NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 23, 2023

by | Sep 23, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 23, 2023

The Coyotes defeat the Kings in the first game of the Global Series in Australia, the Halifax Mooseheads retire Nathan MacKinnon’s number, plus the latest on Elias Pettersson, Alex DeBrincat and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: A highlight-reel goal by Logan Cooley proved to be the game-winner as the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-3 in the first game of the NHL’s preseason Global Series at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first NHL game ever played in the Southern Hemisphere. The Coyotes and Kings will face off again in the second game in Melbourne on Sunday. Click the above link to see Cooley’s spinarama goal. I realize it’s only preseason play but it was still an impressive display of skill by the young center.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon had his No. 22 retired by the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday prior to their home opener against the Charlottetown Islanders. The Halifax native played two seasons for the QMJHL club, leading them to the Memorial Cup in 2013 before being chosen first overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fitting tribute to one of the greatest players in Nova Scotia hockey history. The Mooseheads, meanwhile, dropped a 3-1 decision to the Islanders.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson isn’t concerned about his contract situation as he focuses on the upcoming season. He felt it would be the media that would turn it into a distraction but not for him. “I’m happy now but I just want to focus on the season.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson, 24, is slated to become a restricted free agent next July with arbitration rights. He and the Canucks have plenty of time to work out an agreement. They’re under no risk of losing him to free agency.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat is looking forward to regaining his 40-goal form with his new club. Coming off a 41-goal performance in 2021-22 with the Chicago Blackhawks, his production dropped to 27 goals last season with the Ottawa Senators. “I think last year I gave up a lot of chances, maybe got lazy on it or whatever it may be, hit a post, stuff like that.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Traded to the Red Wings by the Senators in July, DeBrincat quickly signed a four-year contract with them. Perhaps playing for his hometown club will help him rediscover his scoring touch.

TSN: Evgeny Kuznetsov remains with the Washington Capitals despite offseason trade rumors that dogged the 31-year-old center. The talented but inconsistent Kuznetsov claims he’s happy to be staying in Washington and hopes for a bounce-back season under new head coach Spencer Carbery.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A productive Kuznetsov will be crucial to the Capitals’ playoff hopes this season. It was rumored he requested a trade toward the end of last season. There was also talk that the Capitals let other clubs know that he was available but they either got no takers or any suitable offers. His $7.8 million cap hit through 2024-25 would’ve likely been a deal breaker given Kuznetsov’s erratic play last season.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed practice yesterday due to neck spasms and isn’t expected to return today. His condition is not considered a long-term issue.

CBS SPORTS: Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe is listed as day-to-day with muscle tightness. He’s not expected to be sidelined for long.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils head coach Lindy Ruff exercised his option year for the coming season. He and general manager Tom Fitzgerald are currently working on an extension.

OTTAWA SUN: Hours after taking over as the new owner of the Senators, Michael Andlauer brought back team founder Cyril Leeder as chief executive offers and president. Those are the same roles he previously held with the club until he was fired by former owner Eugene Melnyk in 2017.

Andlauer is also expected to find a role within the organization for former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson.

DAILY FACEOFF: The New York Rangers signed defenseman Adam Clendening to a professional tryout offer.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Long-time Canadiens team doctor David Mulder is retiring after 60 years. Dr. Dan Deckelbaum will be the new head physician, with Dr. Mulder receiving emeritus status, allowing him to continue in an advisory role.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2023

by | May 18, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2023

The fallout from the Coyotes’ failed arena bid, Eastern Conference Finals starts Thursday, plus the latest on Lindy Ruff, Ken Holland, Mike Sullivan and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE COYOTES?

ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes will play in Mullett Arena for 2023-24 amid uncertainty over the club’s future in Arizona after their bid to construct a new arena in Tempe was rejected in a public referendum.

Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez released a statement to season-ticket holders indicating the franchise has “started re-engaging with local officials and sites for solidify a new permanent home in Valley.”

GOPHNX.COM: Craig Morgan examined possible “Plan B” options for the Coyotes.

Arizona Coyotes (NHL.com).

One would be partnering with the Phoenix Suns and moving back to their old arena, now called Footprint Center. However, they would be a tenant in someone else’s building leaving them with the same revenue issues that forced them to leave in 2003. He doesn’t see them building a new downtown venue and thinks it’s a stretch that Suns owner Mat Ishbia would purchase the Coyotes.

Mesa is another possibility though that would also require a public vote of approval. Reservation lands is an option but could be complicated given the state’s gaming laws plus they wouldn’t own the land. Morgan does not see the Coyotes returning to Glendale.

Morgan believes it would take a while to facilitate one of those options and time is not on the Coyotes’ side. He pointed out that the NHL Board of Governors isn’t happy with the club’s current arena arrangement and its effect on hockey-related revenue while the NHL Players Association is unhappy over the players competing and training in substandard facilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Coyotes’ time in Arizona appears to be running out. Unless a suitable local arena option can be found quickly they’ll have no choice but to relocate within the next couple of years.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Kennedy wonders if Salt Lake City might be a destination for the Coyotes. It’s been a minor-league hockey town for decades.

Ryan Smith, the owner of the NBA’s Salt Lake City Jazz, recently said he’d met with Bettman about the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise to his city. The Coyotes could play in Vivint Arena, home of the Jazz.

SPORTSNET: Salt Lake City topped Paul D. Grant’s list of five potential destinations for the Coyotes. Houston, Sacramento, Kansas City and Oklahoma City are also on the list. He considers Quebec City to be a pipe dream.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary included Milwaukee, Atlanta and Toronto on his list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The best hockey market would be Quebec City with its 18,000-seat state-of-the-art arena and a strong hockey fan base. However, it would also be the NHL’s second-smallest market and that’s not enticing to league commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s board of governors.

The only reason the NHL returned to Winnipeg (the league’s smallest market) is that there was no local buyer to take on the financially ailing Atlanta Thrashers and no other potential owners in larger markets willing to purchase the club at the time. True North Sports & Entertainment had quietly lobbied for an NHL franchise for several years. They were in the right place at the right time.

That’s not the case now. The success of expansion franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle could draw bids from potential owners in several of the American-based cities listed above if the Coyotes have to relocate.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers starts tonight in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

TSN: New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed Lindy Ruff will return as the club’s head coach next season. Ruff is in the final season of his current contract but he’s already in the midst of negotiating a new deal with the Devils.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he intends to honor the final season of his contract. “I’m enjoying the challenge, I have a year to go and I have unfinished business,” said Holland, who dismissed conjecture suggesting that he might hand over the GM reins to assistant GM Steve Staios. “I’m not sure where all the speculation comes from,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sometimes it comes from well-connected insiders within the media. Sometimes it comes from pundits musing out loud (“I wonder if…”). And sometimes it comes from questionable sources.

NEW YORK POST: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed he’s not a candidate for the Rangers’ vacant coaching job. “I am under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, here for the long haul,” he said in a phone interview with Mollie Walker.

THE SCORE: Speaking of the Penguins, the Calgary Flames rejected their request for permission to speak to former Flames GM Brad Treliving, who stepped down from the role last month. Treliving remains under contract with the Flames until the end of June.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm said that he played with a fractured foot during the playoffs as well as the final few weeks of the regular season. It’s why he declined an invitation to join Sweden in the IIHF World Championships.

DAILY FACEOFF: Andrew Brunette, Spencer Carbery and Mike Velluci are among the candidates for the Anaheim Ducks’ coaching gig.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals are also believed interest in Carbery, an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL defenseman Ron Hainsey has been promoted to NHLPA assistant executive director. Hainsey was part of the search for the group’s appointment of Marty Walsh as their new executive director.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

by | May 1, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 1, 2023

The Panthers upset the Bruins and the Kraken stun the Avalanche to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Details and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers shocked the hockey world by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-3 to win Game 7 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Carter Verhaeghe tallied the winning goal in overtime, Brandon Montour scored twice and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 33 shots as the Panthers advanced to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round with Game 1 starting Tuesday night in Toronto. David Krejci had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who had won the Presidents’ Trophy with a record-setting 65 wins and 135 points in the regular season.

Florida Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to Sportsnet, the 43-point difference between the first-overall Bruins and the Panthers in the regular-season standings marks the biggest upset in Stanley Cup Playoffs history in a best-of-seven format.

The Bruins appeared to have this series locked up after taking a 3-1 lead in games. The Panthers, however, never gave up.

Switching to Bobrovsky following Game 4 helped to change the course of the series. “Bob” doesn’t have the best career playoff record but he was the goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 so he’s had some experience facing a heavily-favored Presidents’ Trophy winner.

This was a team effort by the Panthers but Montour and Matthew Tkachuk stood out for me in this series. Their timely production made the difference in this series as the Bruins struggled to contain them.

Tkachuk called this a legacy win for the Panthers. It’s certainly something to build on after struggling to reach the playoffs following a franchise-best regular season performance in 2021-22.

The Bruins, meanwhile, were in shock over the reversal of fortune in this series. Despite a stacked roster coming off a record-setting season, they failed to close the deal and seemed helpless to halt the change of momentum in the series.

This may have been the final NHL season for centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Bergeron skated with a herniated disc in his back suffered during the end of the regular season which caused him to miss the first four games of this series. He said he’ll take some time before deciding whether he’ll return next season.

Krejci, meanwhile, missed three games in this series with an upper-body injury. He skated last season in Czechia and could return there for good following this season.

Speaking of stunning upsets, there will be a new Stanley Cup champion this year after the Seattle Kraken beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in Game 7 of their first-round series. Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves as the Kraken picked up their first playoff series win in franchise history. Mikko Rantanen replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a major upset as most observers (including myself) gave the Kraken little chance of beating the Avalanche. Their hard work paid off with a well-earned series victory. They pulled it off with a steady defensive system, solid goaltending by Grubauer, and spreading their scoring throughout their lineup.

Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen stepped up and did everything they could to carry their team over the finish line in this series. However, top defenseman Cale Makar appeared hampered by injury while other Avs struggled with consistency and possible injuries of their own.

Like the Panthers, the Kraken will have little time to savor this victory. They face off against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their second-round series on Tuesday in Dallas.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The league released its schedule for Games 1 and 2 of the second round. As previously mentioned, the series between the Leafs and Panthers as well as the Kraken and Stars begin on Tuesday, May 2. The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights will square off starting on Wednesday, May 3 as will the Carolina Hurricanes and the winner of the New Jersey Devils/New York Rangers series.

NEW YORK POST: Speaking of the Devils-Rangers series, New Jersey head coach Lindy Ruff won’t reveal whether it’ll be Akira Schmid or Vitek Vanecek starting in goal for tonight’s series-deciding Game 7. Schmid took over from Vanecek after Game 2 and won three straight but was lit up in a 5-2 loss in Game 6.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed Rick Bowness will return as head coach next season. Bowness’ scathing remarks about his players’ performance following their first-round elimination by the Golden Knights prompted speculation about his future.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowness’ status is no longer a topic of conjecture but that won’t allay rumors of potential lineup changes this summer.

LA KINGS INSIDER: Kings captain Anze Kopitar hopes to spend the remainder of his NHL career with Los Angeles. He will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Kings general manager Rob Blake is quite keen to discuss a contract extension for Kopitar.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins recently signed forward Alex Nylander to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $775K.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2022

by | Nov 27, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 27, 2022

The Devils’ Lindy Ruff reaches a coaching milestone, the Leafs’ Mitch Marner and the Stars’ Jason Robertson maintain their points streaks, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff picked up his 800th career NHL win as his club defeated the Washington Capitals 5-1. Jack Hughes tallied his first career hat trick and Vitek Vanecek made 37 saves as the Devils (18-4-3) move into a tie for first place in the overall standings with the Boston Bruins. John Carlson replied for the Capitals as they fall to 9-11-3.

New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ruff is the fifth NHL coach to reach the 800-win milestone. He’s also the leader in wins among active coaches. As for the overall standings, the Bruins hold a game in hand over the Devils. It will be interesting to see if these two clubs can maintain their strong performance through the first quarter over the remainder of the schedule.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner extended his points streak to 16 games with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Auston Matthews had a goal and two assists while William Nylander had a goal and an assist as the Leafs (13-5-5) are 6-0-2 in their last eight games. Rickard Rakell tallied for the 11-8-3 Penguins.

A 41-save performance by Alexandar Georgiev carried the Colorado Avalanche over the Dallas Stars by a score of 4-1. Josh Manson had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (12-6-1). Dallas winger Jason Robertson collected an assist on Joe Pavelski’s goal to extend his points streak to 15 games but his Stars fall to 12-6-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Avalanche announced winger Evan Rodrigues will be sidelined for two-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser stretched his points streak to nine games with a goal in a 5-1 upset of the Vegas Golden Knights. J.T. Miller had a goal and two assists while Spencer Martin stopped 26 shots as the Canucks improved to 8-10-3. Jonathan Marchessault replied for the 16-6-1 Golden Knights, who hold a five-point lead over the Stars for first place in the Western Conference with 33 points.

The Edmonton Oilers got four unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the New York Rangers 4-3. Evan Bouchard scored twice, Dylan Holloway scored his first career NHL goal and Leon Draisaitl tallied the winning goal as the Oilers rise to 11-10-0. Ryan Lindgren collected two assists for the 10-8-4 Rangers.

Speaking of comebacks, the St. Louis Blues also scored four unanswered goals in a 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Jordan Kyrou tallied twice, including the winner in overtime, as the Blues improved to 11-10-0. Sam Reinhart had two assists for the Panthers (10-8-3), who were playing without captain Aleksander Barkov as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-related illness.

The New York Islanders also staged a four-goal rally as they dumped the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Zach Parise scored twice, Ryan Pulock collected four assists and Semyon Varlamov stopped 26 shots for the 15-8-0 Islanders. Lukas Sedlak and Joel Farabee scored for the Flyers (7-10-5) as their winless skid extends to 10 games.

A third-period goal by Brett Pesce lifted the Carolina Hurricanes (11-6-5) to a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames, ending their winless skid at five games. Dan Vladar made 30 saves for the 9-9-3 Flames but they’ve dropped three straight games. Flames defenseman Michael Stone returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a non-disclosed injury.

HEADLINES

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck wants a rule change for an immediate stoppage of play when a netminder’s mask is knocked off or comes off during play. Hellebuyck lost his mask during a collision in Friday’s game against the Dallas Stars and was lying prone and shaken up on the ice with no stoppage of play, enabling the Star to score an empty-net goal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The NHL situation rule allowed the Stars’ goal to stand. Hellebuyck was able to resume playing but he and teammate (and NHLPA representative) Adam Lowry would like clarity on this issue. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek suggest this could lead to a new directive from the league.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. No word as to the seriousness of his undisclosed injury but he will be sidelined for at least a week.

THE ATHLETIC’S Michael Russo tweeted the Wild have recalled goaltender Zane McIntyre as a precautionary measure after one of their goalies had an issue at practice on Saturday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Netminder Filip Gustavsson apparently left practice early.

CBS SPORTS: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Rudolfs Balcers is expected to miss the club’s upcoming three-game road trip with an upper-body injury.










NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

by | Oct 18, 2022

NHL Rumor Mill – October 18, 2022

​Why the time is now for the Coyotes to trade Jakob Chychrun, how a rising salary cap could make it easier for the Blackhawks to move Seth Jones and a look at which coaches are on the hot seat to start this season in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE TIME IS NOW TO MOVE CHYCHRUN

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau believes the Arizona Coyotes must move Jakob Chychrun now while his trade value remains high. He suggests the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild as three potential destinations for the 24-year-old blueliner given their early-season defensive struggles.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).

The Senators can draw upon their young players and/or their stockpile of prospects and draft picks as trade bait. They also have almost enough cap space ($4.1 million) to take on Chychrun’s $4.6 million annual salary-cap hit. The Sens are holding firm to what they’re willing to part with but Proteau suggests that might change if the losses start piling up.

Chychrun’s size and hockey smarts could improve the Oilers’ blueline depth and lessen the pressure on their other defensemen. Proteau also wondered if Wild general manager Bill Guerin might step up to meet the Coyotes’ asking price though they’re in the middle of a salary-cap crunch. He’s got Matt Dumba eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.

Proteau cautions that teams interested in Chychrun could turn to more affordable options later in the season if the Coyotes don’t lower their asking price. One of them could be the Anaheim Ducks’ John Klingberg as a playoff rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have been linked to Chychrun since July. Proteau cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting over the weekend that there currently isn’t a path for a deal but that could change once Chychrun returns from his wrist injury.

The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman also suggested the Oilers could use a defenseman like Chychrun after watching their defense get picked apart by the Calgary Flames over the weekend. He believes adding a top blueliner needs to be GM Ken Holland’s priority before the trade deadline.

As for the Wild, their defense hasn’t been good but the goaltending of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson has been brutal. Guerin might consider that to be a more pressing issue if things don’t improve soon.

As always, the two big stumbling blocks in a Chychrun trade are the Coyotes’ asking price and the rearguard’s injury history. Salary cap space is also an issue for some of the teams (like the Oilers and Wild) linked to him. Until one of those hurdles is overcome I don’t see Chychrun getting traded anytime soon.

COULD A RISING SALARY CAP MAKE SETH JONES’ CONTRACT EASIER TO MOVE?

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: With the NHL salary cap projected to rise to $92 million by 2025-26, Ben Pope suggests it could make Seth Jones’ contract easier for the rebuilding Blackhawks to build around or trade by 2025. The 28-year-old defenseman is in the first season of an eight-year deal with an average annual value of $9.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That will depend on whether Jones is still playing at a level of performance that would entice other teams enough to take on his full cap hit. He would also have to be willing to waive his full no-movement clause. In the meantime, Jones isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

COACHES ON THE HOT SEAT

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille believes the New Jersey Devils’ Lindy Ruff and the Anaheim Ducks’ Dallas Eakins could find themselves on the hot seat if their clubs haven’t improved in the coming weeks.

The Ducks picked up Eakins’ option year for this season but nothing beyond that. They’ve added some decent veterans (Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome, John Klingberg) and have some promising young talent in Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish. However, this is a rebuilding club expected to be bad again this season and that could make it tough for Eakins to maintain his job.

Ruff was booed when he was introduced during the Devils’ home opener on Saturday, which they lost 5-2. Gentille cites bad goaltending and some questionable lineup decisions behind the Devils’ woes. He also noted former Florida Panthers bench boss Andrew Brunette was hired this summer as Ruff’s assistant.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: No rumors yet suggesting Eakins or Ruff (or any other NHL head coach) could soon lose their jobs. Nevertheless, this is something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Those two could certainly feel the heat if things don’t improve.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2022

by | May 6, 2022

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2022

The Avalanche take a 2-0 series lead over the Predators while the Panthers, Rangers and Stars even their respective series at a game apiece. Check out the details and other news in the NHL morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Cale Makar lifted the Colorado Avalanche over the Nashville Predators 2-1 to give them a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven opening-round series. Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for the Avalanche while Yakov Trenin replied for Nashville. Predators goalie Connor Ingram made 49 saves.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If not for Ingram this could’ve been another blowout loss for the Predators. They must get their offense going as the series shifts to Nashville for Games 3 and 4 or risk getting swept by the powerful Avalanche.

The Florida Panthers evened their first-round series with the Washington Capitals at a game apiece with a 5-1 victory. They got three unanswered second-period goals by Mason Marchment, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe while Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves for the win. Capitals netminder Vitek Vanecek got the hook after giving up five goals on 19 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The suffocating defense that worked so well for the Capitals in Game 1 vanished in this contest. They also missed rugged winger Tom Wilson as he was sidelined by a lower-body injury. All five Panthers’ goals came at even strength. This series shifts to Washington for the next two games.

New York Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and two assists to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2, squaring their opening-round series at one game apiece. Igor Shesterkin kicked out 39 shots for the win. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist for the Penguins as this series heads to Pittsburgh for the next two contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Penguins need more from their secondary scorers. Almost all their goals in this series have come from the Crosby line. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin missed Game 2 with a lower-body injury. Rangers winger Barclay Goodrow and defenseman Ryan Lindgren were also sidelined by injuries. Goodrow (lower body) is listed as week-to-week.

The Dallas Stars got a 29-save shutout from Jake Oettinger to blank the Calgary Flames 2-0, tying their first-round series 1-1. Joe Pavelski and Michael Raffl were the goal scorers. Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A big win for the Stars thanks to young Oettinger’s goaltending. He’s tied with Markstrom for the best goals-against average (0.50) thus far among postseason netminders.

HEADLINES

TSN: Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand was fined $5,000.00 for slashing Carolina Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in Game 2 of the first-round series on Wednesday. Marchand’s teammate Derek Forbort also received a $5,000.00 fine for high-sticking Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Bruins, defenseman Hampus Lindholm has been ruled out of Game 3 on Friday. The club also confirmed Jeremy Swayman will get the start in that game.

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Speaking of the Hurricanes, goaltender Antti Raanta skated with his teammates today but his status for Game 3 is uncertain. He left Game 2 after being shaken up in a collision with Bruins winger David Pastrnak.

THE SCORE: Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour believes the Bruins are deliberately targeting his goaltenders. “It can’t get any more obvious,” he told reporters following Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: NHL headquarters could issue a warning to both clubs about running goalies. Brind’Amour could also get a call about his comments.

NHL.COM: Center Shane Wright of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs is the No. 1 prospect among North American skaters according to NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of this year’s top prospects. Left winger Jural Slafkovsky of TPS in Finland is the top European skater.

NORTHJERSEY.COM: The New Jersey Devils confirmed Lindy Ruff will return next season as head coach. The announcement comes a day after they announced they were parting ways with assistant coaches Mark Recchi and Alain Nasreddine.

PHILLY.COM: The Flyers have added Sami Kapanen and Kyle Shero to their scouting department.