NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2025

by | Nov 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 18, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Canucks in a high-scoring contest, another goal milestone is in reach for Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers blew a 5-2 lead, but recovered to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 8-5. Seth Jones scored two power-play goals, Sam Reinhart had three assists, and Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games for the 10-8-1 Panthers, who’ve won three of their last four games. Center Elias Pettersson tallied twice, and captain Quinn Hughes collected three assists as the Canucks dropped to 9-10-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky collected his 438th career regular-season NHL win, passing Jacques Plante for ninth on the all-time wins list. Bobrovsky is eight wins away from Terry Sawchuk for eighth place. He’s also within range of Curtis Joseph (454 wins) and Henrik Lundqvist (459).

Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen missed this game with a lower-body injury.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Charlie Lindgren stopped 30 shots and Matt Roy netted his first goal of the season for the 9-8-2 Capitals. Anze Kopitar replied for the 10-6-4 Kings as their four-game win streak ended, dropping them into second place in the Pacific Division with 24 points

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin’s goal was his 903rd career regular-season tally and was his 150th game-winning goal (regular-season and playoffs combined), putting him one back of Jaromir Jagr’s record of 151.

Earlier in the day, the Kings announced that defenseman Drew Doughty is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

The Anaheim Ducks regained first place in the Pacific Division (25 points) with a 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth. Olen Zellweger scored the winning goal after teammate Troy Terry tied the game with five seconds left in the third period for the 12-6-1 Ducks, snapping their three-game losing skid. Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley scored for the Mammoth (10-7-2), who have two wins in their last nine games (2-5-2).

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 29 saves to backstop his club to a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who are 6-1-1 in their last eight games and improved to 13-5-1. Riley Tufte scored his first of the season for the 12-9-0 Bruins, who remain in first place in the Atlantic Division with 24 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins placed center John Beecher on waivers. A first-round pick (30th overall) in 2019, the 24-year-old Beecher has struggled since his promising 2023-24 rookie campaign. He could prove enticing to clubs seeking depth at center.

The Columbus Blue Jackets (10-7-2) blew a 3-1 lead but managed to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on a shootout goal on a shootout goal by Kirill Marchenko, who extended his points streak to 12 games by collecting two assists in regulation. Lane Hutson scored the tying goal and picked up an assist for the Canadiens (10-6-3), who have dropped six of their last seven games (1-3-3).

Buffalo Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund had his first NHL multipoint game with two goals in a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Colten Ellis kicked out 32 shots and Rasmus Dahlin picked up two assists for the 7-8-4 Sabres. Jack Roslovic scored to extend his point streak to five games as the Oilers slipped to 9-8-4.

HEADLINE

NHL.COM: Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, and Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes are the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 16, 2025.

TSN/DAILY FACEOFF/SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews has not resumed skating since being sidelined by a lower-body injury on Nov. 11. The Maple Leafs also placed sidelined defenseman Chris Tanev on long-term injury reserve, and placed center Nicolas Roy (upper body) and defenseman Brandon Carlo (lower body) on injured reserve.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators captain Brady Tkachuk could return from an injured thumb during the club’s upcoming seven-game Western road trip. They also reacquired defenseman Dennis Gilbert from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for blueliner Maxence Guenette.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars placed center Matt Duchene (undisclosed) and forward Adam Erne (lower body) on LTIR.

CBS SPORTS: Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno (hand) was moved to injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: Former Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is remaining with the club as an advisor to team owner Scott Malkin.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 17, 2025

by | Nov 17, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 17, 2025

Check out the latest on the Maple Leafs and Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau noted the recent report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicating the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t willing to trade their core players.

He also believes they won’t part with defensemen Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and forwards Nicolas Roy, Scott Laughton, and Steven Lorentz. “They all possess the combination of skill and snot that coach Craig Berube is looking for.”

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).

Proteau can see the Maple Leafs attempting to peddle defenseman Morgan Rielly, even if he controls his exit with his full no-movement clause. “Would Toronto move Rielly to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Erik Karlsson? Or what about a Rielly to the New Jersey Devils swap in exchange for Dougie Hamilton?” Proteau asked, suggesting those moves could be sold to Rielly as going to a playoff contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Assuming Rielly would waive his NMC, it would take Karlsson to waive his, or for the Maple Leafs to be on Hamilton’s 10-team trade list. That’s assuming the Penguins or Devils would be interested in Rielly in the first place.

Max Domi could be a trade candidate. The 30-year-old forward has a 13-team no-trade list. Defenseman Brandon Carlo has an eight-team no-trade list.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yes, Domi or Carlo could be trade candidates, but they likely won’t fetch returns that help the Leafs.

The Leafs have a glut of forwards to draw on for trade bait. They include Calle Jarnkrok, Nick Robertson, Bobby McMann, and Dakota Joshua. Proteau noted that Robertson is on a hot streak, but it may be time to sell high on him as an asset.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Robertson’s been touted as a decent trade chip before, but it doesn’t appear as though anyone’s knocking down the door trying to get him. During the summer, the Columbus Blue Jackets reportedly rejected a swap of Robertson for Yegor Chinakhov.

McMann might have some value. He had a 20-goal performance last season.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports that an injury to Thomas Chabot and the departure of Donovan Sebrango have left the Senators shorthanded on the left side of their blueline. It’s forced general manager Steve Staios to scour the trade market for depth on defense.

The Senators aren’t seeking someone who can skate in their top six. At this point, they’d be happy to land a left-shot blueliner to help their AHL affiliate in Belleville, and be available for call-up should more injuries strike.

Garrioch suggested Ville Heinola of the Winnipeg Jets. He’s skating with the Jets’ AHL affiliate and has indicated he wouldn’t mind a fresh start.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

by | Nov 14, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 14, 2025

Panthers winger Brad Marchand nets his 1000th point, the Senators re-sign Shane Pinto, Scott Wedgewood signs an extension with the Avalanche, remembering hockey pundit Larry Brooks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand collected two assists, including his 1,000th career NHL regular-season point, in a 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, and Eetu Luostarinen each had three points, and Danill Tarasov made 37 saves for the 9-7-1 Panthers. Rasmus Sandin had a goal and an assist for the struggling Capitals (8-8-1), who have two wins in their nine games.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchand is off to a sizzling start to this season. The 37-year-old winger leads the Panthers with 11 goals and 20 points in 16 games.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals and an assist from Tim Stutzle to defeat the Boston Bruins 5-3, snapping the latter’s seven-game win streak. Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and an assist for the Senators (9-5-4), who’ve won three of their last four contests. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and an assist for the 11-8-0 Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Senators announced Shane Pinto had agreed to a four-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7.5 million. The 25-year-old center was slated to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next July. This contract doubles Pinto’s AAV and will enable him to become eligible for unrestricted free agent status at age 29.

Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas scored twice and collected two assists to lead his club over the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. Nathan MacKinnon collected an assist to extend his points streak to 11 games as the Avalanche (12-1-5) holds first place in the overall standings with 29 points. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist as the 5-8-4 Sabres are winless in their last five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche announced that Scott Wedgewood agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $2.5 million. The 33-year-old backup goalie played well as he filled in for sidelined starter Mackenzie Blackwood, leading the league with 10 wins in 14 contests.

Before this game, the Avalanche activated defenseman Samuel Girard off injured reserve. He’d been sidelined for the past 15 games.

The Dallas Stars thumped the Montreal Canadiens 7-0. Jason Robertson scored two goals and picked up an assist, Radek Faksa collected three assists, and Casey DeSmith stopped 24 shots for the shutout as the Stars (11-4-3) picked up their third straight win. Jakub Dobes got the hook after giving up five goals on 13 shots for the 10-5-2 Canadiens, who have one win in their last five games (1-2-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the second straight lopsided loss for the Canadiens against a bigger, more experienced Western Conference team. They still hold first place in the Atlantic Division over the Senators and Bruins based on games played, but this promising club has more work to do to compete against Stanley Cup contenders such as the Stars. In the meantime, they could be without forward Alex Newhook for a while. He left this game in the second period when he injured his right leg after he was sent crashing into the end boards.

An overtime goal by Quinton Byfield lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Byfield and Drew Doughty each finished with two points for the 9-5-4 Kings, who’ve won three straight games. John Tavares scored two goals and Dennis Hildeby turned aside 33 shots for the Leafs (8-8-2), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs played without captain Auston Matthews and goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Matthews will be sidelined for at least a week with a lower-body injury, while Stolarz is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Leafs placed center David Kampf on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

Kings captain Anze Kopitar was held scoreless in his last regular-season game in Toronto. He has never scored against the Leafs on their home ice.

Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat had two goals and an assist to beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. Patrick Kane collected two assists to reach the 1,350-point milestone as the Red Wings (10-7-0) snapped a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Leo Carlsson’s point streak ended at 11 games as the 11-5-2 Ducks (23 points) have lost two straight games, holding a one-point lead over the Kings for first place in the Pacific Division.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings goaltender John Gibson left this game after the second period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Ducks activated Ryan Strome from injured reserve for this game. It was his season debut after suffering an upper-body injury during training camp.

Columbus Blue Jackets forwards Mathieu Olivier and Charlie Coyle each had three points to nip the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 5-4. Winger Kirill Marchenko picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 10 games as the Blue Jackets picked up their second straight win and improved to 9-7-1. Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and Connor McDavid had two assists for the Oilers, who slipped to 8-7-4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner did not play in this game. He’s out with an upper-body injury and could be sidelined for a while. “It’s not short-term,” coach Dean Evason said.

The Seattle Kraken got two goals from Jordan Eberle as they rallied to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. Vince Dunn had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 8-4-5. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist for the 10-7-0 Jets, who’ve lost four of their last five contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko left this game in the first period with an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Jets activated defenseman Dylan Samberg off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined for six weeks.

A shorthanded overtime goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau gave the New York Islanders a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer had a goal and an assist as the Islanders (9-6-2) picked up their third straight victory. Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl, and Reilly Smith replied for the 7-4-5 Golden Knights, who are winless in their last four (0-2-2).

The Calgary Flames got a 16-save shutout from goaltender Dustin Wolf to blank the San Jose Sharks 2-0. Blake Coleman and Samuel Honzek were the goal scorers for the 5-12-2 Flames as they ended a three-game losing streak. Yaroslav Askarov gave up one goal on 34 shots for the 8-7-3 Sharks as their four-game win streak ended.

HEADLINES

NEW YORK POST: Long-time hockey pundit Larry Brooks passed away on Thursday at age 75 following a brief bout with cancer.

Brooks spent 38 years with the Post, covering the Rangers, Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. In 2018, he received the Elmer Ferguson Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements in covering the game. Brooks also served as president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association from 2001 to 2003.

Brooks’ passing prompted an outpouring of tributes throughout the NHL from past and present players, coaches, general managers, league executives, and pundits. Among them was former Rangers head coach John Tortorella, who had a sometimes testy relationship with Brooks. Tortorella called him an icon, adding he would be missed by the hockey community.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Brooks’ family, friends, and his colleagues at the Post. I followed his work regularly since 1998, when I started this website. I didn’t always agree with what he wrote, but I respected his work. There was no denying that he was a well-connected, entertaining, old-school hockey scribe whose passion for the game shone through in every article that he wrote. His Sunday “Slap Shots” column was a must-read.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes skipped practice on Thursday, but head coach Adam Foote remains hopeful he’ll be able to suit up on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon was fined $5,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for boarding Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi on Wednesday.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Devils, they placed forward Zack MacEwen (lower body) on injured reserve.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios is selling his Malibu beachfront mansion. The list price is nearly $60 million.










NHL Rumor Mill – November 13, 2025

by | Nov 13, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – November 13, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, the Sabres are reportedly getting calls from teams interested in acquiring Tage Thompson, plus the latest on the Penguins and Senators.

SABRES GETTING CALLS ABOUT TAGE THOMPSON

RG. ORG: Marco D’Amico reports teams are calling the Buffalo Sabres about Tage Thompson. However, general manager Kevyn Adams insisted that the star forward isn’t available.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson (NHL Images).

The Sabres are once again struggling in the standings. That has prompted some teams in the market for depth at center, such as the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens, to inquire about Thompson’s availability.

Part of the reason for the Sabres’ struggles is that several key players are sidelined by injuries (Josh Norris, Jiri Kulich, Zach Benson) or illness (Jason Zucker). Meanwhile, defenseman and team captain Rasmus Dahlin is on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

However, the organization is holding off on making major roster changes, turning instead to younger players in the hope of sparking a turnaround.

TVA SPORTS: Renaud Lavoie claimed the Canadiens never contacted the Sabres to see if Thompson was available. He considers Thompson and Dahlin as the club’s foundation players, “the cream of the crop”, adding that they weren’t going anywhere.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Adams is under pressure to end the Sabres’ 14-year playoff drought. However, he’s not going to rush into things and make a panic deal. Besides, there are few sellers currently in the trade market, so there’s not much available that could help the Sabres at this time.

Thompson has a five-team no-trade list, giving Adams a lot of leeway in the trade market if he wanted to move the high-scoring forward. Nevertheless, the Sabres GM won’t move Thompson unless he wants out, or a rival club makes a substantial offer that would significantly improve his club.

THE LATEST ON THE PENGUINS

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe recently wondered if the Pittsburgh Penguins’ surprisingly solid start to this season has affected their trade plans for Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell.

As long as the Penguins are playing well, those veterans won’t be moved. It’s unlikely that general manager Kyle Dubas would spoil an opportunity for Sidney Crosby to participate in the postseason again.

Yohe also doesn’t see the Penguins being big buyers at the March 6 trade deadline if they’re in playoff contention by that point. Dubas doesn’t want to lose sight of his ultimate goal of turning the Penguins into a championship contender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dubas stated earlier this season that the goal was to continue retooling the roster with younger talent, but also to remain competitive. If the Penguins are in playoff contention by March, Karlsson, Rust, and Rakell will be staying put.

UPDATE ON THE SENATORS

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Bruce Garrioch recently reported Senators GM Steve Staios continues working the phones in search of an impact player, but that’s easier said than done at this early stage of the season.

The Senators are also trying to trade the rights of winger Alex Formenton, who was among the five players on the 2018 World Junior Team that were found not guilty of sexual assault in July in London, Ontario.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 9, 2025

by | Nov 9, 2025

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 9, 2025

The latest on the Oilers’ goaltending situation, David Kampf’s standoff with the Maple Leafs, and the Senators’ trade options in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: Mark Spector believes the Edmonton Oilers are done with Stuart Skinner as their starting goaltender after watching the Oilers fall 9-1 to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).

“Either they quit on him or they quit on themselves, but either way, what we saw Saturday tells us they are done with this netminder as their unchallenged No. 1,” wrote Spector.

Spector acknowledged the number of opposition goals scored by undefended players right in front of Skinner. Nevertheless, he believes Oilers general manager Stan Bowman must stage a full-court press in the trade market to find a suitable replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I understand cousin Mark’s frustration over the current status of the Oilers’ goaltending. However, finding someone who will do a better job than Skinner in this trade market is easier said than done. The pickings are slim and aren’t likely to improve as the season progresses.

That’s why Bowman acquired Connor Ingram last month from the Utah Mammoth, who is now toiling with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The fact that he’s still there speaks volumes about his readiness to supplant Skinner.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports David Kampf has made it clear to the Toronto Maple Leafs that he doesn’t want to play in the AHL anymore.

There’s been talk of contract termination, but one of the issues is the 30-year-old center’s signing bonus for this season. If his contract is terminated, the question is whether he has to return some of his signing bonus. It’s hoped that this issue will be resolved by Monday.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports Kampf and his agent are exploring their options and will decide by Monday. Technically, he remains suspended by the Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If they agree to a contract termination, Kampf will be a free agent and can sign with another NHL team or perhaps a European club.

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams was asked if he thought the Ottawa Senators were calling around for help. He’s heard and seen reports that they’re aggressively seeking to bolster their roster, but they don’t have a first-round pick and limited prospects outside of Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler.

Adams believes Senators GM Steve Staios would like to add another winger and a right-side defenseman. He felt the Pittsburgh Penguins might have been a possible trade partner, but their strong start to this season may dash any trade chances for now.

Asked about possible trade candidates for the Senators, Adams thinks Fabian Zetterlund, Nick Jensen, or Dylan Cozens would make sense in a hockey trade to improve the team.

Zetterlund is in the first season of his three-year contract with an AAV of $4.275 million. He has one goal and three points in 15 games and isn’t a fit in Ottawa playing on the fourth line.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A roster player like Zetterlund seems a more likely trade candidate than Cozens, Jensen, or one of the Senators’ top prospects. He’s a former 20-goal scorer who might flourish in a second-line role elsewhere. Whether he’d fetch something in a hockey trade to provide the Senators with immediate help remains to be seen.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

by | Nov 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2025

The Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield tie for the goal-scoring lead, the Ducks and Bruins extend their win streaks to six games, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists while Cale Makar, Parker Kelly, and Jack Drury each tallied twice to thump the Edmonton Oilers 9-1. MacKinnon extended his points streak to eight games as the Avalanche (9-1-5) sits atop the overall standings with 23 points. Connor McDavid replied for the 6-6-3 Oilers, who’ve lost three straight games.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon leads all NHL scorers with 23 points and is tied for first with 12 goals. As for the Oilers, this was a humiliating defeat at every level, raising further questions about their viability as a Stanley Cup contender.

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth, extending their points streak to six games (4-0-2) as they sit atop the Atlantic Division with 22 points (10-3-2). Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens. Kailer Yamamoto and Lawson Crouse scored for the 9-6-0 Mammoth, who’ve dropped four of their last five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Caufield’s 12 goals tied him with MacKinnon for the league goal-scoring lead.

The Anaheim Ducks picked up their sixth straight win by nipping the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on an overtime goal by Jacob Trouba. Leo Carlsson scored two goals and set up another as the 10-3-1 Ducks (21 points) opened a three-point lead over the 7-3-4 Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaeden Korczak scored as Vegas overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third period to force overtime.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks are looking like they’re for real this season. Meanwhile, Golden Knights center William Karlsson left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist as his club extended its win streak to six games with a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeremy Swayman made 30 saves for the Bruins (10-7-0), who sit second to the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division with 20 points. Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli, and John Tavares replied for the 8-6-1 Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins were sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference before their win streak began. Before this game, they placed Elias Lindholm (lower body) on injured reserve. They also played without defenseman Charlie McAvoy and center Casey Mittelstadt. McAvoy was away attending to a personal matter, while Mittelstadt was sidelined by a lower-body injury.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz was pulled from this game in the second period after giving up four goals on 19 shots. Leafs forward Scott Laughton departed with an upper-body injury in the second period.

The San Jose Sharks won their third straight game by downing the Florida Panthers 3-1. Yaroslav Askarov kicked out 38 shots, Macklin Celebrini tallied his 10th goal of the season, and Will Smith collected two assists for the 7-6-3 Sharks. Brad Marchand extended his goal streak to four games for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who are 7-7-1 on the season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The injury-ravaged Panthers lost another player for a significant period as forward Jonah Gadjovich will miss the next three months as he undergoes surgery for an upper-body injury. They’re already missing Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov, and Tomas Nosek.

Sharks winger William Eklund (lower body) was moved to injured reserve.

New Jersey Devils goalie Jake Allen turned aside 33 shots and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Arseny Gritsyuk also scored for the 11-4-0 Devils, who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points. Ryan Graves replied for the 9-4-3 Penguins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton missed this contest as he’s expected to miss a week with a lower-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators got two goals from Tim Stutzle, including the winner in overtime, to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Michael Amadio also scored for the 7-5-3 Senators. Matvei Michkov and Jamie Drysdale tallied for the Flyers (8-5-2).

Dallas Stars forwards Adam Erne and Sam Steel scored 47 seconds apart in the third period to lift their club to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Predators. Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johntson, and Mavrik Bourque each had two points for the Stars (8-4-3). Ryan O’Reilly and Nick Blakenburg each had two points for the 5-8-4 Predators, who have lost four straight.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored for the sixth time in seven games as his club beat the Washington Capitals 3-2. Hagel and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves for the 8-5-2 Lightning, who’ve won seven of their last eight contests. Brandon Duhaime and John Carlson replied for the 7-7-1 Capitals, who’ve lost six of their last seven.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh left this game after the first period with an undisclosed injury. The Bolts were also playing without center Anthony Cirelli, who is recovering from an upper-body injury suffered against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

The New York Islanders got a 33-save performance from Ilya Sorokin to shut out the New York Rangers 5-0, leaving the latter winless at home thus far this season (0-6-1). Bo Horvat tallied twice and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Jonathan Drouin each had a goal and two assists for the 7-6-2 Islanders. Igor Shesterkin gave up four goals on 25 shots for the Rangers, who dropped to 7-7-2.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch each had a goal and an assist for the 5-6-4 Sabres, who’ve lost three straight games. The Hurricanes picked up their third straight win and improved to 10-4-0.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. They also placed defenseman Jalen Chatfield (upper body) on injured reserve.

An overtime goal by Shane Wright gave the Seattle Kraken a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists for the Kraken as they improved to 7-3-4. Dylan Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the 5-8-3 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord missed this game as he stayed in Seattle to receive treatment for an upper-body injury. They also activated defenseman Ryker Evans off injured reserve for this game. He made his season debut after being sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered during preseason play.

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser’s third-period goal lifted his club over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves as the Canucks improved to 8-8-0. Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov each had three points for the Blue Jackets (7-7-0), who have lost three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson.

IN OTHER NEWS…

CALGARY SUN: Flames rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Los Angeles Kings winger Warren Foegele will return to action during Sunday’s game against the Penguins. He’s been sidelined for two weeks with an upper-body injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL center and general manager Mel Bridgman passed away on Saturday at age 70.

Selected first overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft, Bridgman spent 14 seasons as a player from 1975-76 to 1988-89 with the Flyers, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks. He captained the Flyers from 1979-80 to 1980-81, and the Devils from 1984-85 to 1986-87. Bridgman had 252 goals and 449 assists for 701 points in 977 regular-season games, and 67 points in 125 playoff contests.

After his playing career, Bridgman was named the first general manager of the Ottawa Senators in 1991, a role he held until 1993. He was inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Bridgman’s family, friends, and former teammates.