Recaps of Tuesday’s games plus the latest on Auston Matthews, Tage Thompson, Timo Meier, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks got a 32-save shutout from Kevin Lankinen to blank the Boston Bruins 2-0. Jake DeBrusk tallied the winning goal in his first game against his former club since signing with the Canucks this summer. Connor Garland had a goal and an assist for the Canucks. Jeremy Swayman made 13 saves for the Bruins as they suffered their first loss under interim coach Joe Sacco.
Vancouver Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins have tightened up defensively in their three games under Sacco (2-1-0) but they’ve managed only three goals during that stretch. Meanwhile, Canucks winger Brock Boeser was held scoreless in his return to action after missing seven games with a concussion.
An overtime goal by Mikhail Sergachev lifted the Utah Hockey Club to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain scored in regulation for Utah while Jayden Struble and Alex Newhook tallied for the Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. The Habs also announced Patrik Laine will accompany them on their upcoming three-game road trip as he works his way back from a sprained knee.
HEADLINES
TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was a full-practice participant on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since Nov. 3 with an upper-body injury.
BUFFALO HOCKEY NOW: Sabres center Tage Thompson is expected to be in the lineup when his club faces off against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. He missed the last five games with a lower-body injury.
NHL.COM: New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier received a one-game suspension for cross-checking Nashville Predators forward Zachary L’Heureux on Monday.
SPORTSNET: The Ottawa Senators placed defenseman Artem Zub (fractured foot) on long-term injury reserve and called up defenseman Donovan Sebrango from their AHL affiliate in Belleville.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The move enables the Senators to exceed the $88 million salary cap by over $3.7 million. They could use that space to pursue a replacement for Zub via the trade market, but if he returns to the lineup before the end of this season, they would have to be cap-compliant.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is listed as day-to-day with a concussion. He won’t play in Wednesday’s game against the New York Rangers but could return during the weekend.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen is sidelined for eight to 12 weeks recovering from knee surgery. There’s speculation the Hurricanes are shopping around for goaltending depth. I’ll have more in today’s Rumor Mill.
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger will miss Wednesday’s game against the Canadiens with an upper-body injury.
THE SCORE: The San Jose Sharks assigned goaltender Yaroslav Askarov to their AHL affiliate as veteran netminder Vitek Vanecek returns from an upper-body injury.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins placed winger Valtteri Puustinen on waivers. He was a healthy scratch in 13 of the Penguins’ 23 games this season.