Monthly Archives: February 2018
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2018
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – February 11, 2018
Neuvirth becomes 1st goalie ever to enter game during shootout and win
It probably wasn't how the Philadelphia Flyers drew it up, but despite a goalie change midway through Saturday's shootout against the Arizona Coyotes, they still came away with the win, making some history in the process.
No. 1 goalie Brian Elliott took a stick to the face during Coyotes forward Clayton Keller's shootout attempt and was subsequently taken off the ice as a precaution. Backup netminder Michal Neuvirth was thrust into action in the third round of the shootout and proceeded to lift the Flyers to victory, not allowing a single goal on four attempts.
With the victory, Neuvirth became the first goalie in NHL history to enter during a shootout and win.
Despite taking a stick to his face, Elliott's injury was called a lower-body ailment by the Flyers, who added that he'll be re-evaluated once the team returns to Philadelphia.
With the victory, the Flyers find themselves in third and holding the final playoff spot in the tightening Metropolitan Division with 63 points - only six back of the division-leading Washington Capitals.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canadiens’ Gallagher on Subban: ‘Let him talk about himself all night’
Brendan Gallagher may have shed a little more light on some old friction between P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens.
With Subban and the Nashville Predators in town Saturday to take on the Canadiens - his second game at the Bell Centre since being traded in a June 2016 blockbuster - the blue-liner had a quiet night, as he was held pointless and picked up a minus-one rating. However, a shootout goal by Ryan Ellis was enough to seal the 3-2 victory for the Predators.
While Subban wasn't a factor, his return seemingly irked at least one member of the Canadiens.
"I don't know why you're asking about him," Gallagher told Eric Engels of Sportsnet postgame. "I think he was - you know, they got a lot of good players. I don't know, what was he? Minus-1 in the game? They have a lot of other reasons why we lost tonight. They're a good team. ...
"He was talking, doing what he does. But, like I said, I don't know why we're talking about him. That's kind of what he wants. He came in here and tried to make it about P.K. Subban, which is what he does. ...
"You can let him talk about himself all night."
Just as Gallagher predicted, Subban had something to say postgame, too.
"I didn't see a smile from (Gallagher) tonight, to be honest with you," Subban told Engels. "I just saw the blood dripping down his face when he tried to hit me and fell down."
The Predators took both contests against the Canadiens this season, with both wins coming in the shootout.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
3 incredible plays you need to see from Saturday’s early games
NHL players aren't in PyeongChang, South Korea for the Winter Olympics, but a few put in gold-medal efforts in North America on Saturday.
Here are three plays in particular that can't be missed.
Vasilevskiy's trapper triumph
Upon multiple viewings, this behind-the-back glove save by Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy off the stick of Anze Kopitar is no less amazing.
Social media was buzzing after this one, as you'd expect.
Matthews' puck mastery
Nobody seems to be able to fool goalies with his shot more than Auston Matthews, and the Toronto Maple Leafs' superstar center got the better of Ottawa's Craig Anderson after pulling the puck in close and letting loose with an absolute howitzer of a wrist shot.
Stamkos takes it to the bank
On a night when Vincent Lecavalier's number was retired, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos put on a show, highlighted by this slap bank pass that found Alex Killorn, who, fresh out of the penalty box, made no mistake on the breakaway attempt.
Let's end by revisiting that Vasilevskiy save, shall we?
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Watch: Intense line brawl breaks out at ECHL game
Warning: Video contains violent content
A Saturday night ECHL contest ended with a lot more excitement than you might expect from a game between the Toledo Walleye and Kansas City Mavericks.
The two sides came together for a solid melee just past the halfway point of the third period after Mavericks forward Garrett Klotz unleashed a flurry of cross-checks on Walleye winger Al Jenks.
The ECHL doesn't get a ton of attention, but if goalies and full lines of players continue to go at it with this intensity, you might just want to start tuning in - at least when the Walleyes and Mavericks face off.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Maple Leafs’ Marner records 5-point night vs. Sens
Mitch Marner had himself a night.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sophomore notched a career-high five points versus the rival Ottawa Senators on Saturday, as he collected two goals and a trio of assists in the Maple Leafs' 6-3 win.
The total brings Marner to 42 points on the season, and closer to the type of production he saw as a freshman:
Season | GP | G | A | Pts | Pts/GP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016-17 | 77 | 19 | 42 | 61 | 0.79 |
2017-18 | 57 | 12 | 30 | 42 | 0.74 |
After a slow start to the season, Marner has had the hot stick in recent weeks, as he's tallied 10 points in his past eight outings.
The Maple Leafs forward nearly set another career first Saturday, as his first assist came on a deflected goal by James van Riemsdyk, negating Marner of what would have been his first career hat-trick.
Marner is the first Maple Leafs skater to pick up five points in a game since former Toronto blue-liner Tomas Kaberle registered a goal and four assists Oct. 26, 2009 against the Anaheim Ducks.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Rask’s streak of consecutive decisions with at least 1 point ends at 21
Boston Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask's unbelievable streak of 21 consecutive decisions with at least one point ended with Boston's 4-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
Rask has been a major reason for the Bruins' rapid ascent up the Eastern Conference standings over the past two months, as Boston currently finds itself breathing down the necks of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead.
Between Nov. 29 and Feb. 6, the Finnish veteran posted a 19-0-2 record to go along with an absolutely sensational save percentage of .941 and two shutouts.
The Bruins won't have to wait very long for a chance to spark another streak for Rask, as they head to New Jersey on Sunday to take on the sputtering Devils.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Dustin Brown tossed for kneeing Mikhail Sergachev
Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct for this hit on Tampa Bay Lightning rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev on Saturday.
Brown was fined $10,000 on Jan. 19 for cross-checking Pittsburgh's Justin Schultz, and the NHL's Department of Player Safety will likely take a long look at this play as well.
Sergachev was helped off the ice and into the locker room following the hit, but was able to return.
Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.