Monthly Archives: April 2018
NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 2, 2018
Gibson under evaluation after leaving game vs. Avalanche
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson was forced from Sunday's game versus the Colorado Avalanche and is under evaluation, the team announced.
Ryan Miller entered the contest in relief for Gibson, who appeared shaken up after a collision with Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog.
There's no word on the specifics of the injury. Gibson has been banged up over the course of the season, and losing him for the final stretch would be a major blow to the Ducks, who entered Sunday's game one point clear of the Avalanche in the Western Conference wild-card race.
Gibson has been the Ducks' most valuable player this season, posting a .926 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average across 59 starts.
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Capitals top Penguins to clinch 3rd straight Metropolitan Division crown
On the strength of a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday evening, the Washington Capitals clinched top spot in the Metropolitan Division for the third consecutive season.
The victory also pushed the Caps over the 100-point barrier, marking the seventh time they've reached the feat since 2008-09.
After back-to-back Presidents' Trophy campaigns - and back-to-back second-round playoff exits at the hands of the Penguins - many expected the Caps to take a step back this season, especially after losing several key contributors in free agency.
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Stamkos exits vs. Predators with lower-body injury
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos exited Sunday's game versus the Nashville Predators and will not return after suffering a lower-body injury, the team announced.
There's no indication on what forced Stamkos from the contest, but he was sidelined for Monday's game versus the Arizona Coyotes with a lower-body ailment that head coach John Cooper said was nothing to be concerned about.
After missing the majority of the 2016-17 season with a knee injury, Stamkos has rebounded this year to record 86 points in 77 games.
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Report: Suter out indefinitely with fractured fibula
The Minnesota Wild have been dealt a massive blow as they inch toward the playoffs, as stalwart defenseman Ryan Suter is out indefinitely after suffering a fractured fibula, a source told Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune.
Suter was injured in Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, and joins top-pairing partner Jared Spurgeon on the sideline, as the latter is still recovering from a torn hamstring.
As a result of the injuries, the club announced it has recalled 23-year-old blue-liner Carson Soucy from the AHL.
In 78 games this season, the 33-year-old Suter has averaged 26:47 of ice time per contest, while matching a career high with 51 points.
The Wild currently sit third in the Central Division with 96 points and four games remaining on the schedule.
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Bruins hopeful Rick Nash will return prior to playoffs
Rick Nash has missed the last eight games, but the Boston Bruins are optimistic he'll suit up for them before the playoffs begin.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy said Sunday that there's hope Nash will play in at least one of the team's four remaining regular-season contests, according to Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston.
The veteran forward has been sidelined since March 19 as he recovers from an upper-body injury. The Bruins have not given a timeline on when Nash could return to the lineup.
The injury has limited Nash to just 11 games since Boston acquired him at the trade deadline. The 33-year-old has tallied three goals and three assists in those appearances.
The Bruins sent forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey, defenseman Ryan Lindgren, and two draft picks, including their 2018 first-rounder, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Nash.
Across 60 games this season, Nash has picked up 18 goals and 10 assists.
Nash can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
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Lightning sign 2017 first-rounder Foote
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed 2017 first-round pick Cal Foote to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.
Selected 14th overall in last year's draft, the defenseman has spent the past three seasons with the WHL's Kelowna Rockets. This year, his offensive game reached the next level, as he's tallied 70 points through 60 games.
Foote is the son of former Colorado Avalanche blue-liner Adam Foote. Cal's brother, Nolan, is a projected top pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
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McDavid named NHL’s 1st star for March as Hart Trophy race intensifies
Connor McDavid, Brad Marchand, and John Gibson each had a memorable month of March.
McDavid, the NHL's first star of the month, recorded 13 goals and 15 assists across 16 games, propelling him to first place in the Art Ross Trophy race as the NHL's top scorer. The Edmonton Oilers' captain has tallied 103 points on the season, good for a six-point lead over Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
Marchand was named the NHL's second star of the month after notching 26 points in 15 games. That included a five-point outing against the Detroit Red Wings in which Marchand notched a hat trick. The Boston Bruins winger has 84 points in 63 games this season.
In 13 March appearances, Gibson recorded nine wins alongside a .931 save percentage and three shutouts. The Anaheim Ducks goaltender has posted a 31-18-7 showing on the season, while his .926 save rate ranks fifth in the NHL.
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Bruins’ Riley Nash needed more than 40 stitches after taking puck to ear
Hockey players are tough.
While facing the Florida Panthers on Saturday, an errant point shot left Boston Bruins forward Riley Nash requiring more than 40 stitches after taking a puck to the ear.
"He's in a lot of discomfort, so he's out today," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters prior to Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. "Going forward, hopefully there is no more damage than that. Right now, he would have a tough time getting his helmet on his head."
The possibility remains that Nash could join the team for its upcoming Florida road trip.
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