Oct 9, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) is helped off the ice after being injured against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Geoff Burke/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
NEWARK, N.J. — Following an opening night blip, the first week-plus of the New York Rangers was a party at Madison Square Garden and beyond.
The home woes from a year ago felt like a distant memory, franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin scored into an empty net and it was a dream start. It became a nightmare at Washington when Shesterkin went down with a season-ending injury.
Losing that night and getting blown out 7-1 on the road by New Jersey were speed bumps along the way for a team that has won six of its first nine games. Life after Igor will not be easy, though coach Mike Sullivan, captain J.T. Miller and the Rangers believe they have come up with a recipe to succeed even after losing their most important player at hockey’s most important position.
“We’re trying to build a certain identity in how we’re going to play, a style of play,” Sullivan said. “And then, inside of that, every player has a role, making a contribution to that identity to build what we would consider Rangers hockey and what it looks like when we’re at our best.”
The Devils game certainly was not that. As good as Miller was for the first 19 minutes of the first period, his turnover before intermission was the start of a snowball effect that led to Shesterkin’s unlikely successor, Dylan Garand, getting pulled for allowing four goals on 13 shots.
Garand ended training camp third on the organizational depth chart, and the 24-year-old is only still around because none of the NHL’s other 31 teams claimed him off waivers prior to opening night. In his first three appearances before New Jersey, Garand had a league-best 1.15 goals-against average and .951 save percentage and is expected to remain the choice in net until he shows he cannot handle it.
“G knows we’re going to need him here a lot, and he’s a pretty mentally tough guy,” No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox said. “I know he can bounce back. Just kind of said to him forget about it. He knows how important he is to us as a team and what we’re trying to do.”
What the Rangers are trying to do is get back to the playoffs after missing the past two years since a trip to the 2024 Eastern Conference final. Shesterkin’s absence made that a much steeper hill to climb.
“That’s a tough blow for our group,” Sullivan said. “But it doesn’t change what the goal is every day, and I think our guys have done a real good job at just keeping the focus where it needs to be and controlling what we can.”
Sullivan credited the team’s leadership group for not letting the morale dip last too long. Even New York’s youngest player didn’t dwell too long over Shesterkin getting sidelined.
“Injuries are going to happen,” said Alberts Smits, the 18-year-old from Latvia who was the fifth pick in the draft. “I wish all the best for him and for him to recover as fast as he can. But that’s just sports. There’s going to be injuries. We’ve just got to go through them, and we can’t stop right now when something like that happens.”
Alexis Lafrenière has seven goals, Fox nine assists and Mika Zibanejad eight points. But the biggest reason why players believe they can keep this going is defending and keeping the puck out of their own net.
“It’s winning hockey, so if you want to win games, you’re going to give yourself a better chance most nights if you don’t give the other team easy offense,” Miller said. “We get better as the games go on. There’s a commitment 200 feet. It’s a contagious feeling around here coming together as a team, so it’s a nice feeling.”
NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 15: Will Cuylle #50 of the New York Rangers and Johnathan Kovacevic #8 of the New Jersey Devils drop the gloves during a game between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on October 15, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Nico Hischier responds to becoming the third all-time goal scorer in Devils franchise history:
Nico Hischier on becoming No. 3 in franchise goal scoring:
“These things obviously make me a little proud, but I’d rather get a fourth Stanley Cup for this franchise.”
JP Gambatese responded to some early-season knocks on analytics after the Devils started the season without any finish to their game. [Devils Advocates]
Last night was historic on a few levels:
Devils beat the Rangers by 6 goals or more for the first time since March 25th 1987 #NJDevils#NYR
Greg Wyshynski interviewed Sunny Mehta for ESPN, and Mehta took him to task before diving into a mix of fan nostalgia and current team-building philosophy. [ESPN]
The Red Wings scored late in the third period to drop the Flyers to a whopping 0-6-3. The usual from Rick Tocchet: “I liked our start, but they came on a little bit. There are moments in a game when you have to come through, and we’ve been having a tough time of that.” [NHL.com]
Prior to the Red Wings—Flyers matchup, Detroit celebrated the life of Jenny Baumann, the wife of Red Wings trainer Russ Baumann, who passed away after a battle with cancer last weekend:
After Dave Hakstol left the Colorado bench to take the reigns of the Arizona State hockey program, the Avalanche hired Brett McLean as an assistant coach. [NHL.com]
Patrick Kane makes history:
and with that assist, Patrick Kane takes the top spot for 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻-𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 in the NHL ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Y8LyB8OJ9Q
While he was just an outcast from Vancouver a few seasons ago, Vasily Podkolzin has turned into a top-line goal scorer for the Edmonton Oilers this season. [The Hockey Writers]
The NHL has been discussing the future of Frozen Frenzy, as they consider it a success in the United States with room to improve and grow. Cam Neely: “It’s a great concept to have all teams play the same day, although tough for an East Coast team’s fanbase to have an 11:15 p.m. Eastern puck drop. I heard plenty of complaints, for example, from our fans in New England. Maybe think of doing it all day on a Saturday after college football?” [NYT/The Athletic]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
LAS VEGAS - Mark Stone collected the hats. Jack Eichel continued collecting points.
But beneath the star power driving the Vegas Golden Knights’ early success is something coach Ryan Craig considers essential: four lines capable of keeping the game moving in the same direction.
Through nine games, Vegas has received goals from 13 different players, with nine scoring at least twice. Thursday’s 6-2 victory over Calgary lifted its total to 35 goals, an average of 3.89 per game, after entering the night seventh in the NHL at 3.63.
Stone leads Vegas with six goals after his third-period hat trick, while Eichel has five goals and 16 points. Yet the supporting cast has helped the Golden Knights reach 7-2-0 and top the NHL standings.
“When we’re at our best, we’re rolling four lines,” Braeden Bowman said. “We have everybody contributing and doing their thing, and you know when the full team’s going, we’re a pretty tough team to beat.”
Bowman supplied a timely example Thursday.
After Calgary scored shorthanded to cut Vegas’ lead to 2-1, the fourth-line winger converted on the second power-play unit, restoring the two-goal cushion.
“We talk about those kinds of reset shifts all the time,” Craig said. “That was one from the second unit going out there and getting the job done.”
That contribution followed Tuesday’s victory at Nashville, when five different Golden Knights scored. Beyond the leading duo, Tomas Hertl and injured Victor Olofsson have four goals apiece, while rookie Trevor Connelly and Brett Howden have three each. William Karlsson, Mitch Marner and Bowman have two each.
Ivan Barbashev added three assists against Calgary, illustrating that the contributions extend beyond finishing chances.
“Everybody’s stepping up in our team,” Barbashev said. “It’s fun to play right now.”
More Than The Headliners
For Craig, the depth begins with what happens before a scoring opportunity develops. Forwards working back, defensemen moving the puck quickly and connected support allow different combinations to turn defensive stops into attacks.
“The depth of our lineup maybe allows us to do that with whatever line is on the ice,” Craig said.
Bowman embodies that flexibility. Alongside Marc Gatcomb and Nic Dowd, he brings forechecking pressure and dependable defense. His special-teams opportunities expand the ways he can contribute.
“He can play up and down our lineup. He can play on the special teams,” Craig said. “Braeden’s a very responsible, detail-oriented player.”
Stone sees a benefit that reaches well beyond October. Sharing the workload now can help preserve the players Vegas will need most when the season reaches its decisive stretch.
“If you can have your top guys playing 16 to 18 minutes a night and rolling over lines, it’s the formula for us going into that time of year,” Stone said.
“It’s a good thing to have four lines that are ticking.”
The stars remain the headliners, sure, but Vegas’ encouraging development is seeing many teammates help carry the show.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period at Bridgestone Arena.
The New York Islanders continued their inconsistency on Thursday in Canada's capital, as the Ottawa Senators knocked off the Islanders 2-1 in a shootout.
Matias Maccelli scored with 12 seconds left in the first period, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead.
However, Ridley Greig, who was picked using the Islanders' 2020 first-round pick dealt to Ottawa for Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored with under five minutes to go in the second period.
Long Island native Shane Pinto scored the shootout winner, knocking off the Islanders
Semyon Varlamov, in his second start of the season, made 18 saves and played a terrific game.
“He looked like the old Varly, which is great to see, and it’s great for us because we’re going to need him.”
Pete DeBoer on Semyon Varlamov's bounce-back performance against Ottawa.
Cal Ritchie and Anthony Duclair can only look to use it as a learning moment.
It's very easy to forget that Ritchie is still just 21 years old and has only played 79 NHL games in his career. He's still learning the ropes, as much as anyone could, and has had three head coaches in those games (Jared Bednar in COL, Patrick Roy, DeBoer).
"I thought he had an excellent camp," DeBoer said after the Chicago game. "I thought he was great the first two games. I thought he took a step back in the Ranger game, and I talked to him this morning and said, 'I need you to get back to what you were doing because he was becoming a really important part of our group,' and he responded tonight.
"He did a great job, and I'm glad he got rewarded because that's a little while coming. He could have had a couple in the first couple of games."
The easy thing to do is jump to conclusions about what it may or may not mean for Duclair long-term when Mathew Barzal returns.
This isn't that. This is a player DeBoer believes in, and wants to get the very best out of. Sometimes, that means taking a hardline approach in a tight situation.
As for Matthew Kessel, it might even be less about him and his play and more about wanting to maximize Matthew Schaefer's minutes.
Schaefer played over 29 minutes in the shootout loss Thursday, and that meant Kessel's late ice time got sacrificed.
For all three players the takeaway should be simple: Take care of the puck, and don't take unnecessary penalties on the road. In other words, don't put the team in a bad spot.
The Islanders are next in action Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom they lost to begin this season. We'll see if there's any major lineup changes then.
On Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets came close to engineering an epic comeback, but the Chicago Blackhawks held on for their third win of the season, a 4-3 overtime victory.
It was a hard-fought night for the Jets, who were left chasing a Chicago team that has been energized by the recent return of captain Connor Bedard. The boost was already evident Tuesday, when the Blackhawks surprised the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-3 win.
Winnipeg was stunned by Chicago's start as Bedard broke the ice with a power-play goal eight minutes into the game, and Frank Nazar, back in the lineup after serving a two-game suspension, added a goal later on.
The Jets may have found their interim Josh Morrissey replacement in Neal Pionk, who was fresh off a multi-assist game in Winnipeg's 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, he stayed hot with his first goal of the season, a blast from the point. The Blackhawks did not back down, though, scoring their third goal of the period when Ryan Donato netted his second of the season.
Winnipeg was slow to get back into it, but they gradually chipped away, outshooting Chicago 25-12 over the final two periods. Kyle Connor scored Winnipeg's second goal of the game in the second period, and early in the third, Alex Iafallo tied the game at three with his second goal of the season.
Jets fans may remember one of the last times Winnipeg visited Chicago and lost in overtime, when Bedard beat Connor Hellebuyck for the game-winner. Fate repeated itself Thursday. Patrick Kane and Bedard passed the puck back and forth before Bedard dropped it to Artyom Levshunov, and the former second overall pick ripped a shot from the high slot for the winner, repeating history for the Jets in the Windy City.
It was a standout night for Pionk, who recorded his second straight multi-point game and assisted on the two other Jets goals he did not score. Mark Scheifele, Morgan Barron, Isak Rosen and Brad Lambert also recorded assists.
It was the first tough outing of the season for Stuart Skinner, who has been steady for Winnipeg so far. On Thursday, he allowed four goals while stopping 24 of 28 shots in a close game.
The Jets return home Saturday for one of their biggest matchups of the season, an afternoon matinee against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
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The Senators' 2026-27 NHL season is barely underway, but they've already used more defencemen than any other team in the league.
The Senators have dressed 10 different D-men this season, and as of Oct. 16, that's the highest total in the league. The Philadelphia Flyers, who are 0-6-3 and host the Sens on Saturday, are next with nine.
For the Sens, it's a crazy amount of turnover, especially for a team that's in first place in the tough Atlantic Division with a 6-2 record.
The list of defencemen used by the Senators so far includes Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson, Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, Carter Yakemchuk, Nikolas Matinpalo, Cameron Crotty, Hoyt Stanley, Jorian Donovan and Artem Zub.
The Senators began the season without Zub, who was still recovering from an injury suffered last season. Then, in the season opener against Toronto on Oct. 3, they lost Sanderson, their best all-around defenceman and probably their most important player. He'd already been dealing with a nagging lower body injury all through camp.
Losing two of their top three defensemen was a major blow, but the injury problems didn't stop there.
Matinpalo was injured on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils after being hit from behind by Anthony Mantha. It appeared to be a concussion, leaving the Senators without three regular defencemen.
For rookies like Yakemchuk, Stanley and Donovan, the situation has created great opportunities. For Yakemchuk, it's been more ice time and responsibility. For Stanley and Donovan, it's a chance to show they can play in the NHL.
The blue line turnstile has also put extra pressure on Chabot, who's had more than his share of injuries in the past. He's not only returned to the heavy time-on-ice totals of the past, his current 26:59 average is higher than any season in his career.
Zub's welcome return on Thursday shaved two and a half minutes off Chabot's workload against the Islanders, and as Zub played well and got through the game without tweaking anything, the Sens hope this marks the beginning of a healthier stretch.
After all, it's only mid-October, and the Sens have already gone through enough defencemen to fill up nearly two NHL blue lines.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks “3 Standouts From The Game.” In this recurring series, The Hockey News’ Canucks team will do a deep dive into three standouts from Vancouver’s last game. This article will focus on the Canucks’ most recent 3–2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers.
Leevi Meriläinen
Another game, another strong performance from Leevi Meriläinen. Thursday’s game marks the third consecutive matchup he’s played in that saw him face 30+ shots. He’s also, impressively, stopped 30+ shots in each of these three games. In Thursday’s effort, Meriläinen faced a total of 39 shots and stopped 36.
While Vancouver did help him out during the second period, Meriläinen had to be sharp in the first period to help the Canucks build and keep their lead. He stopped all 15 shots faced from Florida during the opening frame, also turning away 10 high-danger chances for the Panthers.
Defenceman Elias Pettersson
Elias Pettersson has been the Canucks’ best defenceman to start the 2026–27 season. On Thursday, he continued to assert that idea. The defenceman scored his third goal of the season, tying himself with Jake DeBrusk and Marco Rossi for the second-most on the team.
Away from the scoresheet, Pettersson has continued to make a positive impact on both sides of the ice. He’s become a staple on Vancouver’s main penalty-killing unit alongside Filip Hronek, also showing that he has developed a better sense for jumping up into the play when needed. It’s clear he has gained Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra’s trust, as he finished last night’s game with the second-highest minutes played for Vancouver with 22:35.
Filip Chytil
Regardless of how he played last night, all eyes were bound to be on Filip Chytil heading into his first matchup of the season. For a player that hasn’t seen a regular-season game situation since the beginning of February, he made a fair impact. Chytil flashed the speed he’s best known for to help his team try and generate some offence, utilizing this to battle for the puck along the boards and feed Pettersson for Vancouver’s second goal of the game.
While there were some moments that saw Chytil cough the puck up or overcomplicate a play, as a whole, he had a strong season debut for Vancouver. His effort saw him log the third-most minutes of Vancouver’s forwards with 18:30, behind only Brock Boeser (22:18) and Elias Pettersson (21:36).
Oct 15, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Leevi Meriläinen (31) makes a save against Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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Kirill Marchenko delivered the kind of night the Maple Leafs envisioned when they acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets just before the season. The 26-year-old scored three times, including a highlight-reel between-the-legs power-play goal, in his 300th NHL game. It was not enough.
The Buffalo Sabres erased a 4-2 deficit with two third-period goals and Owen Power finished it 3:14 into overtime, beating Sergei Bobrovsky for a 5-4 Toronto Maple Leafs loss at Scotiabank Arena. Jack Quinn added two goals and two assists. The Leafs (3-3-2) outshot Buffalo 15-8 in the first period and held a two-goal lead late in the second, yet managed only four shots in the third while the Sabres generated 11. Final shot totals were 34-30 in Buffalo’s favour. Bobrovsky stopped 29 of 34; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 26 saves on 30.
The result left familiar questions about defensive structure, third-period execution, and how the coaching staff can bungle the usage of their No. 1 overall draft pick from the 2026 Draft.
Marchenko’s arrival finally looks the part
Marchenko’s first goal came 13:10 into the opening period on the power play. John Tavares worked the puck from the slot; Marchenko slid it between his own legs and lifted it past Luukkonen. He added a second at 11:13 of the second on a feed from Tavares and completed the hat trick at 16:51 with a one-timer set up by Colton Sissons and Easton Cowan. It was Marchenko’s fifth career hat trick and his first multi-goal game in a Leafs jersey after scoring once in his first seven games following the trade that sent Matthew Knies the other way.
Coach Jim Hiller called the goals “big time” and noted the “dynamism” the Leafs had been waiting on.
“You can’t be that talented and not score,” Hiller said. “So it’s going to come like we saw tonight.”
Marchenko himself described the goals as pure skill and pointed to his long reach. He framed the night as a lesson rather than a celebration.
“You either win, or you have a lesson to learn and get better,” he said. “I think it was a good lesson for us. I think we give up lots of chances, 5-on-5… We still give up a little too much in the third.”
The between-the-legs finish generated the most immediate reaction of the night. As replays of the goal were shown at Scotiabank Arena, the crowd gasped in amazement each time they saw Marchenko put his stick between the legs to score. The sequence also underscored why the organization prioritized him over Knies in the pre-season deal. Early-season shot metrics with Marchenko on the ice had already looked stronger than those without him in several accounts; Thursday provided the finishing touch that had been missing.
Third-period passiveness and the missing shutdown presence
The Leafs led 4-2 with less than four minutes remaining in the second. From roughly the 11-minute mark of the third onward, Hiller said, Buffalo simply started coming and Toronto had no answer.
“We made some mistakes. In those moments, I know it’s hard when you’re on your heels. You just have to be able to have a little poise and somebody to make a play… We just couldn’t make two plays in a row.”
Hiller added that the team has looked more passive in its own zone over the last three or four games than it did earlier in the season. Auston Matthews offered a slightly different view of the process. He thought the Leafs took care of the puck for the most part in the third and that the goals against stemmed from a point shot with traffic and a miscommunication on a three-on-two or three-on-three.
He’s literally in the locker room too, so it’s a big loss for us, definitely,” Marchenko said.
The Leafs dominated the shot share through 40 minutes, including a 66 percent dominance over Buffalo in th second period. The Sabres dominated in the third period with a 78 percent shot share according to NaturalStatTrick.com. Toronto controlled the early share of shots and scoring chances; the third period reversed it. Face-off percentage favoured the Leafs (roughly 56 percent), and they went 1-for-3 on the power play while Buffalo was 0-for-2. Those edges were not enough once Buffalo pushed.
Matthews said the team has to keep playing and that lines will be shuffled, but the concern is obvious. Tavares has been a stabilizing presence and, at times this season, a mentor figure for the younger forwards. His early exit coincided with the period in which Toronto lost its structure.
Tavares started the game on the left wing, a role he had not been slotted in since the 2022-2023 regular season.
McKenna’s limited minutes and the long-term view
Gavin McKenna, the 2026 first-overall pick, played 6:36 and did not see the ice after the midway point of the second period. Hiller said it was his decision. McKenna sat through penalties, the coach did not get him back out before the intermission, and by the third Hiller was unwilling to insert an 18-year-old after such a long layoff.
“I’ll talk to him for sure… I haven’t talked to him yet.”
"That was my decision... I probably should have gotten him out there early in the third."
Jim Hiller addresses Gavin McKenna's ice time in the Maple Leafs' OT loss to the Sabres. pic.twitter.com/sLOJJUeIGx
Hiller described McKenna’s game to that point as “okay” and “fine,” and said he has not seen a pattern of the teenager taking things too personally.
“He’s usually ready to go. There’s been other times I haven’t played him as much… and you know, he’s responded.” Matthews reinforced the message that the group has McKenna’s back and that a night like this can make him hungrier.
The ice-time decision and explantion was puzzling. In the broader context of an 18-year-old getting his first regular NHL minutes, the episode is one data point. Hiller’s stated comfort with McKenna’s maturity and the plan to speak with him directly suggest the organization is treating it as a manageable moment rather than a larger issue.
As a coach, do you talk to him about that?
“Yeah, yeah. I'll talk to him for sure. Yeah, but I haven't talked to him yet.”
This type of mistake so early puts the confidence of the head coach into question. How do you forget about one of your more talented players. When Tavares got hurt, it should have been an easy call. The Leafs looked tired on this night, having just flown home from Utah the day before. Perhaps you could use the young energy.
McKenna, despite being requested, was not made available for comment due to a team decision. His thoughts on this won’t be known until Saturday when the club host the New York Islanders.
What the night revealed
The Leafs have the talent offensively and it’s certainly been their strength. But they have issues on the back end. Outside of Darren Raddysh, the rest of the defense looked tired and slow and couldn’t lock it down when needed. Toronto has offense. Scoring four goals should be enough to win the game. And given McKenna was on the bench to watch most of it, just forgetting about putting the player out there is inexcusable unless he was covering for some other undisclosed reason.
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The Philadelphia Flyers are already off to the worst, and worsening, start in franchise history, stumbling to an 0-6-3 record through their first nine games, and with one more loss to add to the streak, head coach Rick Tocchet will make an unenviable piece of NHL history.
Ten-game losing streaks aren't something Tocchet has never experienced before. Back in the 2017-18 season with the Arizona Coyotes, Tocchet guided the club to an 0-9-1 start through their first 10 games, and they finished the season 29-41-12.
Nine other groups also achieved the feat over the years; Arizona under Andre Tourigny did it again in 2021, and San Jose, under David Quinn, was the most recent team to start a season winless through 10 games, going 0-9-1 back in 2023.
San Jose's reward for a grim 19-54-9 season was Macklin Celebrini in the 2024 draft, but that's besides the point here.
On Saturday night, the Flyers will host the 6-2-0 Ottawa Senators, and with a 10th consecutive loss, Rick Tocchet would become the only coach in NHL history to lose 10 or more games to start a season twice.
The Flyers' previous franchise-long six-game slide to start a season has already been shattered, so the Flyers by extension would be the latest franchise to continue that slide into the double-digits.
Arizona, as mentioned above, has started a season with 10 straight losses twice, as have the Sharks. The only other franchises to have done so in the history of the NHL would be the Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
You'll notice that several of those franchises no longer exist, a testament to how truly unprecedented the Flyers' losing streak is.
Further to that point, a 10-game losing streak has only happened four times since the start of the 2000s, and only three times since 2002.
Any way we slice it, the Flyers and Tocchet are on the verge of cementing themselves in the historically bad section of NHL history, barring a major turnaround that sees them scrap away a win against a vastly superior opponent on Saturday night.
Multiple reports over the last week have indicated that Tocchet's job with the Flyers is safe, but many coaches, over the years, have been dismissed for less, and it's a situation worth monitoring, especially if things continue to get worse before they get better.
DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 4: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins takes a shot on goal against Scott Wedgewood #41 of the Colorado Avalanche in the third period at Ball Arena on March 4, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (3-3-1, 7 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division) @ Colorado Avalanche (4-2-1, 9 points, 3rd place Central Division)
When: 9 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally televised game on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and ALT, KTVD, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The road trip picks up the pace with a game tomorrow night in Vegas, followed by a trip to Utah for Monday night. After that, the Pens return home for the next three games (starting with a visit by Florida to Pittsburgh on Thursday Oct 22).
Opponent Track: This is the third game in four days for the Avs, after a back-to-back with Dallas. Colorado won the first leg of that Tuesday night in Dallas, then fell in a shootout at home. After today comes a two-day break and a trip east to play in Philadelphia on Monday.
Season Series: This is the first of two matchups, the two teams will meet in Pittsburgh on January 12th.
Hidden Stat: Pittsburgh has points in four of its last six trips to Ball Arena (3-2-1), per Pens PR.
Getting to know the Avalanche
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri
Jaden Schwartz – Fedor Svechkov – T.J Hughes
Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley
DEFENSEMEN
Devon Toews / Cale Makar
Brett Kulak / Sam Malinski
Josh Manson / Brent Burns
Noah Juulsen
Goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood
Potential scratches: Nicolas Roy (lower body injury), Zachary L’Hereux (upper body injury)
Injured Reserve: Logan O’Connor
The Avalanche played an 11 forward/7 defense lineup last game due to a pair of injuries up front. They do have the cap and roster space to call-up an AHL forward if they want or need to if those injuries linger.
Interesting to see the changes made by Colorado in recent years. They’ve lost a few pieces, most notably Mikko Rantanen. However, as a win-now type of team, they’ve loaded up to grab Nelson and Necas, re-acquire Kadri, fill out the depth with Schwartz, Kulak, Burns and Roy.
Overall, the team only has eight players remaining from their 2022 Cup team (MacKinnon, Kadri, Makar, Toews Landeskog, O’Connor, Lehkonen, Manson). A lot of those players are the foundation to build a contender on, now the question becomes whether they’ve built up enough around it to win again in the primes of MacKinnon+Makar. To draw a Penguin parallel, this period for Colorado now isn’t dissimilar to the 2010-15 era for Crosby and the Penguins where they failed to replicate championship aspirations following the first title. Is there a second championship act still to go for this core?
One potentially sore spot for that: the Pens’ late glow-up was enhanced by a wave of rising young players (Murray, Guentzel, Rust, Dumoulin, Maatta, Sheary). Colorado doesn’t have that in their organization, only three U-25 players have dressed in the NHL so far this season, and none in particularly key roles. The Avs have deviated and gone the other direction by going very veteran and adding older players ala Nelson, Kadri and Burns, and spending big future assets in some of those cases to get them. Doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong but a curious way to hold up this Avalanche team to where Pittsburgh was at a similar time in the contending lifecycle.
MacKinnon has been a force this season to average almost two points per game, while also dropping the gloves for two fights. MacKinnon’s never won an Art Ross scoring championship (such is the curse of the age of McDavid) but did take the Rocket Richard trophy last year with an NHL-high 53 goals.
Makar missed a game earlier in the week due to the birth of his twins. New dad strength hasn’t been instant, he was held without a point in his return on Wednesday against the Stars.
Until watching a game last week, I completely forgot that the Avs added Schwartz over the summer as a free agent. The 34-year old had been mired in Seattle since that franchise’s inception in 2021, the 2019 Cup winner with St. Louis could be an important depth player for Colorado.
Colorado’s power play is 16th this season, hitting at an even 20.0%. The Avalanche only have three 5v4 goals (and two more scored in 5v3 situations), and they’ve already given up three goals to shorthanded teams. That could be an X-factor for the Pens, where they’ve only given up two goals this season while shorthanded and scored one of their own while down a player.
Even strength has been the area where the Avs have done a ton of damage, already scoring 26 5v5 goals in just seven games. (By comparison, the Pens rank eighth in this category with 18).
Key to the game: Fast start
Colorado, as expected, looks very strong early in the season. Their 31 goals scored in seven games is the second highest-scoring team per game behind Edmonton. Their 58.8% expected goal share at 5v5 is among the highest in the NHL. They are a strong team that can be dominant.
The Penguins only need to look back about seven months to see how to handle all that. The Pens beat Colorado 7-2 in Denver on March 16th in their last trip to the Mile High City. A key: Pittsburgh scored four goals in the first 14 minutes of the game. Before the Avs knew what hit them, the game was out of reach.
It might be a little much to ask for history to repeat itself there, but the lesson to take is trying to stay ahead of the game. Falling behind would be a make an uphill climb even steeper. That’s why a lot of attention will be on Pittsburgh’s top two lines tonight, they need to make an impact and set the tone in this game. If they can do that starting early in the game, you’d have to like the Pens’ chances. If not, it could be a long night.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Andrei Kuzmenko – Ben Kindel – Nick Robertson
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Elmer Soderblom
DEFENSEMEN
Declan Carlile / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kaeden Korczak
Spencer Stastney / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov
Potential Scratches: Hendrix Lapierre, Ville Koivunen and Ryan Johnson
IR: Ryan Graves, Justin Brazeau, Trevor van Riemsdyk
There were some line changes yesterday in practice, Nick Robertson worked his way up to play on Kindel’s line and it looks like Soderblom will be playing for just the third time this season. Koivunen is the odd man out and it could be a second game as a healthy scratch in a row for Lapierre.
The Pens have a goalie decision on their hands with tonight’s game as well as tomorrow night’s tilt in Las Vegas. You’d figure one goalie will play in each night and against a tough team no matter what, the timing of using them has not yet been disclosed.
High-energy practice
The Penguins weren’t pleased after their 5-3 loss to Chicago. They got some work in yesterday to prep for the weekend.
The Penguins did some small-area competition to end a productive practice session.
"Coming off a day off after a game that we're not thrilled with, I fully expected the energy level to be high, and they came in and delivered that," Dan Muse said. pic.twitter.com/DkXPD0lSPX
The Penguins have scored 12 goals in the second period through seven games. Only the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Utah Mammoth have more goals in the middle frame so far this season:
Second Period Goals
Team GP 2nd PD GF
Colorado 6 16
Carolina 8 14
Utah 7 13
Pittsburgh 7 12
Vegas 8 12
In addition, four of Tommy Novak’s five points and three of Declan Carlile’s four points this season have come in the second period.
Over the last six games, the Pens have only scored three goals in the first period, conceding six. They’ve also had problems in the third period with a 4-10 combined score in the last six games. However, that middle period has been a big boon for them with a 12-5 scoring edge on the season.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 3: Samuel Girard #49 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck in the second period during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
The Penguins’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell has struggled to produce offense and has been a defensive liability early in the season. Crosby scored twice in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to Chicago for his first goals of the season, but Rakell remains without a goal. What options does Dan Muse have to try and get this first line out of the dumps? [PensBurgh]
Penguins defenseman Sam Girard, meanwhile, is off to a stronger start this season after overcoming injuries and becoming more comfortable in Pittsburgh’s system. The 28-year-old is producing offensively and playing with greater confidence after a difficult transition period following last season’s trade. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Detroit Red Wings owner Chris Ilitch has acknowledged fans’ frustration with the team after they booed players and chanted “Sell the team!” during the first few games of the season. [Sportsnet]
Arizona State has hired former NHL head coach Dave Hakstol to lead its men’s hockey program as the university investigates a workout that left 21-year-old defenseman Matthew Mayich on life support. Former coach Greg Powers has agreed to leave the program after being placed on administrative leave. [Associated Press]
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired forward Aatu Raty from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forwards Brandon Buhr and Jacob Quillan. [TSN]
The Los Angeles Kings are among the teams exploring a trade for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Kings general manager Ken Holland has reportedly gauged the asking price, but Los Angeles is weighing whether to part with a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick amid a slow start. [Sportsnet]
Las Vegas, N.V.– It’s rare for the first 26 seconds to set the tone for the rest of a hockey game. However, that was certainly the case tonight when the Vegas Golden Knights, a strong contender for the Stanley Cup, hosted the Calgary Flames, a strong contender for the first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft.
Somehow, the game felt even more lopsided than the 6-2 final score would suggest. For the most part, it felt like the Golden Knights stopped trying just 9:34 into the first period when Jack Eichel scored shorthanded to put them up 2-0. From then on, they coasted through the game and only appeared to try in short stretches, most of which immediately led to a goal.
The bottom line is this: it’s hard to draw any real conclusions from a game like the one the Golden Knights played tonight. They were undeniably the superior team. And when an undeniably superior team takes the lead just 26 seconds into the game, like the Golden Knights did tonight with Brett Howden’s third goal of the season, it’s not uncommon for them to coast through parts of the remainder of the game.
Maybe you want to see a full 60-minute effort, but the Golden Knights didn’t need one. What they needed was a goal 26 seconds into the first period, and then a strong 15 minutes.
“We were ready to play,” said Ryan Craig following the 6-2 win. “It was nice to get one early there. Good transition, nice play by Mitch winning a battle on the wall, and hitting Howie. And that’s what we’ve seen with Howie, shooting in stride and playing off that. I thought that got us going. And then the shorthanded goal, obviously, with Jack making a great play and going in and scoring. So, nice to get up in that situation. Give our guys credit for being ready to go.”
1. One Concerning Trend
If you look at the box score, you’d assume that the Golden Knights have a strong power play, as it’s ranked ninth in the league. And they don’t have a bad power play; they’ve scored seven goals when up a man, two of which have been game-winners.
That being said, there are times when it looks like the Golden Knights are the team that’s down a player. They’ve allowed two shorthanded goals in back-to-back games, both of which could have been total momentum killers. The underlying reason is the same: for some reason, the Golden Knights struggle to re-enter the zone cleanly after their opponent clears the puck.
“When we win the face off, when we’re in the zone, we’re really dialed in,” said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. “I think we’re maybe a little out of sync on the break-ins. You look at the power plays we had tonight, when we get possession in their end and move the puck around, we had some really good chances. For whatever reason, our entries need to be cleaned up a little bit. We’ll keep working at it.”
These zone entry issues are a big part of why Ryan Craig deployed his top unit in game that they were leading 5-1.
“The top unit scored,” said Craig. “They scored the 6th goal. I thought it was important that they went back out and continue to work at it, and that’s why they went back out. They scored on a real good entry, which is what’s kept us off there. I thought we’ve got some good looks when we’ve won some face offs with that unit… It’s maybe been our entries that have held us up a little bit.
“But again, that goal for Mark’s hat trick is a real good entry,” Craig finished. “We’ll try to build off that.”
2. Depth for Days
The Golden Knights’ big guns undeniably stole the spotlight tonight. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev each enjoyed three-point nights, and Mitch Marner provided two assists. But an underlying theme in all their wins so far this season is that their depth players consistently pitch in offensively.
“If you can have your top guys playing 16 to 18 minutes a night and rolling over lines, that’s the formula for us,” said Mark Stone postgame. “Whether it’s in October and November, or March and April, it’s a good thing to have four lines that are ticking and putting them over the boards and going to work.”
The Flames scored their first goal of the night shorthanded at 10:15 in the second period, cutting the Golden Knights’ lead to one. The Flames are bottom-three in goals for, but that moment could have changed the game and sparked a comeback.
Instead, the Golden Knights sent out the second power play unit, and Braeden Bowman cashed in to restore the two-goal lead just 48 seconds later.
“That was resilience,” said head coach Ryan Craig. “We talk about those kinds of reset shifts all the time. That was one from the second unit, going out there and getting the job done. It was a big moment in the game as they kind of grabbed momentum with the shorthanded goal. Good on that unit for going out and finding a way to get us back the two-goal lead.”
“Everybody’s stepping up on our team,” Ivan Barbashev agreed.
3. Hats Off!
Mark Stone is the pinnacle of consistency. He’s the Golden Knights’ emotional leader. He delivers for his team in the biggest moments. You can also always find him around the opponent’s net. Stone scored three third-period goals tonight— a natural hat trick— two of which were back-door tap-ins.
Stone is a bit of a funny player. He’s scored 265 goals in his NHL career, many of them from that same area: around the net. Teams know where he’s going to go. They just can’t stop him.
Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig said it best:
“I’m happy we don’t have to gameplan for Mark Stone,” Craig laughed after Thursday’s 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames. “I’m happy he’s on our side.”
Stone isn’t the fastest skater, and he’s not the most talented player. But he’s among the smartest players in the league, and there’s a case to be made that he is the smartest. He’s always in the right place at the right time, and on both sides of the puck.
“He’s smart enough to find the right areas, and I think that goes to his hockey IQ,” continued Ryan Craig. “We’ve seen it here, time and time again, since he’s gotten to our organization. He finds ways to get to the right spot. He finds ways to impact the game by being in the right areas, both defensively and offensively.
“Plus, he’s the leader,” Craig finished. “He was on the bench tonight pulling our team along. Like I said, I’m happy we gameplan with him, and not against him.”
LAS VEGAS — The Vegas Golden Knights started fast Thursday night. Their captain made sure they finished with a flourish.
Mark Stone scored three times in the third period as the Golden Knights defeated the Calgary Flames 6-2 at T-Mobile Arena, improving their home record against the Pacific Division rival to 14-2-0.
Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the game, Jack Eichel added a shorthanded goal and Braeden Bowman contributed a power-play tally as Vegas improved to 7-2-0. The Golden Knights’ fifth win in six games gave them 14 points and put them atop the NHL standings.
“I like playing hockey. I like playing in this league. I like scoring goals. So sure, why not?” Stone said when asked about the satisfaction of another hat trick. “I like winning, and we won.”
Calgary, which arrived after snapping a season-opening five-game losing streak Tuesday at Anaheim, fell to 1-6-0.
The Golden Knights wasted little time disrupting whatever confidence the Flames brought from that breakthrough.
Mitch Marner set up Howden’s opening goal, extending his assist streak to five games and immediately putting Calgary in chase mode.
“I thought more than the goal, I thought we just played the right way,” Bowman said. “I thought we got after their D and hunted them a little bit, and that usually turns out successful for us.”
Eichel doubled the lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal later in the opening period, sending Vegas into the first intermission ahead 2-0.
Calgary briefly tightened the game in the second when defenseman Jacob Middleton scored shorthanded, cutting the Golden Knights’ lead to one.
Bowman answered on the power play, restoring the two-goal cushion with assists from Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson.
“They got one there in the PK and thought we did a good job getting back out and getting right back at it,” Bowman said.
Stone pointed to that response as one of the sequences that mattered more than the final margin suggested. Calgary had a chance to build momentum, but Vegas’ second power-play unit quickly erased it.
Then Stone took over.
The captain scored 1:06 into the final period to extend the lead to 4-1, then struck again at 12:10. He completed his hat trick at 16:13, with Eichel and Marner collecting the assists.
Matt Coronato scored for Calgary with 1:20 remaining, assisted by Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin, to complete the scoring.
Barbashev credited his linemates’ intelligence and execution for making the game easier around them.
“Just the way they played today, five versus five, was outstanding,” Barbashev said.
Stone supplied all of Vegas’ offense over the final 20 minutes, turning a competitive game into a comfortable victory. The Golden Knights entered the night with a 9-4 scoring advantage in third periods and pushed that margin to 13-5.
Despite the result, Stone saw room for improvement, particularly with the power play’s entries.
“When we get possession in their end and move the puck around, we had some really, really good chances,” Stone said. “But for whatever reason, our entries need to be cleaned up a bit. So we’ll keep working on it.”
Vegas improved its all-time record against Calgary to 20-9-2 after winning three of four meetings last season, including both home games.
KEY MOMENT: Bowman's Response
Bowman’s power-play goal restored order after Calgary threatened to turn a strong Vegas start into a much tighter game. Middleton’s shorthanded tally had trimmed the lead to 2-1, but Bowman answered with help from Barbashev and Karlsson. The response sent the Golden Knights into the second intermission with a two-goal cushion, setting the stage for Stone’s three-goal third period.
Five consecutive games with an assist for Marner, whose setup on Howden’s goal gave Vegas an advantage just 25 seconds into the opening period. He added another assist on Stone’s hat-trick goal, giving him six during that five-game stretch. From helping establish the early lead to contributing to Vegas’ final tally, Marner continued to provide consistent production.
WHAT A KNIGHT: The Captain
Stone turned a two-goal lead into a runaway victory, scoring three in the third period. His first, just 1:06 after the intermission, immediately put Calgary further behind. His next two eliminated any remaining suspense, with Eichel and Marner combining to help him complete the hat trick. On a night when Vegas received contributions throughout its lineup, the captain delivered the defining performance.
In the aftermath of the worst start of Dylan Garand’s NHL career, the Rangers didn’t blame the rookie goaltender who’s been thrust into the starting role after injuries to Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo.
It still added a disappointing twist to what otherwise had been a promising — and historic — start to his NHL career. Garand allowed four goals on 14 shots, including two in 31 seconds to end his night, before getting pulled in favor of Spencer Martin in the Blueshirts’ 7-1 loss to the Devils. Garand entered the night with a 1.15 goals against average and a .951 save percentage in 2026-27.
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“It’s not on Dylan,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think Dylan’s played pretty good for us. He’s played sound hockey. … I know Dylan will bounce back. He’s a high-character kid. He’s a competitive guy. He’s played really well for us to this point. I would expect him to respond the right way, just like our team.”
Garand’s season to this point has been a whirlwind, as he was cut in training camp, placed on waivers, sent to AHL Hartford after clearing and then brought back up before the Rangers’ second game of the season once Korpisalo sustained a lower-body injury. Then, when Shesterkin’s season ended last Friday with a right knee injury, Garand became the starter — and proceeded to win his first two starts to give the Blueshirts hope of surviving without their franchise goaltender.
But Garand, for all the potential he has flashed, only has seven starts and eight appearances on his ledger with massive skates to fill. He stopped Jack Hughes in the first period, but everything unraveled after Evan Rodrigues beat him off a J.T. Miller turnover near the end of the first period and Luke Hughes’ shot deflected off Adam Fox’s skate and in at the start of the second.
Nico Hischier (13) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Dylan Garand during the second period of the Rangers’ 7-1 blowout loss to the Devils on Oct. 15, 2026 at Prudential Center in Newark. Noah K. Murray for New York Post
“We’re gonna need him here for a lot of games,” Fox said, “and he’s been playing great. He’s mentally tough, and I know he can bounce back. … He knows how important he is to us as a team and what we’re trying to do. That game doesn’t fall on him by any means.”
The Rangers added some veteran goaltending depth to their organization in the wake of Shesterkin’s season-ending injury and Korpisalo’s presence on long-term injured reserve.
James Reimer, the 38-year-old who has played in 539 career NHL games, signed a professional tryout agreement with AHL Hartford, the Wolf Pack announced Thursday. Reimer can play in up to 25 games before they’d need to make a call on his future, and Hartford’s depth has been thinned with Garand and Martin — who began the season as the Blueshirts’ top two AHL options — now in the NHL. Callum Tung and Gabriel Carriere have been the Wolf Pack’s goaltenders so far. The Rangers said Oct. 10 that Korpisalo would miss another four weeks.
Reimer hasn’t started more than 25 games in a season at the NHL level since 2022-23, and last year, he appeared in 14 with the Senators — including 13 starts — while posting a 7-4-2 record, an .886 save percentage and a 2.42 goals against average.
Alexis Lafrenière was given a game misconduct late in the third period over what he said to an official. … Matt Rempe and Scott Morrow were the Rangers’ scratches. … Justin Dowling centered the fourth line after his recall from Hartford on Wednesday.
Vegas struck early and capitalized on its special teams opportunities, while the Flames struggled to find consistency defensively. Calgary managed to cut into the deficit in the second period, but the Golden Knights responded almost immediately to take control of the game.
Credit: Christopher Trim-Imagn Images
Brett Howden opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the contest, skating into the Flames zone before firing a shot over Dustin Wolf’s shoulder to give Vegas an early lead.
The Golden Knights doubled their advantage at 9:34 of the first period with a shorthanded goal. Jack Eichel intercepted the puck and broke in alone on Wolf, beating him on the glove side to make it 2-0.
Calgary found a response while shorthanded in the second period, as Jake Middleton scored his first goal as a Flame at 10:15. Joel Farabee set up Middleton in the slot, where the defenceman ripped a wrist shot past Carter Hart to cut the deficit to one.
Credit: Christopher Trim-Imagn Images
However, the momentum didn’t last long. Vegas answered just 48 seconds later, with Braeden Bowman finishing a quick passing play on the power play to restore the Golden Knights’ two-goal lead.
Vegas added another early in the third period. At 1:06, Eichel sent a cross-seam pass to Mark Stone at the side of the net, where the Golden Knights captain redirected the puck past Wolf to make it 4-1.
Stone struck again at 12:10, beating Wolf with a backhand to complete the scoring and completed the natural hat-trick late in the game as Eichel set up the Vegas captain for this third goal of the period.
Matt Coronato scored a late powerplay goal, but it was too little too late as the Flames fell 6-2.
Three Takeaways
1. The Flames need timely saves
The Flames couldn’t afford to give up goals at critical moments, but that’s exactly what happened in Vegas.
Howden scored on the opening shift, putting Calgary behind immediately. Then, after Middleton cut the deficit to one in the second period, the Golden Knights responded less than a minute later.
Those goals made it difficult for the Flames to build any momentum. Wolf and the Calgary defence need to find a way to limit those momentum-killing moments, particularly when the team starts to generate some offence of its own.
2. Special teams made the difference
Both teams found the scoresheet on special teams, but Vegas made better use of its opportunities.
Calgary got a shorthanded goal from Middleton, and a powerplay goal late from Coronato, while the Golden Knights scored once shorthanded and added a power-play marker of their own.
The Flames showed they can create offence on special teams, but they couldn’t build on that success. Vegas, meanwhile, answered Calgary’s shorthanded goal with a power-play marker of its own, quickly restoring its two-goal advantage.
In a game where Calgary needed something to swing its way, the Golden Knights consistently had the answer.
3. Middleton gives the Flames another scoring option
Middleton’s second-period goal was a positive takeaway from another difficult night for Calgary.
The defenceman jumped into the rush, found space in the slot and finished Farabee’s pass with a quick wrist shot. It was his first goal since joining the Flames and his first career shorthanded marker.
The Flames need more contributions throughout the lineup. With the team searching for answers early in the season, goals from unexpected sources can help, but Calgary needs to turn those moments into more complete efforts.
