NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

by | Dec 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 4, 2024

The Avalanche overcame a four-goal deficit, the Minnesota Wild took over first place in the overall standings, Patrik Laine scored in his debut with the Canadiens, the Flames honor Johnny Gaudreau, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Colorado Avalanche overcame a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and collected an assist while Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots after replacing Alexandar Georgiev in the Avalanche net. Tage Thompson tallied two goals for the Sabres.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche acquired Wedgewood on Saturday to add more experienced depth behind Georgiev, who continues to battle inconsistency this season. Georgiev got the hook after giving up four goals on eight shots. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin left this game because of back spasms in the third period.

An overtime goal by Kirill Kaprizov gave the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, vaulting the Wild into sole possession of first place in the overall standings with 38 points. Frederick Gaudreau and Jake Middleton also scored and Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 shots as the Wild extended their win streak to four games. Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk replied for the Canucks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild also set a franchise record for the most points in their first 25 games of the season. Center Joel Eriksson Ek left the game in overtime with an injured right leg. There was no postgame update about his condition

Kaprizov has 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 24 games. He’s tied with MacKinnon and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas in points but leads the league in that category because he’s scored more goals and has a league-leading 1.63 points per game.

The Canucks played without defenseman Filip Hronek, who will be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing a non-surgical lower-body procedure.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine scored in his season debut and teammate Nick Suzuki scored in overtime to beat the New York Islanders 2-1. Sam Montembeault got the win with a 30-save performance. Anders Lee scored for the Islanders.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Laine suffered a knee injury during preseason that kept him out of the lineup for the opening two months of the season. He was touched by the reception he received from the Bell Centre crowd.

Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar made 16 saves to shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on the night the Flames honored the late Johnny Gaudreau in the first game in Calgary between the two teams. Rasmus Andersson, Kevin Bahl, and Yegor Sherangovich were the goal scorers. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 shots for the Jackets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gaudreau began his NHL career in Calgary, spending nine seasons with the Flames before signing with the Blue Jackets in July 2022. An alleged drunk driver killed him and his brother Matthew on Aug. 29.

Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch after scoring one goal and nine points in 25 games. He was held scoreless in his previous nine games.

St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou scored twice in a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, handing the Jets their fourth straight defeat. Dylan Holloway and Robert Thomas also scored for the resurgent Blues, who are 3-0-1 since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach. Mark Scheifele tallied for the slumping Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The loss knocked the Jets out of first place in the Western Conference standings. After bursting from the gate with a 17-3-0 record, the Jets have dropped five of their last six contests. Before the game, the Jets announced winger Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 29 and recalled forward Brad Lambert.

The Seattle Kraken snapped a three-game losing skid by doubling up the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, handing the latter their third straight loss. Jaden Schwartz and Yanni Gourde each had a goal and an assist and Matty Beniers collected two assists. Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill had a 28-save shutout and Ivan Barbashev scored the only goal to blank the Edmonton Oilers 1-0. Stuart Skinner stopped 15 shots for the Oilers, whose three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first regular-season game in over 80 years ending with zero penalties and one goal or fewer scored. The last time that happened was Feb 20, 1944, between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins blew a 4-1 lead but defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who’ve won four straight games (26 points) and sit one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk scored two goals and collected two assists to pass the 600-point mark in his NHL career.

Boston Bruins forward Pavel Zacha scored in overtime to nip the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Nikita Zadorov and Justin Brazeau also scored for the Bruins and Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves for the win. Lucas Raymond scored both goals for the Red Wings.

An overtime goal by William Eklund carried the San Jose Sharks to a 2-1 upset of the Washington Capitals. Tyler Toffoli also scored for the Sharks as Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 27 shots. Nic Dowd replied for the Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks (25 points) have won three straight games and four of their last five, moving within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card berth.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin remains sidelined recovering from a broken left fibula. He was off to a great start before the injury with 15 goals in 18 games. RG.org’s Sergey Demidov cited a source close to Ovechkin attributing the left winger’s performance to a 33-pound weight loss (“from 258 to 225 pounds”) during the offseason.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

by | Dec 1, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 1, 2024

The Capitals and Wild each get 10 wins in November, Lightning captain Victor Hedman reaches a franchise milestone, the Blue Jackets trade David Jiricek to the Wild, the Avalanche and Predators swap backup goalies, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Third-period goals within 10 seconds by Taylor Raddysh and Pierre-Luc Dubois enabled the Washington Capitals to hold off the New Jersey Devils 6-5. John Carlsson collected three assists as the Capitals (17-6-1, 35 points) vaulted over the Devils (19-9-2, 34 points) into first place in the Eastern Conference. Devils center Jack Hughes also had three assists.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jared Spurgeon lifted the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov each had a goal and an assist as the Wild (16-4-4, 36 points) moved into a tie with the Winnipeg Jets (18-6-0, 36 points) atop the overall standings. Fedor Svechkov and Ryan O’Reilly scored for the Predators, who dropped their fourth straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals and Wild were the only teams to win 10 games in November. The Jets still hold first overall based on wins. Kaprizov scored his 61st career power-play goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for the second-most PPGs in franchise history. Zach Parise holds the record with 69.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got two assists from Auston Matthews and a goal and an assist from Matthew Knies to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3. Lightning captain Victor Hedman collected two assists to pass Martin St. Louis for the most assists (590) in franchise history.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews missed nine games with an undisclosed injury while Knies missed two games with an upper-body injury. Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov missed this game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day.

New York Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko scored with 24 seconds remaining in regulation to nip the Montreal Canadiens 4-3. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and Adam Fox collected two assists as the Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Missed calls on both teams sparked criticism of the officiating in this game. Meanwhile, the Canadiens placed forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard on waivers.

The Florida Panthers crushed the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 to sweep their home-and-home series. Spencer Knight turned in a 20-save shutout, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists and Sam Bennett scored for the third straight game.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and forward Michael Bunting each had a goal and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Calgary Flames. Alex Nedeljkovic made 30 saves as the Penguins picked up their third straight win. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

An overtime goal by rookie winger Matvei Michkov lifted the Philadelphia Flyers over the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Michkov also had an assist while Aleksei Kolosov made 25 saves for the Flyers, who’ve won three straight to hold the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours each scored for the Blues.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their third straight win by dropping the Ottawa Senators 5-2. Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Senators center Tim Stutzle scored to extend his points streak to six games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kings center Trevor Lewis left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, ending a three-game winless skid (0-2-1). Simon Holmstrom tallied twice and Anders Lee netted his 10th goal of the season.

The Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots and Kasperi Kapanen scored his first goal with the Oilers, who picked up their third straight win. Nikolai Kovalenko replied for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Avalanche acquired goalie Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for netminder Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick in 2025. Wedgewood backed up Avs starter Alexandar Georgiev in this game.

The Avs hope the experienced Wedgewood will bring more stability to their goaltending, but he struggled with the Predators after signing a two-year contract with them during the summer.

Four first-period goals powered the Utah Hockey Club to a 6-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Jaxon Stauber made 29 saves for his first NHL shutout and Nick Schmaltz scored two goals for Utah, ending the Golden Knights’ five-game points streak.

The San Jose Sharks doubled up the Seattle Kraken 4-2 to sweep their home-and-home series. Mackenzie Blackwood kicked out 36 shots and Will Smith scored for the third straight game as the Sharks held off a late rally by the Kraken, who got goals from Jaden Schwartz and Jared McCann.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned to action after missing 19 games with a mid-body injury.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: The Columbus Blue Jackets traded defenseman David Jiricek and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for blueliner Daemon Hunt, a 2025 first-round pick (top-five protected), a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 third-round pick and fourth-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blue Jackets were concerned about Jiricek’s skating, which is the key reason they were willing to part with the 21-year-old defenseman, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, the Wild consider Jiricek worth the investment, hoping the big defenseman with the booming shot reaches his potential as a top-four NHL blueliner.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The NHL department of player safety fined Penguins center Evgeni Malkin $5,000.00 for slashing and Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov $5,000.00 for unsportsmanlike conduct during an incident between the two players in Friday’s game between their two clubs.

SPORTSNET: Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered during Friday’s game against the Golden Knights. However, he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Stars.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

by | Nov 30, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 30, 2024

Recapping the action of Friday’s 14 games in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF FRIDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny scored two goals as his club upset the New York Rangers 3-1. Bobby Brink also scored and Ivan Fedotov stopped 22 shots for the Flyers as they moved into the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 25 points (11-10-3). Vincent Trocheck replied for the Rangers, who’ve lost five in a row and hold the first Eastern wild-card spot with 25 points (12-9-1).

Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers look nothing like the dominant club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season. General manager Chris Drury miscalculated if he felt that publicly shopping some of his veterans in the trade market would light a fire under this team. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumor Mill update.

Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon scored twice as his club overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves as he remains unbeaten in regulation (5-0-1) this season. Ryan Donato tallied both goals for the Blackhawks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blackhawks announced backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit will remain sidelined for another six weeks after undergoing a second procedure on his right knee.

The Vancouver Canucks blew a 3-1 lead but got a 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Garland had two goals (including the winning goal) and an assist and Kevin Lankinen turned aside 31 shots for the Canucks. Sabres forward Dylan Cozens had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres forward Sam Lafferty left this game with a lower-body injury.

Power-play goals by Dougie Hamilton, Timo Meier and Jack Hughes carried the New Jersey Devils over the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. Hamilton, Meier and Hughes each finished with two points. Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko also had a goal and an assist while teammate Lucas Raymond scored to extend his goal streak to five games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Tomas Tatar left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. His status is unclear for Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The Devils sit atop the Metropolitan Division with 34 points.

The Washington Capitals overcame a 4-2 deficit to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 on an overtime goal by Jakob Chychrun. Tom Wilson had two goals, Dylan Strome scored a goal and two assists and Connor McMichael had three helpers for the Capitals. Simon Holmstrom scored twice and Anders Lee had a goal and two assists for the Islanders, who have only two wins in their last 10 games (2-4-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a last-minute scratch as he’s dealing with a lower-body issue.

Three unanswered third-period goals by A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett carried the Florida Panthers over the Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 6-3. This was Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad’s 700th career NHL regular-season game. Seth Jarvis, Sean Walker and Eric Robinson scored for the Hurricanes.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The win moves the Panthers into first place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points, one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 5-2 upset of the Calgary Flames. Adam Fantilli scored two goals, and Kirill Marchenko had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets. Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri replied for the Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist.

An overtime power-play goal by Brayden Point gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators. Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning while Roman Josi netted both goals for the Predators, who’ve dropped three straight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nashville winger Steven Stamkos wasn’t pleased with his club’s work ethic against his former team. It’s been a difficult season for Stamkos with seven goals and 12 points in 24 games since signing with the Predators this summer.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Portillo turned aside 28 shots in his NHL debut to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1. Alex Turcotte and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings while Ryan Strome replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings placed center Akil Thomas (undisclosed) on injured reserve ahead of this contest. He was injured during Monday’s 7-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks.

San Jose Sharks rookies Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith each had a goal and an assist in an 8-5 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Ethan Cardwell tallied his first NHL goal for the Sharks and Jake Walman tallied twice. Kraken center Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists and teammate Shane Wright potted two goals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks are still rebuilding and aren’t expected to be a playoff club this season. Nevertheless, promising youngsters like Celebrini, Smith and William Eklund and veterans like Mikael Granlund, Tyler Toffoli, Mackenzie Blackwood and Alexander Wennberg have turned this group into an entertaining team. It’s a refreshing change from the moribund bunch that floundered at the bottom of the standings in 2023-24.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a game-winning goal from recently acquired winger Philip Tomasino to nip the Boston Bruins 2-1. Penguins winger Rickard Rakell also scored and Tristan Jarry got the win with a 31-save performance. Charlie Coyle scored for the Bruins as Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets. It’s the first time Howden has reached 10 goals in a season. Ivan Barbashev also tallied two goals for the Golden Knights, who sit atop the Pacific Division with 33 points. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, who’ve dropped three of their last four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Winnipeg remains atop the overall standings with 36 points but they’ve cooled from their red-hot start of 17 wins in their first 20 games. The Jets activated defenseman Logan Stanley off injured reserve for this game.

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment scored two goals and collected an assist as his club defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist for the Stars while Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar each had two points for the Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stars center Roope Hintz returned to action after missing the club’s previous game with an undisclosed ailment. However, teammate Logan Stankoven missed this game with a minor injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lifted the Edmonton Oilers over the Utah Hockey Club 4-3. His teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had a goal and an assist, Evan Bouchard had two assists and Calvin Pickard kicked out 28 shots for the win. Alexander Kerfoot, Logan Cooley and Lawson Crouse scored for Utah.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Utah defenseman Maveric Lamoureux missed this game as he’s sidelined for four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered during Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies will return from injuries in Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

STLTODAY.COM: The St. Louis Blues activated defenseman Philip Broberg off injured reserve. He could return to action on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

by | Nov 26, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 26, 2024

A record night for Lightning winger Brandon Hagel, Hurricanes winger Martin Necas sits on top of the scoring race, the three stars of the week are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF MONDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel collected a career-high five assists in an 8-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. Hagel tied an NHL record with four assists in the first period. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists and Jake Guentzel tallied twice for the Lightning. Ivan Ivan scored two goals for the Avalanche as their three-game win streak ended.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (NHL Images).

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had a goal and an assist to take over first place in the NHL scoring race (35 points) as his club downed the Dallas Stars 6-4. The Hurricanes got a goal and three assists from Sebastian Aho plus a goal and two assists from Seth Jarvis. Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and Miro Heiskanen each had a goal and an assist for the Stars as they blew a 3-1 lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov missed this game with a concussion. There is no timetable for his return. They’re also missing starter Frederik Andersen as he’s sidelined until January recovering from knee surgery. The Canes are making do with call-ups Spencer Martin and Yaniv Perets but there’s speculation they could turn to the trade market.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 43-save performance from goaltender Connor Hellebuyck for a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Alex Iafallo scored twice and Neal Pionk picked up two assists as the Jets (18-4-0) sat atop the overall standings with 36 points. Jake Middleton scored for the Wild, who sit second in the Central Division with 30 points, six behind the Jets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov was held scoreless in this game as he returned to action after missing a game with a lower-body injury. Teammate Jakub Lauko left the game with a lower-body injury.

New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier snapped a 10-game goalless drought with his first NHL hat trick, leading his club over the Nashville Predators 5-2. Filip Forsberg and Zachary L’Heureux replied for the Predators. The Devils have won five of their last six games and hold first place in the Metropolitan Division with 32 points. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros was pulled in the second period after giving up four goals on 30 shots.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils forward Timo Meier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct in the third period for cross-checking L’Heureux in the face. L’Heureux immediately left the game for treatment.

The Washington Capitals snapped a two-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, handing the latter their sixth loss in their last seven games. Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal and picked up two assists while Lars Eller tallied twice. Niko Mikkola had the only goal for the Panthers.

St. Louis Blue head coach Jim Montgomery got his first win with his new club as they defeated the New York Rangers 5-2. Zack Bolduc scored two goals, Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist and Dylan Holloway collected two assists for the Blues. Igor Shesterkin stopped 38 shots for the struggling Rangers as they dropped their third straight game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers winger Chris Kreider missed this game with an upper-body injury, resulting in the recall of Matt Rempe from their AHL affiliate in Hartford.

The Rangers’ slump has sparked plenty of trade rumors amid reports general manager Chris Drury has informed his 31 NHL counterparts that he’s open for business. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.

A shootout goal by Jack Eichel lifted the Vegas Golden Knights over the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 5-4. Eichel also had a goal and an assist in regulation as did teammate Ivan Barbashev as their club sits in first place in the Pacific Division with 30 points. Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights played without Zach Whitecloud (upper-body injury) and William Karlsson (personal reasons).

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini had his first three-point game (two goals, one assist) in a 7-2 upset of the Los Angeles Kings. Fellow Sharks rookie Will Smith picked up two assists and rookie netminder Yaroslav Askarov stopped 22 shots for his first win with the Sharks. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had two points for the Kings, who’ve dropped five of their last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks forward Nico Sturm scored in his return to action after missing five games with an upper-body injury.

The Ottawa Senators nipped the Calgary Flames 4-3. Senators forwards Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist to snap a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Jonathan Huberdeau, Yegor Sherangovich and Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames as their four-game winning streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Senators Defenseman Artem Zub was sidelined by a broken foot suffered during Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks and could be out for a while. Teammate David Perron missed this game with an upper-body injury.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri were the goalscorers for the Islanders, who’ve dropped six of their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Isles defenseman Alexander Romanov missed this game due to an illness and is listed as day-to-day.

The Seattle Kraken got a goal and an assist from Shane Wright to beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2. Joey Daccord picked up the win with a 21-save performance. Trevor Zegras and Frank Vatrano replied for the Ducks.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks center Mason McTavish was held scoreless as he returned to the roster after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Ducks center Leo Carlsson left the game with an upper-body injury in the second period following a hit from Kraken forward Tye Kartye. Before the game, the Ducks placed Brock McGinn (lower body) on injured reserve.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen, and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll were the NHL’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 24, 2024.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser could return to action on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. He’s missed the last seven games with a concussion.

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine participated fully in his club’s practice on Monday. It’s an encouraging sign that Laine is making strides in his recovery from a sprained knee but he’s not expected to return before the end of this week.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators traded forward Philip Tomasino yesterday to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Tomasino was a first-round pick of the Predators (24th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. General manager Barry Trotz explained that he shipped out the 23-year-old center because of a lack of production over the past two seasons. He believed it was time for a change.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tomasino could have a better shot of becoming an NHL regular with the retooling Penguins as they transition younger players into their lineup.

NEW YORK POST: Former NHL player turned analyst Paul Bissonnette was assaulted by six individuals at a restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday evening. He said he was trying to intervene after seeing a group of drunken golfers being abusive to the restaurant staff.

Five of the six men face misdemeanors while a sixth faces a felony. Bissonnette said he took a few shots but gave more. He went to the hospital to get checked out following the melee but said he was “all good”, thanking the restaurant staff and the responding police offers.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

by | Nov 19, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 19, 2024

An injury to Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin overshadows his second straight multigoal game, a milestone game for Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored twice in a 6-2 victory over the Utah Hockey Club but left in the third period with an injured left leg following a knee-on-knee collision with Utah forward Jack McBain. Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (13-4-1), who moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points. McBain and Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin tied Jaromir Jagr’s NHL record of most goaltenders scored on as Utah’s Connor Ingram became the 178th goalie to give up a goal to the Capitals captain. The 39-year-old Ovechkin leads all NHL scorers with 15 goals and sits at 868 career goals, putting him 26 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.

There was no update on Ovechkin’s condition following the game. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said his captain was being evaluated and they’ll know more on Tuesday.

Off the ice, Utah had the highest single-day merchandise sale ever at the Delta Center. It was also the second-best single-game merchandise sale in NHL history.

San Jose Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini scored in overtime for his first NHL game-winning goal to nip the Detroit Red Wings 5-4. William Eklund tallied twice for the Sharks as they snapped a three-game winless skid (0-1-2). Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin had a goal and an assist as his club has dropped five of their last six contests (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sharks recalled goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to back up starter Mackenzie Blackwood in this contest. Backup Vitek Vanecek is still recuperating from an injury suffered during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar sniped two goals as his club held off the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2. Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as the Avs picked up their fifth win in their last seven games. Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster scored for the Flyers as their three-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Referee Mitch Dunning was stretchered from this game following a violent collision with Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons and his neurological functions were normal. Dunning was communicative and had control of his extremities.

The Montreal Canadiens got a 30-save shutout from Sam Montembeault in a 3-0 upset of the Edmonton Oilers. Brendan Gallagher, Kaiden Guhle and Jake Evans scored for the Canadiens, who’ve won three of their last four contests. Calvin Pickard turned aside 22 shots for the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Oilers announced defenseman Darnell Nurse will be sidelined for five to 10 days after a hit to the head by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves on Saturday. Reaves received a five-game suspension.

The Canadiens honored broadcaster Pierre Houde in a pregame ceremony to commemorate his recent induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Shorthanded goals by Mathieu Olivier and Justin Danforth powered the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-1 upset of the Boston Bruins. Elvis Merzlikins kicked out 28 shots for the Blue Jackets while teammate Sean Monahan collected two assists. Charlie Coyle had the only goal for the Bruins, who were booed off the ice by their unhappy fans. They have just two wins in their last seven contests (2-3-2).

Anaheim Ducks winger Brett Leason had a goal and two assists as his club doubled up the Dallas Stars 4-2. Lukas Dostal stopped 34 shots for the Ducks as they’ve won three of their last four games. Esa Lindell and Matt Duchene scored for the Stars as their three-game win streak is over.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy were the league’s three stars for the week ending Nov. 17.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews continues to recuperate from an upper-body injury that has sidelined him since Nov. 3. The earliest he might return to action is Sunday against Utah.

TSN: Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok underwent groin surgery and is considered month-to-month. He has yet to play a game this season.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly will undergo heart surgery due to a preexisting condition that was discovered during treatment of a concussion suffered on Nov. 1 against the Buffalo Sabres. The heart condition is not related to the injury he suffered in Buffalo.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is listed as day-to-day due to illness.

THE SCORE: Chicago Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall admitted he was surprised to learn he was a healthy scratch for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He and head coach Luke Richardson have since spoken about the incident and cleared the air, with Richardson admitting he could’ve handled the situation better.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hall has struggled thus far this season with just six points in 17 games. He played only 10 games in 2023-24 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

STLTODAY: The Blues placed winger Kasperi Kapanen on waivers Monday afternoon. This move could signal one of their sidelined players is ready to rejoin the lineup.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils placed forward Nathan Bastian on long-term injury reserve and moved forward Curtis Lazar to injured reserve.

BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: The Sabres have sent goaltender Devon Levi to their AHL affiliate in Rochester and announced winger Jordan Greenway is week-to-week with a middle-body injury.

ROTOWIRE: The Winnipeg Jets removed defenseman Ville Heinola from injured reserve and sent him to their AHL affiliate for a conditioning stint. An ankle injury has sidelined him since training camp.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

by | Nov 11, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 11, 2024

Recaps of Sunday’s games, the Blue Jackets claim Dante Fabbro off waivers, an injury update from the Penguins, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks got a 44-save shutout performance from goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to blank the New Jersey Devils 1-0. Nico Sturm got the only goal when his backhand pass from behind the net deflected off the skate of former Shark Timo Meier. Devils netminder Jake Allen stopped 26 shots.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sharks defenseman Jake Walman missed his second-straight game with an upper-body injury. The Sharks also made Will Smith a healthy scratch for the fourth time this season. The 19-year-old rookie center has two goals and an assist in 12 games.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson kicked out 38 shots in his season debut as his team doubled up the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2. Leo Carlsson scored the game-winner in the third period as the Ducks snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets as their winless streak reached five games (0-4-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: An emergency appendectomy forced Gibson from the lineup at the start of the season.

An overtime goal by Philipp Kurashev lifted the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 upset of the Minnesota Wild. Jason Dickinson opened the scoring for the Blackhawks but the Wild tied it on a goal by Matt Boldy. Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrazek made 32 saves for the win.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE TENNESSEAN/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets claimed defenseman Dante Fabbro off waivers from the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Fabbro, 26, was a first-round pick of the Predators in 2016. He has 72 points in 315 games.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell released a statement explaining the move. “Dante Fabbro is a puck-moving defenseman who can play in all situations, and adds mobility and depth to our backend.”

Fabbro carries a salary-cap hit of $2.5 million and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Fabbro will join the Blue Jackets in Seattle for their game against the Kraken on Tuesday. He struggled to establish himself as a top-four defenseman in Nashville but will get plenty of playing time with the rebuilding Blue Jackets. A solid performance in Columbus could also make him a valuable rental asset by the March 7 trade deadline.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins announced forward Cody Glass has been diagnosed with a concussion. There is no timeline for his return.

They also announced forward Kevin Hayes will be sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks called up top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. The 20-year-old winger was chosen 15th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks’ recent trade of winger Daniel Sprong to the Kraken was seen as setting the table for Lekkerimaki’s call-up.

RG.ORG: Jim Biringer cites an NHL executive who said goaltender interference will be among the topics of discussion during an upcoming one-day meeting of NHL general managers.

The GMs seek a better understanding of the current standard and clarification of how goalie interference is ruled. “Guys usually ask; we just want to know the rule to tell our video coaches what to expect,” said the executive. “Everyone’s human. There are mistakes. We would just like clarification on the rule.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s been plenty of questions and criticism regarding goalie interference this season. The most notable came from Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Last week, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner publicly expressed frustration over the lack of clarity and consistency. As a member of the NHL competition committee, Hellebuyck had sought clarification of the rule but now feels he may have to pass that role on to a young netminder.

THE ATHLETIC (subscription required): Tim Graham examines why former NHL star Alexander Mogilny has yet to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Graham believes Mogilny should be in the Hall but seeks clues for his exclusion from the media coverage the winger received during his career. He also examined remarks about Mogilny in the autobiographies of former teammates Martin Brodeur and Mats Sundin regarding his eccentricities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I recommend reading Graham’s piece if you have a subscription. I agree that Mogilny belongs in the Hall but Graham provides compelling reasons why the gifted winger has been passed over.