WASHINGTON (AP) — Jared McCann broke a tie with 5:27 left and the Seattle Kraken overcame NHL career leader Alex Ovechkin’s first goal of the season to beat the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Sunday night.

Jordan Eberle, Frederick Gaudreau, Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Winterton also scored to help the Kraken improve to 4-2-0. Joey Daccord stopped 33 shots.

On the deciding goal, McCann cut to the middle and beat goalie Logan Thompson on a quick shot. Ryan Winterton iced it with 2:40 left.

Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner also scored for Washington as the Capitals dropped to 3-2-0. Thompson made 22 saves.

After back-to-back penalty kills, Seattle got off to a quick start, with Kakko sneaking in a rebound just 6:06 minutes into the game.

The Capitals responded with two goals in a 5:06 span. First, Kyrou buried a cross-ice feed from Cole Hutson for his first with Washington. Then, after a strong forecheck and forced turnover from brothers Aliaksei and Ilya Protas, Ovechkin got the puck alone in front and sniped a quick shot past Daccord for his 930th NHL goal.

RANGERS 6, CANUCKS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Ty Kartye and Will Cuylle scored two goals each and Dylan Garand made 19 saves as New York beat Vancouver in their first game since losing goaltender Igor Shesterkin for the season with a knee injury.

Kartye snapped a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the game at 18:25 of the second period and the Rangers went on to win their fourth straight at home to start the season.

Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault also scored for the Rangers, while J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad each had two assists.

Kartye opened the scoring 27 seconds into the contest. Vancouver’s Jake DeBrusk tied it at 17:04 of the first before Cuylle put New York ahead with his first at 2:09 of the second.

Canucks defenseman Elias Pettersson scored short-handed at 16:56 of the second to tie the contest again before Kartye’s go-ahead goal.

Lafreniere extended New York’s lead to 4-2 with his team-leading fifth of the season on the power play at 1:04 of the third. Perreault made it 5-2 at 5:57. Cuylle scored again with less than five minutes to play.

HURRICANES 4, FLYERS 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and an assist and Carolina beat Philadelphia, handing the Flyers their franchise-record seventh straight loss to open the season.

Flyers rookie defenseman Oliver Bonk had a rough second period in his season debut and was a factor in three Carolina goals.

Svecnhikov scored his fourth goal of the season at 10:16 of the second period to open the scoring. Bonk turned it over to former Flyer Sean Walker at the blue line, and Walker fed Svechnikov, who skated into the slot and snapped a wrister past goalie Joseph Woll.

Aho fed a pass through Bonk, who turned around at the side of his own net, to another former Flyer, Shayne Gostisbehere, who banged home his second goal of the season to make it 2-0. Both of Gostisbehere’s goals this season have come against his former team.

Aho later netted his sixth goal of the season on a pass from William Carrier. Svechnikov stripped Own Tippett in the neutral zone and fed Carrier, who blew past Bonk and slid the pass to Aho, who had an open net to shoot and score the Hurricanes’ third goal.

The Vancouver Canucks fell 6-2 to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Jake DeBrusk scored his third of the season while defenceman Elias Pettersson found the back of the net shorthanded. As for Kevin Lankinen, he allowed six goals on 25 shots and finished the night with a save percentage of .760. 

Sunday's matchup was close until the third period. New York scored three times in the final frame, which pushed their one-goal lead at the second intermission into a four-goal advantage. Ultimately, the Canucks looked like they ran out of gas in the third, as they were outshot 10-4 in the final frame by the Rangers. 

"Obviously, when you start a game down 1-0 30 seconds in, it is not an ideal start," said Manny Malhotra post-game. "The resiliency we showed throughout the course of the period just to get ourselves back into it. In the second, I felt we started to swing the momentum at them. Just didn't sustain it long enough to have a lasting impact."

The biggest storyline from this game was the play of Lankinen. He allowed six goals for the third time this year and was caught out of position several times. Even though this team is in a rebuild where wins and losses are not the most important thing, this team needs to get better goaltending from Lankinen so they do not have to try to outscore their issues on a nightly basis. 

This game was not all doom and gloom, as Pettersson, or D-Petey, had a strong performance. He was tied for the team lead with four hits and, as mentioned, scored shorthanded. Pettersson looks to be taking positive steps from a development perspective, which is good news for the rebuild. 

As for the other feel-good story, Guillaume Brisebois returned to the NHL for the first time since January 11, 2025. The 29-year-old was able to fill the stat sheet as he recorded two shots, two hits, a blocked shot and a penalty. Although he struggled defensively at times, it is nice to see Brisebois getting chances in the NHL after all the injuries he's dealt with over the years. 

Ultimately, there are plenty of learning lessons Manny Malhotra and his staff can take away from this game. Vancouver's defensive coverage was all over the place at times while the team failed to create any form of pushback in the third period. With three more games on this road trip, the Canucks will need to regroup quickly if they want to avoid a lengthy losing streak. 

Stats and Facts:

• Defenceman Elias Pettersson records his first career shorthand goal
• Canucks are the first team this year to allow 30 goals against
• Vancouver has been outscored 17-5 through three games of this current six-game road trip
• Elias Pettersson and Elias Pettersson led the Canucks in hits with four each

Scoring Summary: 

1st Period: 

00:27- NYR: Tye Kartye (1) from J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafrenière

17:04- VAN: Jake DeBrusk (3) from Jonathan Lekkerimäki

2nd Period:

2:09- NYR: Will Cuylle (1) from Noah Laba

16:56- VAN: Elias Pettersson (2) from Brendan Gallagher and Drew O'Connor (SHG)

18:25- NYR: Tye Kartye (2) from J.T. Miller and Vladislav Gavrikov

3rd Period:

1:04- NYR: Alexis Lafrenière (5) from Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad (PPG)

5:57- NYR: Gabe Perreault (3) from Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad

15;22- NYR: Will Cuylle (2) from Eeli Tolvanen and Braden Schneider

Up Next: 

Vancouver Canucks @ New York Islanders, October 13, 4:45 pm PT

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In their first five games of the NHL’s 2026-27 season, the Buffalo Sabres have lost three games – all in regulation time – by a combined score of 14-4. And in their past two games – both defeats at the hands of the Dallas Stars and Utah Mammoth – the Sabres have been outscored 8-1. It doesn’t take an advanced analytics expert to recognize that Buffalo’s offense is not getting the job done in the ‘O’ zone.

And if you go through the list of the Sabres’ point producers, you see very quickly that a slew of veterans need to ratchet up their offensive numbers, and they need to do it in a hurry.

For instance: star center Josh Norris has exactly one point in five games. So does center Ryan McLeod, and so does star winger Zach Benson. These three players combined to produce 131 points in 190 games last season, so they’re clearly capable of generating more offense.

But Norris, Benson and McLeod at least have gotten onto the scoresheet in one game this season. You can’t say the same for Josh Doan, Justin Danforth and Olen Zellweger. Danforth and Zellweger haven’t played the full five games, but Doan in particular has been a significant disappointment. We’re talking about a 21-year-old player who had a breakout year for the Sabres last season, posting 25 goals and 52 points in 82 games. So having no points in five games is a major problem for Doan.

It’s no wonder, then, that Buffalo has the sixth-worst offense in the league thus far this year, averaging only 2.20 goals-for per game. Lindy Ruff can’t hop over the boards and produce goals and assists to help the Sabres’ goaltending – and you’d better believe Buffalo’s goalies need all the help they can get.

The Sabres have to figure out a way to produce points, but they won’t come easy. In fact, Buffalo’s next four games come against strong teams – the Montreal Canadiens (twice), Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. Those teams aren’t registered charities, so the Sabres will be up against it trying to drum up offense.

Granted, we’re still talking about a small sample size here. There’s plenty of time for Buffalo to start posting more offense. But if the aforementioned Sabres players fail to get on the scoresheet sometime soon, the repercussions are going to be dramatic.

Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen can’t allow his team to backslide to the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings. So if the Sabres continue to struggle on offense, a notable roster shakeup could be very soon to follow.

The Buffalo Sabres made a major move this off-season when they trade defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks in a multi-player deal.

Byram quickly signed a six-year, $75 million contract extension with the Blackhawks after the trade. With this, he will have a massive $12.5 million cap hit starting next season.

Now, after landing his big payday, Byram is having a nightmare start to his tenure with the Blackhawks.

In five games so far this season with Chicago, the former Sabres defenseman has zero points to go along with a minus-8 rating. With this, there is no question that Byram is not leaving a great first impression with his new team.

While Byram has struggled early on with the Blackhawks, he has plenty of time to heat back up. Sometimes it takes players time to adjust to their new teams when traded, and this could very well end up being the case with Byram. 

Byram spent three seasons with the Sabres from 2023-24 to 2025-26. In 182 games with the Sabres over that span, he posted 21 goals, 68 assists, 89 points, and a plus-25 rating. This included him scoring 11 goals and recording a career-high 42 points in 82 games last season for Buffalo.

Former Montreal Canadiens goalie Jake Allen has reached a very impressive career milestone. 

Allen appeared in his 500th career NHL game in the New Jersey Devils' 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. 

Allen certainly put together a solid performance in his milestone game. This is because the former Canadiens netminder saved 20 out of 21 shots he faced. With this, he finished the contest with a strong .952 save percentage. 

An NHL goalie reaching the 500-game mark is always impressive. Allen has had himself a solid career, and he will now be looking to continue to have success as it carries on. 

In 500 career NHL games split between the St. Louis Blues, Canadiens, and Devils, Allen has a 227-202-45 record, a .907 save percentage, and a 2.75 goals-against average. He also was a member of the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup winning team. 

Allen spent four seasons with the Canadiens from 2020-21 to 2023-24. In 127 games over that span with Montreal, he posted a 41-68-15 record, an .899 save percentage, and a 3.30 goals-against average.

Kent Hughes began to break the logjam on the left side of the Montreal Canadiens’ blueline on Friday night by sending Jayden Struble to the Nashville Predators. For the last four seasons, Struble had been competing for a roster spot with Arber Xhekaj for the last three seasons and was poised to do it again this season. This time, however, Adam Engstrom had joined the fight, and with Kaiden Guhle ready to jump back into action, something had to give.

Fans have generally welcomed Struble being dealt, even though the 25-year-old sometimes partnered with Lane Hutson; he wasn’t the fan favourite, but Xhekaj and his gritty side were. This past offseason, Xhekaj took some time to sign his new deal, likely because the blueline was so crowded.

Canadiens Power Play Worryingly Inefficient
Canadiens Reportedly Still In On Larkin
NHL Rumors: 2 Canadiens Who Be Traded Next After Jayden Struble

This season, Xhekaj has seen more action in four games, though that's a small sample. In all but one game, he played 12 or more minutes. He’s been used on the penalty kill, and after getting hit with a ten-minute misconduct on Thursday night, he wasn’t benched. Martin St-Louis still used him. Granted, as Lane Hutson said after the game, it was a questionable call, one that might not have happened had he not been called Xhekaj, but still. In game five, he only had 7:30 of ice time, but there were seven defensemen in the lineup, meaning less ice-time to go around. 

The Hamilton native seems to have a longer leash this season, and he might have been craving that last year; at the smallest mistake, he was stapled to the bench. Still, Xhekaj doesn’t see Struble being traded as a vote of confidence from the organization to him:

I don’t look at it that way really. There are still a lot of guys, still a lot of good prospects, so I still have to earn my spot every day, work on my game. I don’t look at it like that.

- Xhekaj on his reality

Xhekaj isn’t wrong; with Guhle back in action, the Canadiens will dress seven defensemen on Saturday night. When the same question was put to St-Louis, the coach found a nifty way to sidestep the question:

Well, yes, I mean, with Strubs [Jayden Struble] we reached a point where we cannot give him what he deserves a bit more. He’s an NHL defenseman, and I think he’ll get a better opportunity to grow his game. He gave us great hockey; he's a great guy, so we wish him the best.

- St-Louis on Struble

He might not have said that Xhekaj has earned a vote of confidence, but the proof is in the pudding: he’s been using the hulking defenseman more than before and whichever way you look at it, he’s still in Montreal while Struble isn’t. When the bench boss was pushed a bit more about Xhekaj, he explained:

I think he’s – Arber gave us some good minutes. He’s helped us on the kill, in managing ice time. I think he can be dangerous in the offensive zone on the right side. He’s got a big one-timer and stuff. So overall, I’ve liked what I’ve seen.

- St-Louis' assessment of Xhekaj's season start

It remains to be seen whether Xhekaj stays in the lineup when the Canadiens revert to a more traditional six-blueliner, 12-forward formation, but so far, so good for the fan favourite.

---

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Dealing with a rash of untimely injuries and a woeful, winless 0-4-2 start, the Philadelphia Flyers have made more roster moves in search of a spark for the slumping roster.

On the heels of a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon, the Flyers have re-called top defense prospect Oliver Bonk from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

In a corresponding move, the Flyers placed standout winger Travis Konecny on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 8, ruling him out at least a week from that date. Konecny, 29, has three assists this season, and appeared to have suffered an injury late in Thursday night's game against the Ottawa Senators.

On Sunday night, the Flyers will have the tall task of facing the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes without Konecny and top-four defensemen Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen, and the absence of the latter, in particular, creates the opportunity for Bonk to play.

Defenseman Helge Grans, who remained with the NHL club due to his placement on season-opening injured reserve, was given the chance to play against the Bruins on Saturday, but he and veteran defense partner Simon Benoit were distressfully ineffective.

As a result, the Flyers are going to change things up at the position, re-calling a defenseman like Bonk instead of a forward to replace the injured Konecny.

Grans, 24, will have to pass through waivers in order to be re-assigned to the Phantoms should the Flyers elect to send him down.

This will be a bit of a precarious position for Bonk to be in, having just played for the Phantoms on Saturday and getting thrown right into a back-to-back, but that was also his first game since Oct. 3.

Assuming Bonk's legs are fresh - he had two assists, three shots on goal, and a +2 rating in a 5-4 overtime loss to Cleveland on Saturday - he should be able to help keep the Flyers moving in the right direction going up against a ferocious Carolina forecheck.

The 21-year-old played in two NHL games last season, one in the regular season and one in the playoffs, scoring one goal and one assist.

Here is a quick update of the prospects the Sabres who are not currently in the NHL:

Prokhor Poltapov – LW - 33rd overall in 2021 

The 23-year-old winger slogged through his first two KHL seasons, playing a depth role with CSKA Moscow, but after scoring just 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 56 regular season games in 2024, Poltapov tripled his career-high with 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 68 games in 2025. Poltapov signed a two-year contract extension to remain with CSKA, and finished last season with very similar totals (16 goals, 24 assists in 68 games. 

The Sabres have indicated that Poltapov is in their plans once his KHL deal has elapsed. This season, he is tied for the club lead with seven goals in 14 games. 

Topias Leinonen– G – 41st overall - 2022

The big 22-year-old Finn wallowed at various levels of the pro league in his home country, but improved when he shifted to Sweden and thrived with Mora IK (13-10-0 record, 2.31 GAA, .910 save %, and four shutouts) in 2025. Leinonen was brought over to North America last season and alternated between AHL Rochester and ECHL Jacksonville, putting up subpar numbers. With Devon Levi gone, it was expected that Leinonen would share duties with Scott Ratzlaff with the Amerks, but an injury in off-season training has found the big netminder on injured reserve since the start of training camp.  

Other Sabres Stories

Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL 

Vsevolod Komarov D - 134th overall - 2022

The Sabres have a number of right-handed blueliner prospects, including their last two first-round picks, Radim Mrtka and Daxon Rudolph. Komarov’s offensive game from junior did not translate to his first two pro seasons (6 goals, 23 assists in 124 games), but this season the 22-year-old has started well with three assists in four games for AHL Rochester. 

Jake Richard - RW - 170th overall - 2022 

The Jacksonville, FL, native made impressions at the prospect tournaments and summer development camps the last few seasons, and as a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, where he averaged over a point per game (15 goals, 28 assists) in 34 games. His numbers dropped as a junior (27 points), and Richard signed a pro deal with the Sabres this summer. The 22-year-old is getting a top-six opportunity with the Amerks with most of the club’s forward prospects playing in the NHL, and in four games, the winger has his first professional goal and an assist in four games. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres dropped under .500 on the season and are having difficulties at both ends of the ice and between the pipes after a 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Saturday night. Head coach Lindy Ruff shook up his lineup after a shutout loss to Dallas on Thursday, but the tinkering did not help in providing a more consistent effort from his struggling club. 

Unlike the first three home games against Chicago, Minnesota, and Dallas, the Sabres opened the scoring, and ended their lengthy streak of ineptitude on the power play, as Tage Thompson notched his third of the season eight minutes into the game, but the lead lasted all of 2:12 before Kailer Yamamoto tied the game. 

The Mammoth pulled away with a pair of tallies late in the second from Nick Schmalt and Anders Lee, and added some insurance early in the third on the power play from John Marino. Buffalo went 1 for 4 on the man advantage, but surrendered a pair of power play goals on five opportunities. 

" We  haven't  been  connected,  we're  trying  to  find  who  we  are." Ruff said after the game. "We  weren't  able  to  carry  that  momentum. W e  talked  about  power  play.  It  did  a  lot  of  good  things,  even  in  the  third  period.  Could  have  got  a  couple  more.  Our  entries  were  a  lot  better.  That  part  of  the  game  seemed  connected. (We) were  using  some  different  pieces (penalty)  killing.  We  got  to  improve  that  part  of  the  game."

Other Sabres Stories

Mrtka Looking To Take The Next Step Towards The NHL 

Goalie Colten Ellis made 26 saves, but was more steady than Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been in each of his three starts, but more concerning to the Sabres has to be their lack of firepower through the first two weeks of the regular season. The club has 11 goals in five games, and has a -8 goal differential (29th in the NHL). 

The worry going into the season was the overdependency on youngsters like Zach Benson, Josh Doan, Konsta Helenius, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund being able to make up the firepower lost by the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram. Add that to the absence of veteran Jason Zucker (recovering from offseason core muscle surgery) and the Sabres are minus 68 goals from last season. 

Through five games, Ostlund, Helenius, and Kulich have one goal, and Benson and Doan have none. The Sabres finish up their homestand against the Florida Panthers on Columbus Day afternoon. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

News & Notes

Former Blue Jackets Star Scores First Goal With Maple LeafsMarchenko has his first goal as a Leaf.

At the 7:06 mark of the second period, Marchenko scored his first goal as a member of the Maple Leafs. 

Marchenko's first goal with the Maple Leafs was a good one, too, as he beat Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark with a nice backhander.

Weird Scheduling Quirk Could Benefit The Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus is 1-1 through their first two games.

When we first looked at the 2026-27 schedule, we had to look at it sideways because the Blue Jackets had a full 5-day break between games 3 and 4. After what we saw on Saturday, it seems the NHL did the CBJ a favor. They also have two separate three-day breaks sandwiched in between home games. 

Adam Fantilli Has Dominated The Faceoff Circle Through Two Games <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> center Adam Fantilli had a well-documented contract dispute in the preseason, but it seems he came in ready and hasn't missed a beat. 

But where he was most impressive was at the faceoff dot. Fantilli won 16/20, for an 80% win percentage. 

He followed that up in game two on Saturday night against Utah by going 15/20 for a 75% win percentage. It's not like he was facing off against minor leaguers either. 

Rick Bowness Provides Great Injury News Ahead Of This Weekends GamesThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> head coach, Rick Bowness, had some good news regarding his team today after practice. 

Bowness told the media that defenseman Damon Severson is expected to play this weekend. They play the Penguins on Friday, and then travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues on Saturday. 

It's Time To Shut Down The Kent Johnson Trade Talk...For Now<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> forward Kent Johnson lives in the heads of just about every hockey fan outside of Ohio. Every time there is a player brought up that Columbus should trade, it's him. It's time to stop that. Sure, he's from Western Canada and trains with all of the "B.C. Boys", but that doesn't mean he's up for sale. 

In two games this year, Johnson has two points and 6 shots on goal while averaging 16:04 of time on ice. So far, so good. 

Blue Jackets Place Mikael Pyyhtiä On WaiversThe Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Mikael Pyyhtiä on waivers. If he clears, he'll be assigned to the Cleveland Monsters.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Mikael Pyyhtiä on waivers. If he clears, he'll be assigned to the Cleveland Monsters.

Pyyhtiä was placed on IR and Non-rostered on September 25th.

Former Blue Jackets Forward Has Big Game For RangersThis former Blue Jackets forward is making a difference with the Rangers.

Bjorkstrand scored his first two goals as a member of the Rangers in the contest, with his second being the game-winner. With this, there is no question that the former Blue Jackets forward delivered for the Rangers in this matchup. 

January 11, 2006, The Night The Columbus Blue Jackets Took 21 Penalties And Somehow Won 6-1 vs. The Pittsburgh PenguinsWith the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> set to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, we thought we'd reminisce and jump into the way back machine to bring you a little CBJ lore. 

The Jackets took 5 penalties in the 1st period, 9 in the 2nd, and 7 in the 3rd for a total of 21 penalties for 68 minutes. In total, the Pens got 8 power plays out of the chaos. But what's even crazier is that the CBJ went 8-for-8 on the PK. 

A Historical Look At The Damage Sidney Crosby Has Done To The Columbus Blue Jackets The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> will welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to Nationwide Arena on Friday night. The games are usually fun, but too often they wind up in the L column for the Blue Jackets. 

Regular Season

• Games Played: 49  

• Goals: 25
• Assists: 46
• Total Points: 71  
• Plus/Minus: +13  
• PIM: 40
• Power Play Goals: 4
• Power Play Assists: 16
• GWG: 7
• OTG: 2
• Shots: 143

Attorneys For Sean Higgins Throw Accusations At Johnny & Matthew GaudreauAttorneys for Sean Higgins, the New Jersey man accused of killing <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> superstar Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, <a href="https://www.nj.com/salem/2026/10/defense-expert-says-johnny-gaudreau-and-his-brother-created-the-hazard-that-led-to-their-deaths.html">filed new documents</a> yesterday and accused the brothers of riding in the road at the time of the crash. 

Higgins lawyers said in documents that the Gaudreau's were actually riding in the northbound lane, and not on the shoulder as previously reported by state police. The new report also says that Higgins "could not have reasonably avoided them." The new report comes from an accident reconstruction team hired by the defense.

Kirill Marchenko's Father-In-Law Gives Reason For Not Wanting To Sign With ColumbusKirill Marchenko's father-in-law, Igor Varitsky, gave an interview with <a href="https://www.sport-express.ru/hockey/nhl/reviews/toronto-prislal-za-marchenko-chastnyy-samolet-posle-ego-obmena-iz-kolambusa-intervyu-igorya-varickogo-2461280/">Sport-express.ru</a> and may have just told us why the talented Russian forward wanted out of Columbus. 

In the interview, he was asked what the main reason was for Marchenko wanting out. Varitsky said, "The athletic component. Kirill wanted to play for a big club and make the playoffs. During his four years in Columbus, there was virtually no prospect of making it. Every year, the coaches change, and a new one comes in with their own vision."  

Cam Talbot Sets Two NHL Records With Win Against PittsburghNew <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> goaltender Cam Talbot beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last night in a shootout to pick up his first win in Union Blue. 

With the win, Talbot became the first NHL goaltender to win a game with nine different teams. Yes, NINE different teams. Some people look at this record and think he's bad. I look at this record and see longevity. Will he be able to keep it up this season? Time will tell. 

REMINDER: Dante Fabbro Will Be Grand Marshal For 2026 Columbus Italian Festival ParadeDante Fabbro is confirmed to be still participating despite his injury.

Game Recaps 

Damon Severson Scores In Season Debut, Cam Talbot Wins Columbus Debut In Shootout Win Against Pittsburgh Columbus moves to 2-1-0 on the season.

Damon Severson(1) and Mathieu Olivier(2) scored the goals in regulation, and Kent Johnson scored the only goal for either team in the shootout to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night at Nationwide Arena.   

Jimmy Snuggerud Scores Twice, Blues Beat Blue Jackets For First Time In 7 TriesThe Jackets' record now stands at 2-2-0.

Val Nichushkin(1), Kent Johnson(2), and Cole Sillinger(2) scored the goals for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 22 of 26 Blues shots in a 5-3 loss to St. Louis. 

The Jackets held 2-0 lead in the first period and got hammered for the rest of the game. 

This loss halts a 6 game losing streak to the CBJ for the Blues. 

Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets are back home on Tuesday to take on the Florida Panthers. 

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The Canadiens will take their hot dogs on ice.

On Saturday, a promotion attempt went wild when an inflatable hot dog and bun went on to the ice at Bell Centre in Montreal during a TV timeout in the third period against the Red Wings.

Fans in the crowd worked together to try to place the large inflatable hot dog into the giant inflatable bun across the arena. Yet the dog, with “Go Habs Go!” on the side of it, went over the glass and onto the ice as fans clapped and cheered. The bun, which featured a Canadiens logo, shortly followed, just barely getting over the glass and the Canadiens’ bench.

The bun went on to cause havoic.

HOT DOG ON THE ICE IN MONTREAL pic.twitter.com/f8fW1OPOO9

— NHL (@NHL) October 11, 2026

As it came down, captain Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský attempted to poke the bun with their hockey sticks.

It also hit Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc as it bounced onto the ice.

Despite some not-so-thrilled looks from players and officials, the fans cheered and seemed to have fun with the in-game antics.

The fan event is a new promotion at Canadiens games and Saturday was its first appearance at Bell Centre.

“Yeah, that didn’t work out too good for them,” Suzuki said, per The Athletic.

“That was crazy,” Montreal’s Kaiden Guhle added. “I covered my mouth because I was laughing, and no one else was really laughing and it was just me. I’ve never seen that before. But the fans were having fun, so that’s good.”

The hot dog activity was made popular starting at MLB games.

A highlight occurred at Kauffman Stadium when the hot dog and bun were assembled at a Kansas City Royals game in September.

It’s unknown if the Canadiens will go forth with the fan activity during future games.

Montreal went on to win the game in a 1-0 shootout. The team moves to a 2-2-1 record for sixth place in the Atlantic division.

They move on to play Buffalo on Tuesday night while the Red Wings (1-3-1) will host the Devils.

The Montreal Canadiens have had their fair share of injuries in this young season: Kaiden Guhle, Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov, and Samuel Montembeault have all missed time, but they’re still in much better shape than the New York Rangers. Jeff Gorton’s former team has lost its star goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, for the season thanks to a gruesome lower-body injury. To make matters worse, backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is also out for four weeks, leaving the Rangers with rookies Dylan Garland and Callum Tung as their netminder tandem. Together, they have five games of NHL experience.

Can they ride the storm with them? And even when Korpisalo is back, will they be comfortable with their tandem? In Montreal, the Canadiens barely bat an eyelid at the news that Montembeault would be unavailable for 10 to14 days, because they’ve got another NHL-ready goalie in Jacob Fowler. The Florida native had a statement game Saturday night, stopping 30 shots in 65 minutes and another six in the shootout. He was flawless, and he did it with poise. His positioning was on point, making the saves look easy. His performance reminded those in attendance of former franchise cornerstone Carey Price.

Fowler Shines and Bolduc Put The Game Away Netting The Canadiens Two Much-Needed Points.
Canadiens Power Play Worryingly Inefficient
Canadiens Reportedly Still In On Larkin

That was his second game in a row, and while he didn’t win his first outing, he played well enough to earn a second start and keep Jakub Dobes on the sideline. When Montembeault returns, the Canadiens will have no choice but to return him to the AHL. Kent Hughes has made it clear he doesn’t want another three-goalie carousel this season. Unless, of course, the Habs could find a landing spot for Montembeault, who’s in the last year of his contract, then they could keep Fowler in the NHL. According to Frank Seravalli, the Rangers have put Shesterkin on LTIR, but not season-ending LTIR; still, that gives them $3.97M in cap space, so New York could easily take on Montembeault’s $3.15M contract.

The Canadiens couldn’t find a trade partner for Montembeault this summer because they didn’t receive a good enough offer for the Becancour native, but the end justifies the means. Now that the Rangers find themselves in such a precarious position between the pipes, they may be willing to match the Canadiens’ ask.

While some thought it would be tricky for the Habs to make a deal with the organization that fired Jeff Gorton in 2021, a lot of water has run under the bridge since then, and the Habs traded with the Rangers this summer, sending William Trudeau back for Brett Berard. It was a minor league deal, but it’s still a deal.

Of course, Montembeault needs to be healthy to help the Rangers, but he’s expected to miss only 10 to 14 days. That’s not too long, and the rookie goalie tandem may be able to hold down the fort for the Rangers until then.

Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see what happens with the goaltending in Montreal now. Jakub Dobes finished training camp as the clear number one. He was instrumental in the Canadiens beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first game but then had a couple of tough outings against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes. After three games, it made sense to have the backup take on the Nashville Predators, and with Montembeault injured, Fowler stepped in.

Most expected Dobes back for game five, but Martin St-Louis chose to return to Fowler because the team hadn’t had a full practice in a couple of days. That’s an interesting move. Last season, the coach would have gone back to his number one. Does that mean Dobes doesn’t have as long a leash as Montembeault did? What will that do to Dobes’ confidence? Or does it simply mean that St-Louis has learned from last year’s goaltending woes and will go with the hot hand? If that’s the case and Fowler keeps up his play, the coach certainly won’t want to see him sent back down to the AHL.

There’s never a dull moment in Montreal, but finding a new home for Montembeault would allow the organization to keep its two young goaltenders in the NHL, where they belong.

---

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On Saturday night, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Carolina Hurricanes at the United Center. It was the second home game of the season for Chicago, but not nearly as successful as the first. 

Roman Kantserov Scores First Career NHL Goal But Blackhawks Are Blown Out By HurricanesRoman Kantserov scored his first career NHL goal, but his Chicago Blackhawks were blown out at home by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, following a lousy loss to the Hurricanes, the Blackhawks are 1-5-0 after six games. It is not where they wanted to be, despite having a very tough schedule to open up the year. The issue now is that it doesn't lighten up any time soon. 

It is easy to understand why the Blackhawks players and coaches are frustrated following this one. They were run out of their own building early in a season that is already falling off the rails. 

When asked, Patrick Kane said that the frustration level of the team was "very high". This, of course, came after a tough game, but it's a sign of the overall team outlook. 

"D-zone and being better with the puck, whether it's living to fight another day sometimes or making better plays out there,” Kane said when asked about where the team needs to improve. “Supporting, demanding it, wanting it, those types of things."

Kane knows what it’s like to be on a team as good as the Carolina Hurricanes. He spent the first half of his career almost exclusively on those types of teams. At least for now, he has incredible confidence that this current group will get there one day. 

"I have a lot of confidence in the group," Kane said. "We definitely have enough talent, speed, and skill. What kind of team are we going to be? That's something we need to figure out."

Kane believes this young Blackhawks group has what it needs to "take a page" out of Carolina's book. If anyone on the team has an opinion worth trusting on this type of topic, it's Patrick Kane. 

Roman Kantserov, who scored his first career NHL goal on Saturday, spoke about how it wasn't his plan to lose the game that he got his first, but he did admit that finally turning that 0 next to his goal total into a 1 will give him confidence going forward. 

When Kantserov was leading the KHL in goals, it was obvious that this ability would translate to the NHL. It was just a matter of how long. He is still figuring things out, but getting that first will go a long way. 

It wasn't only players trying to balance frustration with confidence following Saturday's loss. Head coach Jeff Blashill was not shy on either end of the conversation. 

"Do I think frustration builds when you haven't won and you're not having enough success? Of course it does," Blashill said. "Those are the challenges we're going to have to face."

Coach Blashill often talks about process. He thinks that a team's process is more important than results because wins will come if you do things the right way. As of now, sitting in his coach's chair, he believes in this group. 

"I'm going to tell you right now, I have absolute 100 percent belief in this group," Blashill continued. "This group is going to win. I can't tell if we're going to start winning Tuesday, next week, [or] a year from now. I have no idea when it's going to be, but this group is going to win, 100 percent."

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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LAS VEGAS -- In a city that has embraced Stanley Cup champions, WNBA superstars, NFL personalities and some of the biggest names in professional sports, Ryan Reaves belongs in a rather exclusive category.

Not necessarily among the five greatest athletes to wear a Las Vegas uniform.

But among the five most beloved?

Absolutely.

And it isn’t particularly difficult to make the argument.

Long before the Vegas Golden Knights lifted the Stanley Cup, before the Las Vegas Aces established their championship pedigree and before the Las Vegas Raiders settled into their new home, Reaves helped introduce a different kind of professional sports personality to Southern Nevada.

He wasn’t going to lead the league in scoring. He wasn’t going to win an MVP award. And nobody was confusing his offensive production with that of the NHL’s elite.

But Reaves could bring more than 18,000 people to their feet without scoring a goal.

Sometimes all it took was one thunderous hit, a dropped pair of gloves, or that unmistakable grin that told everyone inside T-Mobile Arena he was having the time of his life.

And Las Vegas loved every minute of it.

Now, after 16 NHL seasons, 962 regular-season games and a career built on toughness, personality and an unwavering willingness to stand up for his teammates, the man affectionately known as “Reavo” has officially retired.

And how is retirement treating him?

"Horrible, absolutely horrible," Reaves said with a laugh during an exclusive interview with The Hockey News at the Golden Knights' 10th-anniversary festivities. "I’m bored. I don’t know what to do with myself. Trying to fill the time in the wrong ways. So we’ll see. I’m gonna get going and doing something soon."

One thing he won’t have to figure out is where he’s going to live.

Las Vegas isn’t simply another stop in his hockey career.

It’s home.

A City That Embraced Reavo

Reaves arrived in Las Vegas in February 2018, joining the expansion Golden Knights during their remarkable inaugural season and helping a franchise nobody expected to contend reach the Stanley Cup Final.

But the relationship between Reaves and Southern Nevada became something much bigger than hockey.

"This community opened their arms to me," Reaves said. "I started a business here, and then people flooded out to the bars when I was there, pouring beer and really supported that."

His beer business, 7Five Brewing Co., became another connection between the rugged forward and a community that couldn’t get enough of his personality.

And while millions of visitors associate Las Vegas with casinos, nightlife and the Strip, Reaves discovered the city beyond the tourist attractions.

"The people are just so nice here. The city is great," he said. "I don’t think many people know what kind of city really lies outside that Strip. And so, yeah, we fell in love with this place. And right now I’m calling it home for sure."

For the good times and all the hits that rocked The Fortress, thank you and welcome back Ryan Reaves! 🥊 pic.twitter.com/NGnwyA5Dt0

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 7, 2022

Reaves also witnessed the city’s transformation into a major professional sports market, with the Golden Knights, Aces and Raiders establishing their places in the community and Major League Baseball on the horizon.

"This is obviously a new sports city, but you can see how vibrant the sports city is," he said. "This place loves its sports. It probably took a little longer than it should have, but good on the fans for coming out and supporting everything and really growing the sports in the city."

Perhaps nowhere has that growth been more evident than in youth hockey.

Reaves remembers a market that was still finding its hockey identity. Today, new ice facilities, youth programs and competitive teams have helped establish a thriving hockey culture in the desert.

"You just go around the rinks, the practice rinks and all the new rinks that are being built, and there’s kids everywhere, and they love the game," Reaves said. "The sport’s really growing here, and it’s going to continue to go up as long as the Knights are here."

An Unforgettable Walk Down The Tunnel

Ask Reaves about his favorite memory inside T-Mobile Arena, and he doesn’t immediately mention a fight, a goal or even the Golden Knights’ extraordinary run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.

Instead, he remembers the first time he experienced the building as a Golden Knight.

"I think the first time I walked down the tunnel, that John Wick song came out. The place was absolutely erupting," Reaves recalled. "It was the coolest sporting moment I think I’ve seen. Not just playing in, but just being part of, seeing live."

For a player who spent parts of 16 seasons in NHL arenas across North America, that is quite a compliment.

"I just thought the entertainment that this place puts on is like nothing in North American sports," he said. "I always remember that first day walking down the tunnel."

There was another important element to his time in Vegas.

Former coach Gerard Gallant, affectionately known as “Turk,” helped Reaves understand that his value extended beyond intimidating opponents.

Reaves said Gallant’s confidence in him allowed him to become a more complete player, particularly during his second season with the franchise.

"He really trusted me," Reaves said. "We played against a lot of top lines, and he trusted us in all situations. We played 10, 12 minutes as a fourth line, playing a lot of shutdown stuff."

For someone accustomed to limited minutes and long stretches on the bench, that trust changed everything.

"When you’re more involved in the game, you feel better on the ice," Reaves said. "Turk really just allowed me to kind of be myself and play the way I can."

One More Fight? Evander Kane, Of Course

No conversation with Reaves would be complete without discussing the fights.

And when asked whether there was anyone he regretted not dropping the gloves with more often, Reaves didn’t hesitate.

"Oh man, I regret not dropping more with Evander Kane," he said. "I think I got him once, but I regret not getting him every time we played."

Evander Kane and Ryan Reaves finally fight after chirping all night pic.twitter.com/Rla9W0ktX4

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 15, 2019

That competitive streak apparently hasn’t disappeared in retirement.

In fact, Reaves might have stumbled onto a rather unusual business opportunity.

Teaching other hockey players how to fight.

Reaves said he spent some time this summer working with players on fighting techniques when Golden Knights broadcaster Daren Millard suggested turning those lessons into a camp.

"I’ve actually thought about just flying around and helping teams with, or whoever wants it, just kind of breaking down general basics of what you’re looking for in a fight, how to set your feet, your grabs," Reaves said. "I think it would be cool, but I don’t know if there’s a market for it."

Imagine that.

The same guy who once terrorized opponents with his fists could someday be traveling around the NHL teaching the next generation how to throw them.

Hockey, Television and Fatherhood

Reaves hasn’t ruled out remaining involved in the NHL, whether through coaching, management or broadcasting.

He plans to experiment with television and social media opportunities this season before deciding on a more permanent direction.

"I think I’m going to dabble a little bit in some broadcasting, some social stuff with the NHL, and I’m going to see how I like it this year," he said. "I’m going to spend some time with the family. I’m not going to do anything too permanent."

He also offered a favorable early assessment of the current Golden Knights, particularly rookie Trevor Connelly, whom he skated with during the summer, and first-year head coach Ryan Craig.

"He’s played really well," Reaves said of Connelly. "He looks poised to have a really good season his first year up."

Reaves also praised Craig’s approach and the talent assembled around Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.

"This is one of the most talented teams, I think, in the NHL," Reaves said. "The sky’s the limit for this team, as it always is."

But for now, his most meaningful assignment isn’t behind an NHL bench or in front of a television camera.

It’s coaching his son.

"I’m coaching my kid, my son, in hockey a little bit, and I’m just having fun spending time with them right now," Reaves said.

It’s a fitting next chapter for a player whose identity was never limited to the intimidating figure opponents encountered on the ice.

Years ago, Reaves could be seen patiently introducing his young son to skating on the same ice where he entertained thousands of Golden Knights fans attending practices.

Now, instead of worrying about his next shift, his next opponent or his next fight, he can enjoy those moments without the demands of an NHL schedule.

And while retirement may have left Reaves wondering what to do with all his free time, there’s something rather appropriate about where his journey has brought him.

Ryan Reaves cranks the siren. pic.twitter.com/e373f1TbLh

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) October 11, 2026

He arrived in Las Vegas as a hockey player.

He became one of the city’s most recognizable and beloved sports personalities.

And after 16 NHL seasons, countless fights and memories that will endure long after his playing days, Ryan Reaves isn’t leaving the city that embraced him.

He’s already home.