The Golden Knights go up 2-0 over the Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, plus the latest on Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final with a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2. Carter Hart stopped 29 shots, Jack Eichel tied the game, and Ivan Barbashev tallied the winning and insurance goals for the Golden Knights. Ross Colton scored, and Scott Wedgwood made 22 saves for the Avalanche.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev (NHL Images).
The series shifts to Las Vegas for the next two games with Game 3 on Sunday at 8 pm ET.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Colorado pressed to expand on their 1-0 lead, but Hart shut the door while his teammates frustrated the Avalanche by blocking shots and taking away the shooting lanes. This was the first loss in 46 games this season when the Avs took a lead into the third period.
Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Golden Knights winger Mark Stone remained sidelined with injuries. While both clubs have felt their absences in this series, the Avalanche are truly suffering without Makar on their blueline.
The Avalanche’s top-five scorers (Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Gabriel Landeskog, Devon Toews, and Nazem Kadri) have combined for one goal and three assists in this series. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights’ top scorers (Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Ivan Barbashev, and Brett Howden) combined for five goals and six assists.
THE ATHLETIC: Barry Svrluga looked at why Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin might return for one more season, and why he might not.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin is no longer the dominant force he once was, but he put up a respectable 32 goals and 64 points in 82 games this season, averaging a team-leading 4:29 of power-play time per game. However, his total time on ice per game dropped to a career-low 17:27. He could end up becoming more of a power-play specialist next season as his even-strength ice time continues to decline.
Ovechkin must be honest with himself this offseason. While trying to chase the Stanley Cup one more time may be suitable motivation to return, the physical demands of that long, difficult road will be tough on a player who will be 41 next season.
Time inevitably catches up with all players. It could finally overtake the greatest goal scorer in NHL history next season.
THE ATHLETIC: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he believes the contract talks between Penguins management and teammate Evgeni Malkin are in a good place.
“I’ve just always expected to be playing with him,” Crosby said. “I don’t know. After talking with everyone at the end of the year, it felt like it was in a good place in terms of getting something done.”
Crosby is optimistic, but he stressed that he’s not making assumptions or forecasting what could happen. “I’ve found out many times that doing that can be a bad idea.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby obviously wants his friend and long-time teammate back for one more year. Ultimately, it comes down to what Malkin and Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas are comfortable with for a contract and his role with the club next season. We’ll find out by July 1.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols cited Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon, who admitted there were problems in the club’s dressing room this season.
Appearing on the “Donnie and Dhali Show”, Dillon said there were “a lot of those elephants in the room this year.”
Nichols believes one of those issues involved former GM Tom Fitzgerald’s publicly asking Ondrej Palat and Dougie Hamilton to waive their no-trade clauses amid his failed attempt to acquire Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. Young defenseman Simon Nemec and center Dawson Mercer also surfaced in trade rumors.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nichols believes new GM Sunny Mehta has a big job ahead of him as he attempts to resolve these issues. His efforts will determine whether the Devils can bounce back as a playoff contender next season.
DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL head coach Bob Hartley announced his retirement.
Hartley, 65, spent parts of 13 seasons coaching the Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, and Calgary Flames from 1998-99 to 2015-16. He won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2001 and took home the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year in 2015 as the Flames ended a six-year playoff drought.
Since 2016, Hartley has coached in the KHL and in Switzerland.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: In 944 regular-season NHL games, Hartley has a record of 463 wins, 361 losses, 61 ties, and 59 overtime losses. He’s 35th all-time in wins. In 95 playoff games, his record is 54 wins and 41 losses.