NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2025

by | Feb 4, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 4, 2025

The Senators pick up their fifth straight win, the three stars of the week, Wild center Ryan Hartman suspended, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Ottawa Senators collected their fifth straight win by downing the Nashville Predators 5-2. Three unanswered third-period goals by Shane Pinto, David Perron and Ridly Greig carried the Senators (62 points) to victory, opening a three-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings for third in the Atlantic Division. Predators goalie Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots while teammate Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist.

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators captain Roman Josi set the franchise record for games played with 957. Senators center Tim Stutzle became the youngest player in franchise history to reach the 300-point milestone (23 years, 19 days) and the third fastest to do so (338 games played), sitting behind Jason Spezza (277 games) and Alexei Yashin (332).

Senators forward Josh Norris missed this game as he’s sidelined for several weeks with a mid-body injury. Predators forward Luke Evangelista didn’t play as he’s listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson are the league’s three stars for the week ending Feb. 2, 2025.

Minnesota Wild center Ryan Hartman received a 10-game suspension from the department of player safety for roughing Senators center Tim Stutzle on Saturday, driving Stutzle’s head into the ice following a faceoff draw.

DAILY FACEOFF: New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal is sidelined indefinitely with a lower-body injury and defenseman Scott Mayfield is day-to-day (lower body).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barzal and Mayfield join injured teammates Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, Semyon Varlamov, Mike Reilly, and Marcus Hogberg. Those lengthy absences threaten to derail the Islanders’ efforts to secure a playoff spot.

NHL.COM: Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko is sidelined indefinitely with a broken jaw.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Jackets are already missing Sean Monahan, Yegor Chinakhov, Erik Gudbranson and captain Boone Jenner, though the latter is expected to return to the lineup later this month. Marchenko’s absence is a significant blow. The 24-year-old winger is the Jackets’ leading goal scorer (21) and is second in points with 55.

CBS SPORTS: Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichuskin (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The White House honored the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers in a ceremony yesterday.

THE TENNESSEAN: Former Nashville Predators forward Martin Erat was charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident in Nolensville, Tennessee on Saturday. No injuries were reported during the incident.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2024

by | Oct 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 2, 2024

Recapping Tuesday’s preseason action, the Canadiens get some good news on Patrik Laine’s condition. notable news from the latest Board of Governors meeting, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S NHL PRESEASON GAMES

NHL.COM: The San Jose Sharks lost to the Utah Hockey Club 3-1 and lost promising center Macklin Celebrini to a lower-body injury. Celebrini, 18, crashed hard into the end boards during the second period. He played one more shift before leaving the game. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky had no update on the youngster’s condition following the game.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (NHL Images)

New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin left in the first period with a lower-body injury during his club’s 5-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Kevin Labanc had two goals and an assist for the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Panarin was still be evaluated following the game. It’s the second time in this preseason that a lower-body injury has sidelined the high-scoring winger.

Ottawa Senators forwards Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk suffered injuries during their 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. During the second period, Stutzle was on the receiving end of a late blindside hit by Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj. Tkachuk was hurt during the subsequent tussle with Xhekaj, who received a match penalty for the second straight preseason game. Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot left in the third period for precautionary reasons.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stutzle, Tkachuk, and Chabot will all be re-evaluated on Wednesday. The injury news overshadowed the return of defenseman Artem Zub and oft-injured forward Josh Norris to the Senators’ lineup for this game.

Xhekaj was fined for his actions against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Cedric Pare following his knee-on-knee hit on Canadiens winger Patrik Laine. He could be suspended for his dangerous hit on Stutzle.

Speaking of the Canadiens, they got some good news on Laine as what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury was a sprain that will sidelined him for two-to-three months. Considering the circumstances, Laine was lucky to avoid a more serious injury.

Canadiens prospect defenseman David Reinbacher also suffered a knee injury during that Leafs game. He didn’t get off as lucky, facing a five-to-six-month recovery following knee surgery.

The Boston Bruins got a tie-breaking goal from Tyler Johnson in the third period to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Bruins captain Brad Marchand played over four minutes in his preseason debut before leaving the game with an illness.

Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and three assists as his club rolled to a 7-2 drubbing of the Chicago Blackhawks. Jared Spurgeon tallied twice and Mats Zuccarello collected three assists for the Wild. Connor Bedard scored the Blackhawks’ second goal.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson tallied the go-ahead goal late in the third period to lift his club to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Goaltender Ville Husso kicked out 43 shots for the Red Wings.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got two assists from Adam Fantilli to down the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Blues goalie Joel Hofer stopped 32 shots.

Zach Aston-Reese scored twice for the Vegas Golden Knights as they thumped the Colorado Avalanche 6-1.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun provided highlights from the latest NHL Board of Governors meeting.

League commissioner Gary Bettman said he’d be happy if negotiations for an extension to the collective bargaining agreement were completed by the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. However, he said there’s been no discussion with the NHLPA regarding a timetable for those talks.

LeBrun indicated that Bettman recently said CBA talks could start as early as November, though he noted both sides still had homework to do. The commissioner also believes the relationship with the PA is “in a good place.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The current CBA expires in September 2026. There’s plenty of time to negotiate an extension and little apparent rancor between the two sides. Fingers crossed it stays that way once they start getting down to serious discussions.

Bettman also made an early projection on next season’s salary cap, suggesting it could come in at $92.5 million. This season’s cap is $88 million.

The commissioner also said the topic of expansion never came up during this meeting, saying it is not a front-burner issue.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: LeBrun believes expansion is eventually coming down the road “to Atlanta and maybe Houston.” He also didn’t rule out a return to Arizona. “But not quite yet.”

SPORTSNET: The NHL and NHLPA have agreed that the Columbus Blue Jackets will not need to reach this season’s $65 million salary cap minimum by the roster deadline of Oct. 7. This exemption comes with the expectation that the Blue Jackets will rise about the cap floor “in a reasonable time.”

The death of winger Johnny Gaudreau removed his $9.75 million annual average value through 2028-29 from their payroll. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports the Jackets are expected to be under the cap minimum by $1.4 million when the season begins.

RG.ORG: Jimmy Murphy reports Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin expects more of a competitive effort from Trevor Zegras this season. The 23-year-old forward struggled through an injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign. Cronin acknowledged Zegras’ offensive skills but wants to see a better effort from him battling for pucks along the boards and in front of the net.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zegras’ willingness to “get his nose dirty” was questioned before last season. His performance this season could determine whether he still fits within the Ducks’ long-range plans.

CBS SPORTS: Speaking of the Ducks, winger Troy Terry missed practice yesterday with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

THE SCORE: Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella didn’t mince words when asked about the state of his goaltending. “It scares the crap out of me,” said the outspoken Flyers bench boss.

Tortorella praised Samuel Ersson but pointed out that this is his first full season as their starter. Backup Ivan Fedotov is also beginning his first full NHL season. There’s also uncertainty as to where Aleksei Kolosov fits into the equation.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 10, 2024

by | Sep 10, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 10, 2024

The Blue Jackets, Flames, and NHL dignitaries pay respects to the Gaudreaus, Sidney Crosby is optimistic he’ll get a new contract with the Penguins, the latest on the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: The Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames and the NHL joined the Gaudreau family in memorializing Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau during the funeral for the brothers on Monday in Philadelphia.

An alleged drunk driver killed the brothers while they were riding bicycles on Aug. 29.

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau (NHL Images).

Groups from the Blue Jackets and Flames attended the funeral along with NHL dignitaries including league commissioner Gary Bettman and former Blue Jackets Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. Pallbearers included new Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan and former Blue Jackets Eric Robinson.

Johnny’s wife Meredith revealed she is pregnant with the couple’s third child as she eulogized her late husband.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The tragic, senseless deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau has been a blow to the hockey world, but the grief and pain that their loved ones are going through is unimaginable. Once again, I send my sincere condolences to the Gaudreau family.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Sidney Crosby remains optimistic he’ll have a new contract in place soon with the Penguins.

“I don’t know what day specifically, but it’s been really positive and hasn’t been a difficult process,” said the Penguins captain.

Crosby remains hopeful that the Penguins can be a playoff contender, pointing to the club’s strong finish last season despite missing the cut. He believes they can get over the hump if they can gain consistency in a few areas of their game.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The lack of news over the status of Crosby’s contract extension negotiations with the Penguins has sparked rising speculation about his future with the retooling club. His comments on Monday provide some clarity to the issue but no timetable for when a deal could be done.

TSN: Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle denied rumors that his change of agents during the offseason is related to any desire to be traded. “I love being in Ottawa,” he told reporters during the club’s charity golf tournament on Monday.

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports the change is related to marketing opportunities in Europe for the German forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The rebuilding Senators’ difficulties in ending their long postseason drought have some observers wondering how long core players like Stutzle are willing to stick around. That’s why his changing agents gave rise to those trade rumors. Another struggling effort this season will only prompt more questions about their futures in Ottawa.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Senators, Thomas Chabot admitted a wrist issue hampered him for the past two seasons. The 27-year-old defenseman said he took care of it during the offseason and is fully healthy for the coming season. He appeared in just 51 games last season. Injuries have prevented Chabot from playing a full season during his seven-year NHL career.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A healthy Chabot will be crucial to the Senators’ playoff hopes this season.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks center Brock Boeser will be taking preventative measures to prevent another blood-clotting issue like the one that caused him to miss Game 7 of his club’s second-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers last spring.

Boeser is now off blood thinners and has resumed contact training. His condition will be carefully monitored, including getting up and moving every hour during flights rather than sleeping and wearing compression socks.

DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Seravalli reports the Seattle Kraken are close to signing Adam Larsson to a four-year contract extension worth between $5 million and $6 million. The 31-year-old defenseman is in the final season of a four-year, $16 million contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the AAV on Larsson’s extension will be $5.25 million. It’s expected to be announced on Tuesday.

NASHVILLE HOCKEY NOW/THE TENNESSEAN: The Predators signed forward Juuso Parssinen to a one-year, one-way contract worth $775K. They also signed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo to a one-year, two-way deal.

DAILY FACEOFF: Goaltender Alexei Kolosov is not expected to attend Philadelphia Flyers training camp. If so, his contract will likely be tolled forward to allow the Flyers to retain Kolosov’s rights at the same details and pay.

TSN: Mike Gartner will succeed Lanny McDonald as Chairman of the Board for the Hockey Hall of Fame after McDonald’s 10-year term limit next June.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2023

by | Nov 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – November 9, 2023

Anze Kopitar reaches a milestone goal as his Kings extend their road wins streak, a four-point night for the Senators’ Tim Stutzle, and the Wild make two trades. Get the details on these and other stories in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar scored his 400th career goal as his club beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 to extend their season-opening road win streak to seven games. Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist while Cam Talbot made 37 saves as the Kings improved to 8-2-2. William Karlsson scored for the Golden Knights (11-2-1) as they’ve lost two straight but remain on top of the overall standings with 23 points.

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kings are road warriors but they’ve won only once (1-2-2) on home ice. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights were without center Chandler Stephenson as he is sidelined with an upper-body injury. He’s expected to miss one more game.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. Tim Stutzle had a goal and three assists, Claude Giroux and Dominik Kubalik each tallied twice and Mathieu Joseph collected three assists for the 5-6-0 Senators. William Nylander had a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening points streak to 13 games but his Leafs dropped to 6-5-2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators were short three regular defensemen for this game with Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub and Erik Brannstrom sidelined. However, it was the Leafs who struggled defensively in this contest.

An overtime goal by Sam Reinhart lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov, Evan Rodrigues and Oliver Ekman-Larsson each had a goal and an assist as the Panthers improved to 7-4-1. Anthony Mantha tallied two goals for the 5-4-2 Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speaking of the Capitals, they placed center Nicklas Backstrom (hip) on long-term injury reserve. He’s taken time away from the team and isn’t expected to return to action this season.

HEADLINES

STARTRIBUNE.COM: The Minnesota Wild made two trades on Wednesday. They shipped defenseman Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for winger Adam Raska and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. They also acquired defenseman Zach Bogosian from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bogosian is in the final season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $850K while Addison is on a one-year deal worth $825K.

The Wild wanted an experienced physical presence on their blueline. They traded away Addison to free up room and salary-cap dollars to take on the 33-year-old Bogosian, who appeared in just four games this season with the Lightning. Raska is a 22-year-old winger with eight games of NHL experience who is likely heading to the Wild’s AHL affiliate.

Addison could use a fresh start after struggling with the Wild over the past two years. The 23-year-old blueliner should get plenty of opportunities to get his NHL career back on track in San Jose.

THE SEATTLE TIMES: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle suffered a deep cut from a skate blade to the upper part of his leg during practice on Wednesday. General manager Ron Francis said Eberle appeared to avoid serious injury but was taken to a hospital for an MRI to determine if there was any tendon damage. The Kraken have called up Shane Wright as an emergency replacement.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Francis believes Eberle “dodged a bullet” but they won’t know for certain until they get the results of the MRI. An update on his condition could be released today.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick joined starter Igor Shesterkin on the “day-to-day” list. They’ve recalled netminders Louis Domingue and Dylan Garland.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers are being cautious with Shesterkin and Quick, who have experienced “soreness” from recent play. Shesterkin participated in an optional practice on Wednesday so he could be ready for their matchup tonight with the Wild.

NHL.COM: League commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld the four-game suspension of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Bruins, forward Morgan Geekie is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Derek Forbort (undisclosed) remains questionable for Thursday’s contest with the New York Islanders.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell cleared waivers yesterday and has been sent to their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield. The Oilers are expected to recall netminder Calvin Pickard.

DAILY FACEOFF: Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton was fined $5,000.00 by the department of player safety for crosschecking New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier on Tuesday.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott is expected to miss some time with an undisclosed injury.

CBS SPORTS: San Jose Sharks defenseman Jacob MacDonald could be out for at least a week with an undisclosed injury.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed forward Andreas Johnsson on waivers to terminate his contract. Johnsson, 28, is expected to return to his native Sweden.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Johnsson tallied a career-best 20 goals and 43 points with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018-19 but never regained those heights again.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

by | Sep 9, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – September 9, 2023

Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville speak at general managers’ meeting, an update on William Nylander’s contract talks, Tim Stutzle talks about Alex DeBrincat’s departure from the Senators, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville spoke Friday at the NHL’s general manager and coaches meeting in Chicago. They were invited by league commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly to address the group but they did not speak to the media.

Bowman and Quenneville have been out of the league since 2021 following an investigation by the Blackhawks over the mishandling of allegations by former player Kyle Beach that he had been sexually abused by former assistant coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. Neither man was suspended by the league but Bettman has stated they need his clearance to return.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Following the meeting, Bettman told reporters that he has no timetable for when Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed to return to the NHL. He also claimed that the duo “voluntarily” attended the GM and coaches meeting. “It wasn’t something that they were told they needed to do,” said Bettman, “ We said if you’d like the opportunity to address the group, you would have it.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It doesn’t appear Bowman and Quenneville will be allowed back to the NHL this season. However, their attendance at this meeting could set the stage for Bettman to give one or both men his blessing to return in the near future.

THE ATHLETIC: After re-signing Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving told Pierre LeBrun that he is focused on getting William Nylander under contract. “Willy is a really important player and a really good player, and we want to get him done too,” said Treliving.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander (NHL Images).

The Leafs GM indicated his intention to hold further talks with the Nylander camp before the upcoming season begins. The winger’s agent, Lewis Gross, told LeBrun that they remain open to getting a deal done.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports earlier this summer claimed negotiations weren’t going well. It’s a promising sign that both sides are still willing to discuss a contract.

Whether they can hammer out a deal remains to be seen. It’s believed Nylander seeks $10 million annually on his next contract. That could prove difficult for the Leafs over the long term with Mitch Marner due for a new deal in 2025.

THE SCORE: Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle didn’t mince words regarding former teammate Alex DeBrincat during a recent appearance on the Sportsnet podcast “32 Thoughts”.

“If he doesn’t want to be there, I don’t want to have to make him be there,” said Stutzle. He went on to say, “If you don’t want to be there, good luck on your way.”

DeBrincat was shipped in July to the Detroit Red Wings following a trade request by his representatives. Stutzle added that he and his teammates wanted DeBrincat to stay, calling him “a great guy, great player.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators are attempting to build a contender based around their young core of talent such as Stutzle who have committed to the club’s long-term plans. They don’t want any unnecessary distractions, including from those who’d prefer playing elsewhere.

OTTAWA SUN: Speaking of the Senators, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the sale of the club to billionaire Michael Andlauer could be done “as early as next week”.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins could go with a “captain-by-committee” this season with three or four alternates rather than naming a team captain. The position is currently vacant following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement in July.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins wouldn’t be the only NHL club to use that format if that’s what they decide to do this season. It can be a good way to determine which player is best suited to fill the role of team captain.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: The Avalanche have invited forward Saku Maenalanen to camp on a professional tryout offer. The 29-year-old winger played 64 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets.

SPORTSNET: On his “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he believes the Seattle Kraken have sorted out prospect center Shane Wright’s eligibility to play for their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley this season. Wright was one game short of the CHL’s cut-off eligibility, meaning he would’ve had to return to the OHL if he didn’t crack the Kraken lineup this season.

TSN: Former NHL players Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner and former NHL executive Brian Burke are among the 2023 inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. They join women’s star Katie King Crowley and official Brian Murphy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the Class of 2023 for this well-deserved honor.

 

 

 

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2023

by | Feb 21, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 21, 2023

The Bruins’ David Pastrnak tallies his 40th goal of the season, the Jets’ Connor Hellebucyk stops 50 shots to beat the Rangers, the three stars of the week are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak scored his 40th and 41st goals of the season in a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Jake DeBrusk also scored and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves for the Bruins (43-8-5) as they opened a nine-point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the overall standings with 91 points. Claude Giroux replied for the Senators as they dropped to 27-25-4 (58 points) and sit six points out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pastrnak is gaining ground on Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid in the race for the Richard Trophy. The Bruins star sits one goal back of McDavid. This is also the third time in the past four seasons that Pastrnak has reached the 40-goal plateau.

The Winnipeg Jets got a 50-save performance by Connor Hellebuyck to defeat the New York Rangers 4-1. Mark Scheifele scored twice while Kyle Connor had a goal and two assists as the Jets improved to 35-21-1 to sit one point out of first place in the Western Conference standings with 71 points. Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers (33-15-9) as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points.

An overtime goal by Carter Verhaeghe lifted the Florida Panthers over the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 despite a 51-save effort by Ducks goalie John Gibson. Matthew Tkachuk collected two assists for the Panthers (29-25-6) as they vaulted over the Pittsburgh Penguins into the final Eastern wild-card spot with 64 points. The Ducks are 17-33-7 on the season.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Brock Nelson gave the New York Islanders a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nelson finished with two goals while Ilya Sorokin kicked out 44 shots for the Islanders as they improved to 29-24-7 and hold the first Eastern wild-card berth with 65 points. Jake Guentzel and Jason Zucker replied for the 27-20-9 Penguins while Tristan Jarry made 28 saves in his first game since Jan. 22.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before the game, the Islanders announced that center Mathew Barzal is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body (knee) injury. He’s expected to return before the end of the regular season.

San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer stopped 26 shots to shut out the Seattle Kraken 4-0 in his first start since Jan. 27. Erik Karlsson and Logan Couture each collected two points for the 18-29-11 Sharks. The loss leaves the Kraken (32-19-6) sitting in third place in the Pacific Division with 70 points, one behind the second-place Los Angeles Kings and two back of the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.

The Philadelphia Flyers upset the Calgary Flames 4-3. Wade Allison snapped a 3-3 tie in the third period while Samuel Ersson picked up the win with 32 saves as the 23-25-10 Flyers (56 points) sit eight points out of the final Eastern wild-card berth. Andrew Mangiapane and Mikael Backlund each had a goal and an assist as the Flames sank to 26-20-11 (63 points) to sit two points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flyers leading scorer Travis Konecny left this game in the second period with an upper-body injury. There was no update regarding his condition following the game. Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim was a healthy scratch from this contest.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin as the three stars for the week ending Feb. 19.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights reportedly placed captain Mark Stone (back) on long-term injury reserve. The move gives the Golden Knights a projected $8.7 million in trade deadline cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This move suggests Stone is likely out for the remainder of the regular season but could return for the playoffs. It’s also an indication that the Golden Knights are preparing to bring in his replacement before the March 3 trade deadline.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette is hoping that Alex Ovechkin returns to the lineup later this week. Ovechkin is away from the roster indefinitely dealing with the recent death of his father. The Capitals have lost four straight games, three of those without their captain.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: The Blues have activated defenseman Marco Scandella off injured reserve for Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. They also activated defenseman Scott Perunovich off LTIR and sent him to their AHL affiliate in Springfield for conditioning.

MONTREAL GAZETTE: Defenseman Chris Wideman is the latest Canadien to be sidelined after suffering an upper-body injury during the club’s recent skills competition.