next season following the outcome of Evander Kane’s grievance over his contract termination. A date for that hearing has yet to be determined.

The Sharks did get some good news as sidelined defenseman Erik Karlsson could return from surgery on his left forearm earlier than anticipated. He was expected to be re-evaluated by mid-March. However, defenseman Jaycob Megna underwent surgery to repair a displaced fracture and is likely out for four-to-six weeks.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: The Montreal Canadiens traded minor-league forward Brandon Baddock to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for goaltender Andrew Hammond.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move allows the Canadiens to send struggling young goalie Cayden Primeau back to their AHL affiliate in Laval.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden will undergo knee surgery on Monday after suffering a fall shoveling out his driveway during the All-Star weekend. He’s expected to be sidelined for some time.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2022

by | Feb 1, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 1, 2022

​Mason Marchment has a 6-point night in a big Panthers win, more changes to NHL COVID protocols, the 3 stars of the week revealed, the wild re-sign Jordan Greenway and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Mason Marchment scored two goals and set up four others in a six-point performance as his club doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-4. Teammates Anton Lundell collected five assists while Sam Reinhart tallied a hat trick and chipped in an assist. Patrik Laine scored twice for the Jackets while Elvis Merzlikins was pulled after giving up seven goals on 25 shots. The Panthers regained first place in the overall standings with 69 points.

Florida Panthers winger Mason Marchment (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets received bad news yesterday as defenseman Jake Bean is expected to be sidelined for four weeks with a groin injury. Bean already tallied career highs with four goals and 15 points this season.

Auston Matthews netted a hat trick during the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 comeback win over the New Jersey Devils. The Leafs overcame a 4-2 deficit with four unanswered third-period goals. Mitch Marner extended his goal streak to six games with a goal and two assists while Leafs goalie Jack Campbell was pulled after giving up three goals on nine shots. They remain in third place in the Atlantic Division with 59 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin missed this game with a concussion and is expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of this week. Devils coach Lindy Ruff missed this game and will miss the rematch tonight due to the recent passing of his father. My condolences to Ruff and his family.

An overtime goal by Tim Stutzle lifted the Ottawa Senators over the Edmonton Oilers 3-2. Goaltender Matt Murray picked up the win with a 37-save performance while Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot each had two points. The Oilers (47 points) sit one point behind the Calgary Flames in the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves for his first win since Dec. 30 in a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Brock Boeser tallied his 12th goal of the season as the Canucks (46 points) sit two points back of the Flames.

The Detroit Red Wings nipped the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Jordan Oesterle scored in overtime while Dylan Larkin netted his 23rd of the season. Rickard Rakell replied for the Ducks, who sit in second place in the Pacific Division with 55 points.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league and the NHL Players Association yesterday announced an update on their COVID-19 protocols. Among the notable changes is the removal of “enhanced measures” as they revert back to start-of-season protocols, removal of daily testing for fully-vaccinated individuals, removal of the requirement to test close contacts, and updated recommendations for the type of masks and steps to reduce community exposure.

Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, and Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 30.

DAILY FACEOFF: The skills competition for the upcoming 2022 NHL All-Star weekend in Las Vegas will feature events on the Las Vegas Strip and in the Belaggio Fountains.

TWINCITIES.COM: The Minnesota Wild signed winger Jordan Greenway to a three-year, $9 million contract extension. The 24-year-old winger was slated to become a restricted free agent this summer.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s a nice little pay bump for Greenway from the $2.1 million annual average value of his current deal. This also fits comfortably within the Wild’s salary-cap payroll for 2022-23. Cap Friendly indicates the Wild have $69.4 million invested in 13 players next season with Kevin Fiala, Alex Goligoski, and Kaapo Kahkonen among their notable free agents.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Penguins winger Danton Heinen is listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury.

GOPHNX.COM: Arizona Coyotes center Johan Larsson could be facing surgery for a nagging groin injury.

NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: Former Blackhawks Marian Hossa, Ed Olcyzk and Patrick Sharp will be part of the advisory committee that will select the club’s next general manager.

TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs head coach Mike Nykoluk passed away at age 87. He spent 17 seasons as a player in the AHL but briefly played for the Leafs in 1956-57. He was their head coach from 1980 to 1984. As an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers, he was part of their Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975. He was also an assistant coach with the New York Rangers before joining the Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Nykoluk’s family, friends and to the Leafs, Flyers and Rangers organizations.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2022

by | Jan 29, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 29, 2022

​The Rangers retire Henrik Lundqvist’s No. 30, the Stars retire Sergei Zubov’s No. 56, plus the latest on Evander Kane, Jonathan Toews, Nathan MacKinnon, Tuukka Rask and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The New York Rangers retired Henrik Lundqvist’s No. 30 in a pregame ceremony before dropping a 3-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild. Frederick Gaudreau tallied the game-winner as the Wild overcame a 2-0 deficit. Kevin Fiala and Mats Zuccarello each had a goal and an assist for the Wild (55 points), sitting nine points ahead of the Calgary Flames in the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Rangers were without defenseman Adam Fox, who’s been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and could miss next weekend’s NHL All-Star Game.

Henrik Lundqvist and his family watch his No. 30 being raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lundqvist becomes the 11th player in Rangers history to have his number retired. He’s their all-time leader among Blueshirts netminders in games-played (887), wins (459), shutouts (64), and save percentage (.918), and is just the fourth Rangers to win the Vezina Trophy (2012). He’s a lock for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Hall-of-Fame defenseman Sergei Zubov had his No. 56 retired by the Dallas Stars in a pregame ceremony but they went to fall 5-0 to the Washington Capitals. Vitek Vanecek had a 29-save shutout while Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and two assists as the Capitals chased former teammate Braden Holtby from the Stars net after two periods. Washington (57 points) sits four points up on the Boston Bruins in the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot while the Stars (46 points) remain behind the Flames in the Western wild-card race.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zubov spent his first four NHL seasons with the Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins before going on to spend the remaining 12 years of his career with the Stars. He played a key role in their rise as a Stanley Cup contender in the late-1990s and early-2000s, helping them win the Cup in 1999. He’s their all-time leader in goals (111), assists (438) and points (549) among defensemen.

The Colorado Avalanche picked up their ninth straight win by hanging on to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4. Gabriel Landeskog scored twice and collected an assist while Nazem Kadri had a goal and two assists for the Avs (65 points), who are 14-0-1 through January as they take over first place in the overall standings. Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel each tallied twice for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Each team was without a key player in this contest. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon suffered a facial fracture and a concussion following a hit by Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall on Wednesday and will be sidelined for the next three games before next week’s All-Star break. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews entered concussion protocol as the result of a hit from Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Veleno on Wednesday.

Speaking of the Bruins, they held on to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 2-1. David Pastrnak collected two assists, Linus Ullmark kicked out 30 shots and Charlie McAvoy scored what proved to be the winning goal in the second period. The Bruins played without goalie Tuukka Rask as he’s sidelined with a lower-body injury. With 53 points, they hold a nine-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings for the final Eastern wild-card berth.

As for the Red Wings, they got a 36-save effort from Calvin Pickard and a shootout goal by rookie Lucas Raymond to nip the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Jake Guentzel tallied both goals for the Penguins, who move atop the Metropolitan Division with 61 points.

IN OTHER NEWS…

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL executive Chris Gear analyzed how the results of the NHL’s investigation into Evander Kane could affect his grievance with the San Jose Sharks over their termination of his contract. The investigation didn’t find sufficient evidence that Kane violated COVID protocols for traveling to Canada while he was supposed to be isolating following a positive COVID test.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading the entire piece. In a nutshell, Gear expects an arbitrator could rule in Kane’s favor where he received the full remaining entitlement from his terminated contract. The Sharks could face some sort of salary-cap charge but could also get some measure of cap relief as a consequence of his signing with the Oilers. It’ll be interesting to see how this situation plays out.

WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres hope Craig Anderson or Dustin Tokarski will be ready to play tonight after goaltender Michael Houser entered COVID protocols on Friday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers sent goaltender Spencer Knight to their AHL affiliate after Jonas Johansson cleared COVID protocols. It’s not a demotion but a move to activate some players.

TSN: Tonight’s game between the Seattle Kraken and New York Islanders has been postponed due to a snowstorm in the New York area.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 28, 2022

by | Jan 28, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – January 28, 2022

The Canucks’ new management faces some big decisions by the trade deadline, updates on Carey Price and Jake DeBrusk, and the latest Red Wings speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.

CANUCKS NEW GENERAL MANAGER FACING BIG DECISIONS

SPORTSNET: Iain MacIntyre reports Patrik Allvin, the new general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, faces some big decisions over the next couple of months leading up to the March 21 trade deadline.

Teams have been calling about center J.T. Miller, who’s signed to a bargain contract running through 2022-23. The Canucks aren’t under pressure to move him now but the offers might be better for him at this year’s trade deadline compared to next year’s.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun believes the Canucks need to restock their prospect pipeline. He thinks they would listen if a club offered up three or four prospects or three or four assets. Whether they get that offer remains to be seen.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser (NHL Images).

Winger Brock Boeser is owed a $7.5 million qualifying offer after this season. If the Canucks are uncomfortable with that, do they attempt to trade him at the deadline, wait until the offseason or attempt to re-sign him for a lower annual average value?

Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak will soon trigger $1.5 million in bonus money. The Canucks will have to carry that overage into next season when he could be playing with another club. They could try to move him at the trade deadline, but he carries a no-movement clause. Winger Tyler Motte is also slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and could also draw interest from contenders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see the Canucks becoming sellers unless they fall out of playoff contention by March. They could get solid offers for Miller or Boeser at the trade deadline but they aren’t under pressure to move either guy by that point.

Moving Miller would be understandable given his age and UFA eligibility next summer but Boeser’s only 24 and considered to be part of their long-term plans. Moving him would likely be an offseason decision if they’re unable to work out a suitable contract.

They could find a team capable of absorbing Halak’s bonus clause. However, his no-movement is a serious sticking point. Still, he could waive it if a contender shows interest.

UPDATES ON PRICE AND DEBRUSK

TVA SPORTS: Kent Hughes, the new general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, acknowledged the importance of Carey Price to the organization, calling him “untouchable”. However, he needs to get more answers about the 34-year-old goaltender’s health before determining what comes next in terms of his future. The option of a contract buyout doesn’t appear to be in his plans. “I can’t answer that right now, but I don’t think so,” said Hughes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lot of suggestions about the Canadiens perhaps shopping Price at the trade deadline after Hughes was hired last week. It’s not going to happen. He carries a hefty $10.5 million annual average value through 2025-26 plus a full no-movement clause and he remains sidelined recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Buying him out would count as $10.8 million against the Canadiens cap next season, followed by three seasons of $9.08 million annually before dropping to $583K annually for the remaining four seasons of the buyout. So yeah, I also don’t think this is an option.

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports there’s no trade imminent for Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk. His inconsistent play means the Bruins won’t get top assets in return. A trade might not help him smooth out the peaks and valleys in his game.

DeBrusk’s contract is also an issue. He’s a restricted free agent this summer due for a $4.41 million qualifying offer. The Bruins are unlikely to meet that QO but that would make him an unrestricted free agent this summer. They must find a team willing to qualify DeBrusk or at least take the risk of negotiating a new contract. Otherwise, acquiring him would be like trading for a rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bruins GM Don Sweeney reportedly sought a player of equal value. Given Shinzawa’s assessment, DeBrusk could end up spending the rest of this season in Boston. Still, we shouldn’t rule out the Bruins finding a taker by the trade deadline but it’s doubtful they’ll get equal value.

LATEST ON THE RED WINGS

MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan was asked about which players the Detroit Red Wings could realistically move at the trade deadline for draft picks during a recent mailbag segment.

The Red Wings gave up a second-round draft pick for Nick Leddy. Khan doubts they can get a similar return but feels they’ll take what they can get for a player they aren’t going to re-sign. Forward Vladislav Namestnikov is having a good season and would draw interest if the Wings decide not to re-sign him. They could re-sign defenseman Marc Staal for another season for his leadership.

Khan speculated they could attempt to move Thomas Greiss but there usually isn’t a big market for goaltenders at the trade deadline. He doesn’t expect Troy Stecher, Danny DeKeyser, Sam Gagner and Carter Rowney will attract much interest.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2022

by | Jan 22, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 22, 2022

​Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo gets three points against his former club, Sidney Crosby enjoys a four-point performance and Hall-of-Famer Clark Gillies has passed away. Details and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo scored and set up two others in a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers. It was DeAngelo’s first game against his former club. Sebastian Aho also had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes (56), who move ahead of the Rangers into first place in the Metropolitan Division with four games in hand. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider each had a goal and an assist for the Blueshirts.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

Sidney Crosby tallied a hat trick and picked up an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2. Brian Dumoulin scored and picked up two assists for the Penguins, who’ve won four straight and 15 of their last 17 games. With 55 points, they’re one back of the Hurricanes and Rangers in the Metropolitan.

Shootout goals by Anton Lundell and Aleksander Barkov carried the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Spencer Knight made 27 saves for the Panthers in regulation and overtime while Spencer Martin kicked out 33 shots for the Canucks in his first NHL game since Feb. 1, 2017. With the win, the Panthers (61 points) opened a two-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the overall standings.

Speaking of the Lightning, they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Anaheim Ducks, who snapped a four-game losing skid. John Gibson turned aside 32 shots for the win while teammate Derek Grant tallied two goals. The Ducks (47 points) moved two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso stopped 27 shots to shut out the Seattle Kraken 5-0. Brandon Saad collected two assists for the Blues as they moved into second place in the Central Division with 53 points. Colton Parayko became the first defenseman in Blues history to score on a penalty shot.

The Minnesota Wild got two goals from Ryan Hartman in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Kaapo Kahkonen picked up the win with 35 saves while Blackhawks netminder Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled after giving up four goals on 13 shots. With 49 points, the Wild hold a five-point lead over the San Jose Sharks for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

An overtime goal by Roope Hintz lifted the Dallas Stars over the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Hintz, Jason Robertson and Esa Lindell each had a goal and an assist as the Stars (42 points) moved within two points of the Sharks for the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Brock Nelson scored twice and Ilya Sorokin had a 17-save shutout as the New York Islanders blanked the Arizona Coyotes 4-0.

ISLANDERS GREAT CLARK GILLIES HAS PASSED AWAY

Former New York Islanders forward Clark Gillies (NHL.com).

The Islanders last night announced Hall-of-Famer Clark Gillies had passed away at age 67. No cause of death was revealed. One of the great power forwards in NHL history, Gillies spent 12 of his 14 seasons with the Islanders, helping them win four straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. He also spent three seasons as Isles captain from 1976-77 to 1978-79 and played his final two NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring in 1988.

A six-time 30-plus goal scorer, Gillies finished with 319 goals and 697 points in 958 regular-season games and 47 goals and 94 points in 164 playoff games. The Islanders retired Gillies’ No. 9 in 1996 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gillies was a core part of the Islanders dynasty who led by example and was beloved by teammates and fans. At 6’3” and 215 pounds, he was one of the largest players of his era. Affectionately nicknamed “Jethro” after the Beverly Hillbillies character, Gilles was also one of the toughest players of his era though he never had more than 100 penalty minutes in a season. My condolences to Gillies’ family, friends, former teammates and the Islanders organization.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE PHILADEPHIA INQUIRER: Flyers forward Joel Farabee (upper body) was placed on injured reserve yesterday. He’s expected to be sidelined for four weeks.

TSN: Former Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader signed a professional tryout contract with the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He spent last season playing for EV Zug in Switzerland.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2022

by | Jan 18, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 18, 2022

​A record night for Timo Meier, the Blues retire Chris Pronger’s number, an update on Carey Price, the stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier set a personal and franchise record with a five-goal performance in a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Tomas Hertl collected four assists and Erik Karlsson had three as the Sharks (44 points) opened a four-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

San Jose Sharks winger Timo Meier (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Meier is the fifth player in the past 25 years to score five goals in a game, joining Mika Zibanejad (2020), Patrik Laine (2018), Johan Franzen (2011) and Marian Gaborik (2007). The last player to tally six goals was Hall-of-Famer Darryl Sittler in 1976.

The Colorado Avalanche extended their home winning streak to 14 games by downing the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on a shootout goal by Mikko Rantanen. Pavel Francouz made 25 saves for the Avalanche after Darcy Kuemper left the game midway through the second period with a head injury following a collision with Wild winger Jordan Greenway. Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon each had a goal and an assist in regulation. Kirill Kaprizov tallied twice for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche moved into first overall in the Western Conference with 53 points. With 47 points, the Wild holds the first wild-card spot.

Jason Zucker scored twice and Jake Guentzel tallied as the game-winner as the Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a 3-0 deficit to down the Vegas Golden Knights 5-3, handing the latter their fifth loss in their last six games. Jeff Carter and Kasperi Kapanen each collected two assists as the Penguins have won 13 of their last 15 contests to move into third place in the Metropolitan Division with 51 points. The Golden Knights (48 points) sit in first place in the Pacific Division with a three-point lead over the Kings.

The St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on the night they retired former captain Chris Pronger’s No. 44. Brayden Schenn and Ivan Barbashev each scored two goals and collected two assists while Ryan O’Reilly had a three-point performance. Both clubs have 51 points but the Blues moved ahead of the Predators into second place in the Western Conference standings with a game in hand.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pronger spent nine of his 18 NHL seasons with the Blues, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy and James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1999-2000. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 and was named as one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history in 2017.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, handing the latter their eighth straight defeat. Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist for the Isles, who’ve won five of their last seven contests.

Dylan Larkin scored twice, including the winner in overtime, to lead the Detroit Red Wings over the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist for the Sabres.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a nine-game losing skid by dropping the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on shootout goals by Ryan Donato and Joonas Donskoi. Blackhawks goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 35 saves.

A three-point performance by Nick Schmaltz gave the Arizona Coyotes a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, giving the latter their sixth straight loss. The sad-sack Canadiens are dead last in the overall standings with seven wins and 19 points in 37 games.

HEADLINES

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Speaking of the Canadiens, they announced goaltender Carey Price will have to restart rehabilitation on his surgically repaired knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in the offseason but the week-long break due to COVID-19 earlier this month that closed the club’s practice facility put him back at square one in his rehab. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll be very surprised if Price returns to action before the end of this season. His rehab was also delayed by a month earlier in this campaign after spending four weeks in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

This should also put the kibosh on that silly speculation suggesting teams in need of a proven starting goalie (hi, there, Edmonton Oilers!) would try to acquire Price before the trade deadline. His hefty contract and full no-movement clause made moving him almost impossible. The uncertain deadline for his return should kill off that slim chance.

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 16, 2022.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yes, that will mollify critics who believe Marchand got screwed by being passed over for the 2022 All-Star Game (end sarcasm mode).

TSN: Ottawa Senators forward Connor Brown will be sidelined at least three weeks with a broken jaw.

SPORTSNET: Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and Detroit Red Wings goaltender Thomas Greiss are among the latest players to enter the NHL’s COVID protocol.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Seattle Kraken claimed Karson Kuhlman off waivers from the Bruins.