The Vancouver Canucks are officially 10 games into their 2026–27 season. Since starting the year with a 6–5 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers on September 29, Vancouver has posted a record of 2–7–1, most recently taking a 4–2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Here are 10 takeaways from their first 10 games of the 2026–27 season. 

After A Slow Start, The PK Has Started To Click 

Vancouver’s penalty-kill had a horrendous start to the season, clicking at a success rate of only 52% before going perfect against the New York Islanders for the first time in a single game this season. They’ve only surrendered one power-play goal-against since — on Saturday against Tampa Bay. The big change Vancouver made is in their personnel, with their current main unit featuring Drew O’Connor, Filip Hronek, and Elias Pettersson (both the forward and defenceman). Speaking of Pettersson . . . 

2026–27 Is Starting To Seem Like The Year Of Elias Pettersson 

Both Petterssons have had impressive starts to their respective 2026–27 seasons. The forward has looked noticeably more physically engaged through the first few games of the year, has helped drive play as a member of Vancouver’s top line alongside Jake DeBrusk and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and currently leads his team in points with 10 in 10 games. 

Pettersson, the defenceman, has arguably been the Canucks’ most impressive player to start the 2026–27 season. Both his offensive and defensive game have looked much more solid compared to the slow stretches he experienced last year, to the point where he’s even received a promotion to Vancouver’s top pairing beside Hronek. He’s played over 20 minutes in three of his past four games.  

Meriläinen’s Making His Mark 

If Pettersson isn’t Vancouver’s most impressive player after the first 10 games, the honour has to go to Leevi Meriläinen. The goaltender, picked up off waivers by the Canucks ahead of the start of the regular season, has impressed in every game he’s played in. Three of his four starts on the season have seen him record a save-percentage of .920% or higher. Vancouver’s close scores in losses have often been due to his play. 

Early Struggles On Defence 

Vancouver’s defenders haven’t had the greatest start to the 2026–27 season, both individually and collectively. Hronek’s decision-making has raised questions early, Zeev Buium hasn’t quite demonstrated the level of flair that’s been expected of him, and rotations have seen veterans Jamie Oleksiak and Luke Schenn get subbed-out for Victor Mancini and Guillaume Brisebois. It’s early, so these struggles may not be read into too-much, but they’re definitely things to keep an eye on moving forward. 

Speed Is A Priority 

The deployment of Max Sasson and changes in Vancouver’s roster have shown that speed is a priority for the organization and Head Coach Manny Malhotra. What’s made this even more apparent is the Canucks’ deal sending Aatu Räty to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr. While Räty may have had the makings of a third-line centre at the NHL level, his developing footspeed ultimately didn’t appear to fit Vancouver’s trajectory moving forward. 

The Goals Came Early, But They’re Drying Up Quickly 

One of the positives about Vancouver early on was that they didn’t have much trouble finding the back of the net. They currently sit tied for eighth in the NHL in goals-for with 30. Five of their skaters have scored three or more goals, with Paul Cotter leading the team with four tallies after his four-goal campaign through the first four games of the season. That said, their goals-for stats are significantly inflated by their 6–5 overtime win and 9–7 loss to the Oilers at the beginning of the year — they haven’t scored more than two goals since. 

Lekkerimäki’s Hot Start  

Jonathan Lekkerimäki has taken strides since the 2025–26 season. The forward, who had question marks surrounding his trajectory during the off-season, has turned it on since the start of the year. He’s looked more confident with the puck, making good plays that have helped his team generate more offence. Lekkerimäki is currently tied with Hronek for the fifth-most points by a Canucks skater this season. 

Not Every Loss Has Been Negative

While it is true that eight of Vancouver’s 10 games have resulted in losses, not all of these efforts have been fully negative. For the most part, the Canucks’ losses have featured fair comeback efforts, such as their strong second period against the Islanders or three-goal stunner against the Oilers. As a whole, their effort level has been consistent.   

Leaders Don’t Need Letters

The Canucks named six assistant captains ahead of the 2026–27 season — Pettersson, Buium, and Brock Boeser on the road, and O’Connor, Hronek, and Linus Karlsson at home — though leadership in the room stems past these players. The on and off-ice actions of the rest of the team have proven that Vancouver’s leaders aren’t just the players with letters on their jerseys. Veterans like Schenn and Brendan Gallagher have led the way in aspects such as off-ice habits, while young players like defenceman Pettersson have shown an edge in defending their teammates. 

There’s No Question The Canucks Are In A Rebuild

As a whole, through their first 10 games of the season, Vancouver has demonstrated that they’re very much still a rebuilding team compared to the rest of the NHL. Despite strong-effort performances, such as their 3–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, they’ve still looked vastly outmatched. Given how many expect this team to perform this year, that’s not a bad thing. As long as Vancouver shows that they’re learning and developing throughout the year, the results in the standings won’t matter as much. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the road to face the Minnesota Wild tonight at 6:00 PM.   

Minnesota Wild - 5-2-1 - 11 Points - Won 1 - 3rd in the Central 

Columbus Blue Jackets - 3-3-0 - 6 Points - Won 1 - 7th in the Metro

Player Notes Per CBJ PR

• Adam Fantilli has notched 2-1-3 in six career matchups against the Wild and posted 1-1-2 in his last trip to St. Paul.
• Matthew Knies has 2-1-3 in five career games against Minnesota, with points in his last two outings (1-1-2) as well as goals in two of his three games at Grand Casino Arena.
• Valeri Nichushkin has collected 6-8-14 in 34 career contests vs. Minnesota, including a two-assist effort in his last game in St. Paul, and has 2-4-6 in his last 5 on the road against the club.
• Zach Werenski has tallied 7-4-11 in 15 career matchups with the Wild, who scored twice in the club’s last game and collected 3-2-5 during the 2025-26 season series. Also has points in six of his past nine overall (6-3-9).

Blue Jackets Stats 

• Power Play - 13.3% - 27th in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 66.7% - 29th in the NHL
• Goals For - 16 - 29th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 21 - 8th in the NHL   

Wild Stats 

• Power Play - 33.3% - 2nd in the NHL
• Penalty Kill - 88.5% - 5th in the NHL
• Goals For - 26 - 16th in the NHL
• Goals Against - 20 - 4th in the NHL

Series History vs. TheWild   

• The Blue Jackets are 33-29-1-7 overall, and 14-17-0-5 on the road in Minnesota.
• Columbus has earned points in four of its past five trips to Minnesota (2-1-2) and in 12 of the past 18 games played at Grand Casino Arena since the 2010-11 season (10-6-2).
• The previous meeting between the clubs in St. Paul on Oct. 11, 2025, saw the most combined goals, as well as the most scored by Columbus, on the road in the all-time series after a 7-4 Blue Jackets win.
• Columbus has scored on the power play in each of its last three appearances at Grand Casino Arena (3-for-9, 33.3 pct.).
• The teams have combined for seven-plus goals in four of the last six overall.

Who To Watch For TheWild   

• Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 9 goals and 14 points. 
• Quinn Hughes leads the Wild with 10 assists. 
• Goalie Jesper Wallstedt is 5-1-1 with a SV% of .921. 
• Calvin Pickard is 0-1-0 with a SV% of .800. His last start was October 13th. 

Injured Reserve & Other Injuries

• Dante Fabbro - Broken Hand - IR - 6 Games Missed
• Isac Lundestrom - Achilles Surgery - LTIR - 6 Games Missed
• Ivan Provorov - Lower Body - IR - 6 Games Missed

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 22

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be simulcast on The Blue Jackets Hockey Network and 97.1 The Fan, with Steve Mears behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

TV: CBJHN (Spectrum HD Ch. 320/1320; IP Ch. 349; Prime Video, Fubo)   

Next Up For Columbus: The CBJ take on the Minnesota Wild tonight at 6:00 PM.

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The Los Angeles Kings are stinking up the show.

Usually, that means you're doing something right. Well, not in this case. They're stinking up the show in the worst way possible. And what's worse than being the only team left in the NHL that has yet to win a game? It can't get much worse than that.

It doesn't matter if this team outshoots its opponent by 20 or more shots. Somehow, someway, the Kings will find a way to lose.

Tuesday was a perfect example. The Edmonton Oilers defeated Los Angeles 4-1 despite putting just 16 shots on net. The Kings, meanwhile, fired 40 shots at the opposing goal and came away with — you guessed it — one goal.

Apparently, 40 shots still aren't enough when you can't figure out how to beat a goaltender.

At the other end of the ice, Darcy Kuemper — the supposed starting goaltender, although that title is becoming increasingly difficult to justify — was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on seven shots. Three goals. Seven shots. Do the math.

Peter Laviolette turned to Anton Forsberg, the goaltender who helped make this team look at least halfway competent during last year's playoffs. Forsberg stopped all nine shots he faced in relief, but it didn't matter. The offense gave him virtually nothing to work with, and the Kings went on to lose 4-1.

Then came Saturday, with the Kings back in front of their home fans and desperately searching for something — anything — resembling a breakthrough.

At least Laviolette got one decision right. Forsberg got the start.

He stopped 24 of 26 shots, but Los Angeles still lost 4-1. Alex Laferriere scored the Kings' lone goal against Jeremy Swayman, and that was about as exciting as things got for the home side.

Another game. Another loss. Six straight now.

And before anyone wants to point out the two overtime losses, let me make something perfectly clear: if it's not a win, it's a loss. Collecting a point here and there doesn't change the fact that this team still hasn't figured out how to finish the job.

The Kings are an absolute mess right now. They can't score, they can't find consistency in net, and they keep giving their fans reasons to wonder what, exactly, is supposed to change.

Speaking of consistency, Kuemper has been about as reliable as Katie Zacharia's statements about her legal background.

So, who exactly is the starting goaltender in Los Angeles? The guy carrying a 4.53 goals-against average, or the one sitting at 2.63?

Because if the Kings actually want to give themselves a chance to win hockey games, Forsberg should be getting the call. If they want to keep rolling out Kuemper simply because he's the more expensive option, well, by all means, keep doing what you're doing. It's clearly working wonders.

Kuemper makes $5.25 million a year. Forsberg makes $2.25 million. That's a $3 million difference, and right now, the cheaper option looks like the better bet between the pipes.

Of course, a goaltending change isn't going to magically fix everything. That's the other problem here.

The Kings can't score to save their lives.

And Saturday's loss to Boston might have been the perfect summary of just how bad things have gotten in Los Angeles.

The Bruins won 4-1, with two of those goals coming into an empty net. That's right. Two empty-net goals. Laviolette was so desperate to get something going offensively that he was willing to pull his goaltender and give Boston a free shot at an empty cage just for the chance of getting another goal on the other end.

And what did the Kings get for that gamble?

Absolutely nothing.

Los Angeles was willing to risk giving up easy goals just to generate some offense, and it still couldn't make anything happen. That's how desperate things have become. When you're pulling your goalie because you need goals that badly, you'd better have an offense capable of making the gamble worthwhile. The Kings didn't. Instead, they gave Boston two empty-netters and went home with another loss.

At some point, you have to wonder what Laviolette is supposed to do with this group. He can change the goaltender, pull his goalie, shuffle the lineup, or cross his fingers and hope something finally clicks. But none of it matters if his team can't finish its chances.

You could give this team 40 shots every night, and it wouldn't mean a thing if they can't turn those chances into goals. Outshooting an opponent by 24 and still losing by three isn't just frustrating. It's a glaring warning sign.

The goaltending situation is a problem. The lack of offense is a problem. And the inability to turn promising performances into wins is an even bigger one.

The Kings aren't just losing games right now. They're running out of answers.

Six games into a winless start, there needs to be some accountability in Los Angeles. You can't keep pointing to shot totals as evidence that things are going well when the scoreboard keeps telling a completely different story.

At some point, the excuses have to stop.

Because right now, the Los Angeles Kings aren't just stinking up the show.

They're making a mess of it.

Former Colorado Avalanche forward Jack Drury scored his first goal with the Nashville Predators on Saturday, helping his new team pick up a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Drury found the net 8:14 into the third period after Predators captain Roman Josi sent a pass across the ice to him in front of the net. Drury got the shot past Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington to add to Nashville's lead.

GOAL For NASHVILLE: Jack Drury scores his first Predators goal to extend the lead to 5-2. pic.twitter.com/1hUY4cqPf4

— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) October 18, 2026

Drury spent the last season and a half with Colorado after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes in January 2025. He was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina, with Martin Necas and Drury heading to the Avalanche in return.

He played 33 regular-season games with Colorado after the trade, scoring five goals and adding four assists. Drury also appeared in all seven of the Avalanche's playoff games that spring before they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars.

Drury remained with Colorado for the entire 2025-26 season, playing in all 82 regular-season games. He scored 10 goals and recorded 17 assists, setting a career high in goals. His 27 points also matched his previous career best. Despite being a regular part of the lineup, his time with the Avalanche came to an end in the offseason.

Colorado reportedly wanted to bring Drury back, but the two sides couldn't agree on a contract. Drury was looking for a higher salary than the Avalanche were willing to pay for a fourth-line center, and the team ultimately moved on. Nashville acquired him in exchange for Zachary L'Heureux and Fedor Svechkov before signing him to a five-year, $22.5 million contract on June 28.

Drury had also shown he could contribute in the postseason during his time with Colorado. Across 13 playoff games in his final two seasons with the Avalanche, he recorded three goals and two assists for five points. One of those goals came shorthanded in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas swept Colorado in the series, ending the Avalanche's playoff run.

Drury's departure also wasn't the only connection between Colorado and Nashville this offseason. The Predators acquired Ross Colton in a separate trade, and the former Avalanche forward scored his first goal with Nashville on Oct. 10 against the Ottawa Senators in a 3-2 shootout loss.

With Drury now on the scoresheet for Nashville, both former Avalanche forwards have found the net with their new team. For Colorado, the trade marked the end of Drury's time with the organization after 115 regular-season games, 15 goals, 21 assists and 36 points.

If there were an end-of-year award for Most Improved Starts, the Vegas Golden Knights would win in a landslide. Last year, they scored first in only 34 of the 82 regular-season games; this season, they’ve scored first in five of ten games.

On Saturday, the Golden Knights didn’t score 25 seconds into the first period like they did on Thursday. No, tonight, they waited until a full minute and six seconds had elapsed before they scored their first of five goals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jack Eichel entered the zone, protected the puck from Declan Carlile, drifted below the goal line, and snuck a pass through Ville Koivunen to Mark Stone. Stone circled out from behind the goal line and waited until two Penguins converged on him, then dropped a return pass to Eichel. Eichel dusted the puck off and threaded a pass for Rasmus Anderson, who drove down into the right circle and beat Sergei Murashov.

No goal 25 seconds in… instead, there’s one 1:07 in. Beautiful primary assist for Jack Eichel in game 700 and Rasmus Andersson walks right in and rips one past Sergei Murashov.

1-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/8K4dLqaeQq

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Golden Knights doubled their lead less than three minutes later. Jack Eichel rushed up ice with a head of steam and threaded a centering pass for Noah Hanifin, who beat Sergei Murashov with a wrister from the left dot.

Yet another great pass from Jack Eichel. Finds Noah Hanifin jumping up and that’s two defensemen with goals.

2-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/KwH0somd4t

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Golden Knights extended their lead on their second power play of the night at 17:46 in the first. Mitch Marner fed Trevor Connelly for a one-timer from the right dot, and Mark Stone lifted his skate off the ice to redirect the puck behind Sergei Murashov. 

Vegas finally cashes in at the end of a really nice power play. Connelly with a blast, Stone the redirection. Officials look at it because Stone redirected it with his skate, but it’s nowhere near a distinct kicking motion so the goal stands.

3-0, VGK pic.twitter.com/VHNAsSYs7l

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Penguins got on the board on the power play at 5:54 in the second period. Sidney Crosby got a piece of Tommy Novak’s shot from the right circle. 

Tommy Novak with a shot from the right dot. Sidney Crosby leads the procession to the bench, so he got a piece of it.

3-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/VVMJoZptcM

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead a minute and 11 seconds later. Trevor Connelly intercepted Sidney Crosby’s pass intended for Kaedan Korczak and got a step on Pittsburgh’s defensemen. Connelly raced into the zone and beat Sergei Murashov top-shelf with Kaedan Korczak draped all over him. 

Penguins have a rush, but Trevor Connelly reads Sidney Crosby like a book, picks him off, takes it back the other way, and goes top-shelf with Kaedan Korczak draped all over him.

4-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/9FWLgYMoGA

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Golden Knights made it a four-goal game at 11:17 in the second. Brayden McNabb faked a shot, faked another, and slid a pass to Shea Theodore. Theodore ripped a one-timer past Sergei Murashov for his second goal of the year.

Make that three defensemen with a goal. McNabb to Theodore and this is a four-goal game.

5-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/HnKjI4LYY1

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 18, 2026

The Penguins got on the board again at 4:43 in the third period. Tommy Novak dangled through the zone and got his own rebound after Adin Hill made the save. Novak flipped the puck into the crease; the Penguins crashed the net and banged it in. 

Down three, the Penguins pulled the goaltender for the extra attacker with 2:29 in regulation. Mere moments later, the Golden Knights forced a turnover, and William Karlsson chipped a pass out of the zone to spring Brett Howden on a rush up ice. Kris Letang hauled Howden down, and the officials awarded Howden the goal.

Stats of the Knight

Tonight, Jack Eichel skated in his 700th NHL game. He recorded two primary assists.

The Golden Knights scored six goals for the second consecutive game, and for the third time this season.

With a goal and an assist, Trevor Connelly moves into sole possession of the lead in goals (4) and points (7) among all rookies.

Adin Hill made 22 of 24 saves and improved to a 4-0-0 record in the Golden Knights’ 6-2 victory.

Three stars: Mark Stone, Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin

Another Saturday night loss leaves the Los Angeles Kings as the NHL's only winless team. (0-4-2) Los Angeles held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes and played a solid first period, but missed chances and defensive breakdowns led to a 4-1 home win. 

The Kings are now the only winless team remaining after losing to the Boston Bruins. For some perspective, LA didn't lose their sixth game last season until Oct. 25, when they were 3-3-3.

Loss Angeles 😬

The Kings are now the only team in the NHL without a win to their name after their 4-1 defeat to the Bruins pic.twitter.com/V0tPS371uz

— BarDown (@BarDown) October 18, 2026

All things considered, the Kings were on the verge of their first win of the season, but the Bruins capitalized on several missed chances in the clutch by LA. 

Mikey Anderson spoke postgame after losing another disappointing game. 

"We came out good, like we want to at home, and then lost it along the way. It’s on the team. It’s on us.”

If the Kings keep playing this poorly, especially early in the season, where every loss reduces their chances of making the postseason, they should at least decide which direction they're going. 

The home team's anemic offense continued, as they scored one goal again in their fourth straight game. After scoring eight goals in their first two games, the Kings now have just four total goals in their last four games. 

Playing the NHL's slowest, least effective hockey raises the question of whether it's time for the Silver and Black to blow it up and rebuild around young talent. For the last 5-10 seasons, the pattern has been the same: the Kings make or miss the playoffs and go home early in the postseason, with no real success since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. 

The bigger concern for Los Angeles isn't necessarily its six-game winless streak, but the possibility that the organization has reached its ceiling with the current core. Five consecutive first-round playoff exits, multiple coaching changes, and continued offensive struggles have left the Kings searching for answers.

General manager Ken Holland now faces a difficult question: Does he remain patient with a roster built to compete immediately, or begin looking toward the future with younger players such as Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, and Alex Laferriere?

Now, just over two weeks into the season, it couldn't have been a uglier start for a team with high hopes after hiring a new coach and switching to a new system. The Kings entered the season with expectations of improving on last year's terrible run, reaching the playoffs despite being 12 games below .500 and getting swept out. But six games without a victory have already raised serious doubts about whether this roster is capable of competing

If the Kings are going to be this bad for the rest of the season, they should at least have the courtesy to plan ahead for an increasingly impatient, loyal, and passionate fanbase.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

LOS ANGELES — The Kings scored an early goal, 31 seconds into the game, but that didn't change the result. The Bruins were still able to clobber the Kings 4-1.

Alex Laferriere was plugged into the first line to pair with Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin. That move paid dividends for the Kings as they saw quick results early in the game.

“Every time I play with [Kempe and Panarin] we have good energy and good chemistry,” said Laferriere. “Just trying to make it easy for those guys to play the game and just trying to find open ice.”

Within the first minute of the game, Laferriere scored a goal to give the Kings an early lead. This goal allowed Los Angeles to control the tempo and keep the puck in the throughout the first period.

Despite a strong start by the Kings in the first period, it all came crashing down. The Bruins were able to flip the script and take control in the last two periods.

In the second period, David Pastrnak had a breakaway goal for Boston that shifted the momentum. The Bruins pushed the tempo, which allowed them to keep the puck in the Kings' defensive zone.

Los Angeles couldn’t keep up with the tempo, which translated to more penalties for the team. The Kings racked up 21 penalty minutes while the Bruins only had 11minutes in the box.

Heading into the night, the Bruins had 108 penalty minutes, which lead the league.

However, the Kings were so sloppy that they spent more time in the box than the most penalized team.

The Kings gave up a 1-0 lead to a Bruins team that was coming off back-to-back games played. This was a golden opportunity for Los Angeles that only resulted in a disappointing loss.

“We got to take [the loss] with us and stew on it a little bit. It's certainly not where we want to be,” said Coach Laviolette. “I thought the start was really good and on point and then as the second period rolled over it just seemed to tilt the other way. So we've got to be better.”

Six games into the season and the Kings have lost all six of those games. Los Angeles is the only team in the NHL that has yet to secure a victory.

Now the Kings head on a five-game road trip without much momentum on their side. However, this loss to the Bruins could be a turning point for the Kings to pull away some victories.

Even though the Kings lost, the first line change gave the team an energy boost that they desperately needed. The hot start was a sign of how fluently the Kings could play, but they didn’t finish the job. This loss showed the Kings that they needed to execute for 60 minutes, not just the first minute.

Pregame

The Penguins use the same skaters and groupings as last night while swapping in Sergei Murashov in net.

How we're lining up in Las Vegas.#LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/8WgAJHy8Bt

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 18, 2026

First period

Vegas activates defensemen and scores two goals in the first 4:02 of the game to set the tone.

First up it’s Rasmus Andersson jumping in the play and scoring 1:06 into the game.

Pick your spot, Ras 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/mDeLvqXsQe

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 18, 2026

Not long after that Jack Eichel draws all the attention and no one notices Noah Hanifin sneaking into the vacant space. No one except Eichel. 2-0.

The pass from Jack to Hanny is just 🤌 pic.twitter.com/Qhir6QPQIQ

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 18, 2026

The Golden Knights get a power play and try a lot of backdoor plays. It finally pays off, Mark Stone gets his third point of the night redirecting a puck from right in front of Murashov. 3-0.

The Cap has three points in the first period….. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/h8NWvTGl3g

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 18, 2026

Tough period on what’s becoming a tough road trip (and even tough season). Vegas flexes their muscles and get in full control.

Second period

The Pens get their first power play, and brace yourself, they score on it. Tommy Novak shoots, it hits Sidney Crosby in front and is good for goal No. 657 in his career. 3-1 game.

Another spot in the record book.

Sidney Crosby moves into sole possession of 14th-most goals in NHL history 🐐 pic.twitter.com/3yjwgBDxAu

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 18, 2026

Faint hope doesn’t last long, a Crosby pass goes awry and the Golden Knights go off on the rush. Trevor Connelly snipes Murashov. 4-1.

TREVOR CONNELLY LEADS ALL NHL ROOKIES WITH FOUR GOALS 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/XIsrzm1wvz

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 18, 2026

Pittsburgh has a penalty coming and Sam Girard gets tripped and goes heavy into the boards on his arm. The 4v4 trickles away, Vegas wins the puck out of a scrum and feeds Shea Theodore for a big shot. 5-1.

IT'S AN OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMEN KINDA KNIGHT 🤩 pic.twitter.com/PRqIuAvVIm

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 18, 2026

It’s spooky season and this game has been a house of horrors so far.

Third period

Some mild signs of life with 15 minutes to go, Novak shoots the puck and then pokes it around Adin Hill. Both Evgeni Malkin and Ville Koivunen are crashing the net, one of them gets the stick on it to score, apparently Koivunen. 5-2.

Novak ➡️ Malkin ➡️ Koivunen pic.twitter.com/pWUxB70I8r

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 18, 2026

Not long after, Novak sets up Koivunen for a really nice chance, his shot goes just wide of the net and that’s a back-breaker for trying to make a comeback effort.

Penguins pull the goalie, Golden Knights get awarded a goal.

Some thoughts

• Bad game, sad game. Much like last night, the Penguins faced a really good team and it showed. They didn’t come close to measuring it up.
• Not to go all Doc Internet, but the read on Girard didn’t look good at all. He favored his left arm, was on the bench briefly and left for the lockerroom. We’ll see what comes of it but given the velocity he went into the end boards at a tough angle, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’ll be dealing with a serious injury.
• Well, at least the power play scored for the first time in seven games. That’s the most minor of silver linings but could be a bright spot on the confidence meter for those guys moving forward. Didn’t matter much tonight, could be something positive for the future considering how fastly those groups can go from ice cold into a heater.
• After last night, Crosby and Bryan Rust said it wasn’t time to panic. That makes sense from their perspective and I’m not sure that veterans like that ever really would admit to it. And this weekend was tough, playing two legit championship contenders on the road. There’s no shame in dropping it, though it’s a look in the mirror to realize the difference in quality between yourself and a big-time team. The Pens are also 1-5-1 in their last seven. It’s a long year but the results are pretty clear that this team needs to find some answers really quickly.
• Do such answers exist? That might be the trickier question. The Pens aren’t very good defensively, and that’s not reserved to just their goalies or defensemen. Give up three goals tonight to defensemen and that says a lot about the forward positioning and tracking. On the other side, the offense has been tough to come by.

Pittsburgh will look to salvage something out of this ugly road trip on Monday against Utah.

For the past couple of years, the aging Pittsburgh Penguins have had a few veterans linked to trade talks. So, it's nothing new when the concept is brought up. 

But a report from Saturday indicates that they may be gearing up for some actual movement on that front. 

During the Saturday Night Hockey segment on Sportsnet, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas are willing and ready to unload some veterans to open up some opportunity for their younger players.

"Pittsburgh has made it clear that they would move a veteran forward for draft picks or prospects to give their younger players more opportunity as they continue to transition to a younger roster," Friedman said.

The latest Saturday Headlines, courtesy of @FriedgeHNIC 📰 pic.twitter.com/xPkEjbNUqO

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 18, 2026

Of course, Friedman mentioned forwards specifically when this report came out, and at this point, it's just a report. But with the Penguins struggling to start the season at 3-5-1 - and some players in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) lighting up the AHL scoreboard - it makes sense. 

Wingers Avery Hayes (5G, 4A) and Rutger McGroarty (4G, 5A) are tied for third in the AHL in scoring with nine points, with center Atley Calvert (3G, 5A) and right wing Mikhail Ilyin 2G, 5A) right behind them. WBS is 3-2-1 to start the season, and several players - most notably, McGroarty and Hayes - appear ready for the jump to NHL action.

Hayesy stays hot 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SlHik6Bsfj

— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) October 17, 2026

In addition, center Bill Zonnon has three goals and five points, while defenseman Jake Livanavage is point-per-game (1G, 4A in 5GP).

As far as forward trade candidates on the Penguins' roster, wingers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust stand out among the rest. Both have two years left on their current deals that pay $5 million and $5.1 million, respectively, each year, and both are 30-goal scorers. Rust has started well this season with three goals in six games, while Rakell has struggled out the gate with just two assists in nine games. 

While those two would command the best returns on the forward front, players like Tommy Novak, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Connor Dewar might also be names to look out for despite all three signing new contracts with the Penguins prior to this season. Novak's three-year extension worth $4.65 million AAV begins in 2027-28. 

Penguins Former First-Round Pick Suddenly Named Trade CandidateCould the Penguins move on from their former first-round pick?

Justin Brazeau, who is currently on injured reserve and had 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games for the Penguins last season, is another veteran player to watch. 

Although forwards were mentioned specifically, it's also worth noting that 36-year-old defenseman Erik Karlsson - who has nine points in nine games - is in the final year of his contract yet owns a full no-movement clause. 28-year-old blueliner Sam Girard, also in the last year of his contract, has produced a goal and seven points for the Penguins in nine games this season but was injured and did not return during Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Penguins have some organizational depth at both forward and defense readily available in WBS, so it will be interesting to see if any moves are made and how the NHL team performs in the coming weeks. 

Takeaways: Penguins ' Losing Streak Extends To 3 In Messy Loss To VegasThe Pittsburgh Penguins continued a disappointing Western road trip with their third-straight loss Saturday.

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Heading into Game 10 on an almost unfathomable nine-game losing streak, the Philadelphia Flyers, led by the likely suspects, finally got their first win of the season against the Ottawa Senators, holding on for a 3-1 win that was a full team effort.

As has become customary, the Flyers conceded the first goal of the evening, with Drake Batherson converting on a 2-on-1 midway through the second period after a bad pinch by Travis Sanheim left rookie Oliver Bonk back to defend by himself.

However, the Senators' goal didn't leave the Flyers shaken or fazed, and the team just kept playing, as they have been preaching all throughout this nightmare nine-game skid.

Just over three minutes after Batherson's tally, Flyers youngsters Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone answered the bell.

After recovering the puck immediately after a Jamie Drysdale turnover in the slot, Michkov pivoted and fired a pass towards the Ottawa goal, with Martone home on the doorstep to redirect the puck past a helpless Linus Ullmark.

Then, with less than two minutes left in the middle frame, Michkov found the net himself with a power play goal.

On a Martone one-timer rebound, Michkov snuck up to the side of the net and popped the puck into a yawning cage to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

"There's a lot of good passes. I think I got a good shot from the flank, and it was a rebound goal," Martone said after the game. "Not all of them are going to be pretty, so it was nice to see that one go in." 

It was an fascinatingly composted unit for the Flyers that scored the goal, too. David Jiricek had been demoted to the second unit mid-game, while Michkov elected to stay on the ice instead of changing with the first unit.

Then Michkov was rewarded for his gamble, scoring the game-winning goal in the blue paint.

"Well, I mean, it depends," Tocchet said of Michkov's extended shift on the power play. "Like, if he's on the ice and he feels it, and you know that we have possession, you don't want to change. It's a feel thing, I think."

Without confirming or denying that Michkov was supposed to change with the rest of his unit, Tocchet seemed pleased with the final outcome, a game-winning goal delivered by the power play and the Flyers' 21-year-old talisman who has been under the spotlight since Day 1 in Philadelphia,

Flyers observations

The 3-1 win over the Senators on Saturday night was an important one for everyone on the Flyers, but it's fitting that Dan Vladar helped deliver the team's first win of the 2026-27 campaign.

Vladar finished with 25 saves on 26 shots, a .962 save percentage, and 1.33 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.

Every power play goal the Flyers have scored this season has come with David Jiricek on the ice.

Rookie Oliver Bonk continues to impress, and he finished with the fourth-most ice time amongst defensemen (19:12) against Ottawa, trailing only Nick Seeler, Jamie Drysdale, and Travis Sanheim.

Things can change if and when Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York return from injury, but he's earned the right to stay in the NHL until his play suggests otherwise.

Matvei Michkov is currently on pace for a career-high 33 goals.

Despite the breakout performance, Michkov finished Saturday night's win with 14:29 of ice time, slightly below his season average of 14:52.

In Lehigh Valley, prospect Alex Bump has scored in every AHL game he's played in this year, and he's now up to seven goals in just five games.

It will be interesting to see how long the Flyers can avoid bringing him back up to the NHL level, especially with the youngsters getting the party started against Ottawa.

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The Detroit Red Wings found themselves trailing by a 3-1 score in the third period of Saturday night's contest against the visiting San Jose Sharks, one of the NHL's most exciting young, up and coming clubs.

But they didn't wilt, and in the end, they got the last laugh.

Emmitt Finnie and Alex DeBrincat scored third period goals for the Red Wings, while Lucas Raymond scored the only goal in the subsequent shootout, resulting in a 4-3 victory at Little Caesars Arena. 

SHOOTOUT W‼️‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/MuRkkD8jDD

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 18, 2026

With the win, the Red Wings improved their record to 3-3-2 in the early goings of the 2026-27 campaign. 

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It was defenseman Justin Faulk who got the scoring started for the Red Wings, beating former Detroit goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from the point while on the power play. San Jose responded later in the frame with a power play goal of their own from defenseman Dmitry Orlov. 

The Sharks took a 2-1 lead thanks to superstar captain Macklin Celebrini, who capped a three-way passing play with a one-timed blast over the glove of Red Wings goaltender John Gibson following a turnover from William Wallinder.

San Jose then extended their lead to 3-1 early in the third period, striking for the second time with the man-advantage. 

Lucas Raymond Still Feeling Confident Amidst Goal Drought While Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond is still searching for his first goal of the season, the confidence that's made him one of their top forwards hasn't wavered.

But Detroit began fighting their way back into the contest soon afterward. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård sent a perfect shot-pass to a waiting Emmitt Finnie at the side of the net, who had a tap-in for his third goal of the season. 

With Gibson on the bench, it was DeBrincat who once again came through in the clutch for Detroit, roofing a loose puck over Nedeljkovic from the same spot Finnie scored; it was his fifth of the season. 

The Red Wings not only killed off a Sharks power play in overtime, but got the only goal of the subsequent shootout from Raymond, who is still searching for his first official tally of 2026-27. 

DeBrincat and Brandsegg-Nygård were both stopped by Nedeljkovic in the shootout; he finished with 24 saves. Gibson stopped all three Sharks shooters, which included Will Smith, Celebrini, and Stenberg; he finished with 31 saves, the biggest of which was a sprawling two-pad stack on Celebrini late in the first period. 

After playing seven of their first eight games at home, the Red Wings will now embark on a four-game Western road swing, beginning Tuesday night in Seattle against the Kraken; Detroit will look to avenge their 6-3 loss to the Kraken from Oct. 9. 

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MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored his second goal of the game 54 seconds into overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens over the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Saturday night.

Caufield had a breakaway after Josh Norris missed his shot on a 3-on-1 rush. He ripped a shot into the top-left corner, extending his franchise record with his 14th regular-season overtime goal.

Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier also scored while Montreal built a two-goal lead before Buffalo stormed back. Juraj Slafkovsky and Alexandre Carrier added two assists each.

Jacob Fowler stopped 23 shots in his fourth start in five games.

Jack Quinn, Tage Thompson and Norris scored for Buffalo, which fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Canadiens on Tuesday. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 30 saves.

Thompson tied it at 3 with 9:48 remaining in the third period after Josh Doan found him alone at the side of the net to eventually force overtime.

The Sabres went on the power play with 2:17 remaining in regulation after Slafkovsky tripped Jiri Kulich but couldn’t capitalize despite spending the majority of the time in Montreal’s zone.

UP NEXT

Sabres: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Canadiens: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

The Islanders pulled off an impressive 4-1 win in Toronto despite losing two forwards for most of the game, with both Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli limping off to destinations unknown in the first period.

Ritchie was the first to leave, on his first shift, but he was at least able to skate off after an awkward but not high-velocity collision on the far boards. Maccelli’s exit late in the first period looked more concerning, both in how his leg looked as it folded under him and in how he needed help to get off the ice and down the hallway.

After a surprising strong start to his tenure with the Islanders, we’re going to be without our lovable Swedish Meatball for a while.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

Anthony Duclair got the Isles on the board eight minutes into the game, following a good forecheck with a deceptive against-the-grain shot from the slot.

That was the only goal for most of the first two periods, the Isles playing a steady game with a short bench but whiffing on two first-period power plays. Bo Horvat double the lead to 2-0 late in the second off another strong forecheck and a nice move to the slot by Horvat, who ultimately put the rebound of Kyle Palmieri’s shot home. Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled out of the net to stop Palmieri’s shot, so Horvat had an empty cage to enjoy.

But Adam Pelech took a penalty that gave the Leafs a power play and opportunity for life to begin the third period. The Isles survived that penalty kill, only to have Emil Heineman called for a soft, borderline phantom tripping call to immediately put the Leafs back on the power play.

The Isles killed that one, too, despite some hairy moments, but the Leafs got on the board right after it expired with a point shot that took a perfect, fractional deflection off Matthew Schaefer, the post and in.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead in the third, the Isles were not getting any great looks as they went into survival mode. The dangerous-looking Leafs power play had one more chance to get them even when Schaefer took a puck-over-the-glass penalty at 10:10. But the Isles penalty kill held strong, and Simon Holmstrom created breathing room a couple minutes later with a whipped shot from the slot.

Holmstrom would add the empty netter, too, winning a battle behind the Isles net and carrying the puck out to center ice before scoring from the red line.

It’s a satisfying win for the Islanders, adjusting to 10 forwards and picking up three points from their two-game Ontario swing. Ilya Sorokin had 28 saves including 12 in the third period. But those injuries are going to hurt and test the Isles depth.

Up Next

The Islanders return home for another Tuesday-Thursday sequence, hosting the Ducks and Kings before heading out on a three-game Central Division tour.

TORONTO — Zoom in, focus only on Saturday’s outcome and the Islanders gave an excellent accounting of themselves.

They overcame two first-period injuries, played most of the night with 10 forwards, locked things down and retained the lead throughout on the road to take a 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs and three of four available points on a two-game trip through Ontario.

“That was probably our most complete game of the year and our smartest game of the year,” coach Pete DeBoer said. It’s hard to argue with that.

Big picture, though, those two injuries to Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli overshadow the game itself and then some.

The Islanders already have lost Alexander Romanov for the season with a torn ACL. They are already without Mat Barzal, or a timeline for his return, due to lingering issues around his kneecap.

Coach Pete DeBoer reminded everyone Saturday morning that “We don’t have a [Connor] McDavid and [Leon] Draisaitl” — in fact, the Islanders forward group is quite thin on offensive firepower, even at full strength.

But that was before Ritchie left the game after his first shift with an apparent left leg issue after a Nick Blankenburg hit along the neutral zone boards. And it was before Maccelli’s left knee bent the wrong way after Darren Raddysh’s stick got caught in his skate and he had to be helped down the tunnel.

DeBoer said both players would be evaluated upon the team’s return to New York.

To their credit, the Islanders — who had gone up 1-0 on Anthony Duclair’s goal prior to Maccelli’s injury — played airtight hockey in a rough situation to come away with two points.

Bo Horvat put away Kyle Palmieri’s rebound at 18:33 of the second to add a much-needed second goal, but this was mainly a defensive effort.

They held the Maple Leafs without a high-danger chance at 5-on-5 in the third period — Troy Stecher’s goal was a seeing-eye shot from the point — and went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, including a huge kill when Matthew Schaefer took a delay-of-game penalty with 9:50 to go.

Shortly after the Islanders killed it, Bo Horvat found Simon Holmstrom in the slot to extend the lead to 3-1. Holmstrom tacked on an empty-netter to seal it.

“Guys dug deep. They battled. We battled for one another,” Casey Cizikas told The Post. “We did all the right things out there and just kept it as simple as possible.”

Cizikas and the players who started the night as his linemates — the lines became nominal given the injuries — were some of the Islanders’ best players. With Ondrej Palat on the ice, the Islanders out-attempted Toronto by a ridiculous 19-1 margin.

“He’s one of the leaders on our team right now,” Cizikas said.

The Islanders didn’t just end the game with 10 forwards, but the two they were missing represented one-third of their top six, and Maccelli had come into the night tied as their second-leading point-getter.

The Finnish winger was the Islanders’ only free agent signing of the summer to make the roster — they added Logan Stanley after training camp — and had played well above expectations. He’d earned his way onto the top line and impressed everyone with his skill and tenacity.

Ritchie had gotten off to a slower start, but the 21-year-old is one of the players the Islanders have staked their future on. Throwing an injury into the mix is the opposite of what anyone needed.

“Over the course of the season you always encounter [injuries],” Kyle Palmieri told The Post. “Sometimes they unfortunately come in little bunches and you just gotta battle through it.”

The lack of forward depth in the organization now becomes a problem too. Kyle MacLean, a healthy scratch in all eight games this season, can come into the lineup without an issue, but if the Islanders need to call up two forwards, they aren’t flush with options.

Liam Foudy and Pierre Engvall both have plenty of NHL experience but neither did much at training camp or grabbed onto opportunities with the Isles in the past. Mitchell Chaffee does too, and could play as a grinder in the bottom six, but is unlikely to fill an offensive hole. Cole Eiserman is tempting in that sense, but if the Islanders believed he was ready, the Boston University prospect would have made the team out of camp.

With two days before facing Anaheim on Long Island, the Islanders can hope that at least one of the injuries proves not to be as bad as it looked Saturday.

Otherwise, their season just got that much harder.

TORONTO (AP) — Bo Horvat scored the winner and added an assist to help the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Saturday night.

Simon Holmstrom scored twice, the second into an empty net, and Anthony Duclair also connected for New York (4-3-1). Ilya Sorokin made 28 saves.

Colton Sissons replied for Toronto (3-4-2). Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 16 shots for the Maple Leafs. They have dropped three straight games and four of their last five.

The Islanders jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 8:18 of the first period when Duclair took a pass in the slot and changed the angle before firing through a partial screen on Bobrovsky.

Coming off a hat trick Thursday night in a 5-4 home shootout loss to Buffalo, Maple Leafs winger Kirill Marchenko had a couple of chances that Sorokin turned aside in the second.

No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, who was benched for the second half of Thursday’s contest, had an opportunity it late in the second period on a partial breakaway, but fired high and wide. The Islanders raced the other way, with Horvat eventually beating Bobrovsky with 1:27 to go.

Sissons got Toronto — which topped New York 2-1 at Scotiabank Arena on Sept. 30 — within one at 3:54 of the third on a tipped shot through traffic, but Holmstrom restored the two-goal lead with 5:52 to go off Horvat's setup before firing into the empty net with just over two minutes remaining.

The Islanders' Matias Maccelli left in the first period and didn’t return with an apparent lower-body injury. The winger, who spent last season with Toronto, stepped on the stick of defenseman Darren Raddysh and fell awkwardly.

Up next

Islanders: Host Anaheim on Tuesday night

Maple Leafs: Host San Jose on Monday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here