The Detroit Red Wings look to string together their first four-game winning streak since February, when they won seven straight just before the Four Nations Face-Off break. They faced a tough test Wednesday as they faced off against the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers and were still able to edge out a 4-1 victory. They'll be tasked with another difficult opponent on Friday in taking on another Florida-based team in the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Friday night hockey! #LGRW

🏒 7:00 P.M.
📺 @FanDuelSN_DET
📻 @971theticketxyt
🎟️ https://t.co/vZc2Yr3p4Z
🤝 @familycoolingpic.twitter.com/yBCo2Hqd2s

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 17, 2025

Detroit's homestand to start the season has helped them get out to an early 3-1-0 record on the season as they currently sit second in the Atlantic Division. For the Bolts, their start to the campaign has been more troubling with a 1-2-1 record that will motivate them to bounce back. 

On offense, Detroit will look to kick things off with the always lethal Alex DeBrincat, who is normally known for being a deadly goal scorer. However, he's not found the back of the net this season. The Michigan native is still averaging over a point-per-game with six assists through the first four games. Tampa Bay's offense will be led by familiar faces in forwards Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel, who both have five points to start the season despite their team's lackluster start. 

With both offenses looking to leave their mark, it should culminate in a divisional showdown of the ages with both teams looking for a big win that would go a long way in nabbing a potential playoff spot.  

NHL Insider Reports Red Wings Exploring Trade Options At CenterThe Red Wings are actively seeking a center upgrade, targeting impact players to bolster their playoff push and address face-off struggles.

Lineup Storylines

While DeBrincat searches for his first goal, a handful of others are also looking for their first tally of the season as the Red Wings' notable trio of rookies have all still not scored their first NHL goals. The veteran J.T. Compher has also failed to find the scoresheet through four games and finds himself at the bottom of the team with the rookies (excluding Emmitt Finnie) and defenseman around him in terms of point production. He would love to turn things around and could be looked at for a breakout game versus the Bolts.

A surprising start to the season for the Red Wings has been free agent add Mason Appleton, who scored a pair of goals in Detroit's win over the Panthers on Wednesday and now leads the team with three on the season. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman brought in Appleton as a veteran presence to bolster the team’s scoring depth. After making his mark as part of one of the league’s most effective lines with the Jets, Appleton has continued to deliver a similar impact early in his time with Detroit. 

The Red Wings' battle for the crease has been predominantly owned by veteran goaltender Cam Talbot to start the season but former all-star John Gibson will seemingly get a chance to redeem himself against Tampa Bay. After being acquired through a draft day trade, Gibson was expected to be Detroit's leading netminder but his debut didn't go according to plan. With five goals allowed through the first two periods, Gibson was pulled in the season opener despite most of the goals arguably not being his fault and more a cause of defensive lapses. 

Gibson Takes the Heat, But Detroit’s Defensive Lapses Deserve the Blame in Montreal RoutA closer look at Montreal’s five goals in Thursday’s victory over <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit </a>and an assessment of how many can truly be pinned on John Gibson.&nbsp;

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Following the loss, Talbot caught fire with three impressive starts including a stunning 38-save performance to help edge out a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Monday. Gibson will look to catch a similar flame on Friday or he may start to lose more playing time than he expected due to Talbot's hot start. 

On Tampa's end, their storylines run through their backend as they currently sit with a -3 goal differential, spearheaded by 16 goals allowed over their first four games. Their 4.00 goals against per game average is bottom five in the league, which is surprising for a team that made three straight Stanley Cup finals off the strength of their backend with physical, elite defending complemented by exceptional play out of starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Unfortunately for the Bolts, their future Hall-of-Fame netminder has seen a brutal start to the season with a 0-2-1 record with a 4.08 goals against average. If the Red Wings are going to take advantage of the Lightning’s slump, now’s the moment to do it. 

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

DET ML (+125) | TBL ML (-149)

DET +1.5 (-189) | TBL -1.5 (+154)

O/U 6.0 Goals

The matchup presents a solid opportunity for the aforementioned Compher to finally find the scoresheet. We mentioned the Lightning have been struggling with their defensive side of the game and Compher could take advantage. Historically, the 30-year-old winger has done well versus the Bolts with a goal and five assists for six points over his last seven games against Tampa Bay. Vasilevskiy will be tough to beat as his numbers against Detroit are superb but maybe the Red Wings offense can catch him off guard and continue his skid. 

Detroit has gotten the better of Tampa Bay as of late with wins in five of their last seven matchups with most of the games being won with their offense rather than their defense. This should work well for a Red Wings team that is within the top ten in offense to start the season with a 3.50 goals per game average. This should help them repeat with three or more goals for the fourth time in their last seven matchups versus the Lightning. 

On the defensive side, the Red Wings will need to do their best to prevent the eventual breakout game for Bolts superstar Nikita Kucherov. The former 144-point player has just three points through four games so far and it's only a matter of time before his first game-breaking performance of the season. With 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points in 40 career games against the Red Wings, they've struggled to limit the Russian winger in the past but will need to try their best once again if they want to emerge with their fourth straight win. 

"He Hasn't Relinquished Anything": Todd McLellan Firmly In John Gibson's Corner Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan believes that John Gibson still has every right to the crease, and he'll make his second start of the campaign on Friday evening against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Goalie Matchup

Detroit: John Gibson (VS TBL: 4-5-1 record, 2.13 GAA, .932 SV% in 10 Games)

Tampa Bay: Andrei Vasilevskiy (VS DET: 16-5-1 record, 2.16 GAA, .929 SV% in 22 Games) 

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The Swedish junior league is loaded with intriguing prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft. In this piece, Jacob Smeds highlights five players who have stood out in the early weeks of the U20 Nationell season. Enjoy!

Oscar Holmertz (C), 2026 NHL Draft

Holmertz is a center with strong playmaking ability. His game relies more on hockey sense than on speed or physicality. He is confident with the puck and often finds solutions others don’t see. His vision stands out, allowing him to dictate the pace of play and bring both tempo and control to his team’s game.

Holmertz has opened the season with promising play in the U20 Nationell, earning him a spot on Linköping’s SHL roster for Thursday’s game against Örebro. He didn’t get any ice time, but just being on the bench is a sign that his SHL debut is getting closer. With his high hockey IQ and ability to process the game, it’s easy to project his skills to the professional level.

Bosse Meijer (C), 2027 NHL Draft

Bosse Meijer opened the season with a promising performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Sweden. Though one of the youngest players on the roster, he played a key role on a line with 2026 top prospects Oscar Holmertz and Elton Hermansson. Meijer stood out with his relentless work ethic and constant motor, and he showed confidence in taking shots whenever the opportunity arose.

Meijer entered the season with just a single U20 game to his name, but he’s made the transition from U18 look seamless. Along with his trademark work ethic, he has displayed strong hockey sense and a knack for threading passes behind opposing defenders. With his late-2008 birth date, Meijer emerges as one of the more intriguing Swedish prospects to keep an eye on for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Marcus Nordmark (RW), 2026 NHL Draft

Marcus Nordmark is another player who started the season with an impressive showing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He showed the different sides of his game there, mixing playmaking with scoring and proving he can rise to the occasion in big moments.

After a slow start in U20 Nationell, both Marcus Nordmark and Djurgården’s junior team are starting to find their stride. Nordmark has impressed with his improved vision, producing 13 points in 8 games without often needing to play at full speed. To his credit, the U20 league doesn’t ask for much more from a player projected to go in the first round. The real test will be how his game carries over if he gets a chance at the professional level.

Marcus Nordmark has completed the hat-trick to win the game 6-5 for Sweden.

Sweden is off to the final.

They trailed 5-2 with 12 minutes to go. #HlinkaGretzkyCuppic.twitter.com/vzGxaVAZa0

— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) August 15, 2025

Theodor Knights (D), 2026 NHL Draft

Theodor Knights is a big, team-first defenseman who takes pride in his play in the defensive zone. He leans on his physical style to shut down opponents and is often tasked with handling the other team’s top line. Over the past year, he’s also taken steps forward with the puck, showing more confidence in moving play out of his own end.

Knights earned a chance with MoDo’s senior team during the preseason but has yet to make his league debut. Even against tougher competition, he showed his defensive upside with aggressive play in his own zone. His mix of skating ability and size could push him high in the draft.

Alexander Command (C), 2026 NHL Draft

Alexander Command took major steps forward last season and was rewarded with a debut for the Swedish national team in the final tournament of the year. In the tough competition for spots, he was left off the roster for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. I’d bet on him getting another chance with Sweden at the Five Nations in November. With his reliable two-way game, he could be an asset as a third-line center or even higher up the lineup.

Command currently sits fourth in league scoring with an impressive seven goals and 15 points in nine games. He’s a joy to watch in transition, using his smooth stride and ability to glide through the neutral zone. Command also isn’t afraid to drive to the dirty areas or throw a hit in the corners when the game calls for it. He remains one of the most intriguing players still flying under the radar for the wider audience.

Part 4: Draft-Eligible Prospects to Watch in SwedenThe Hockey News International wraps up its series spotlighting draft-eligible players to watch in Sweden. The series profiles 40 intriguing prospects, with Parts 1–3 available below.

On Thursday morning, when Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis told reporters that Jayden Struble would be suiting up for the game against the Nashville Predators, he added that he was looking forward to giving Joe Veleno a game.

In the midst of a four-game winning streak, it’s not easy to change your lineup, and you’ve got to be careful about who you pull out. On Thursday morning, Oliver Kapanen seemed to be the likeliest candidate. But against the Nashville Predators, not only did he score a goal, but he was much more involved and visible. Early in the first frame, his timely stick lift prevented Steven Stamkos from taking a shot from in close.

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He might have only played 11:59, but those were quality minutes, and he’s also part of the penalty kill, which is an important role. He won his role on the team out of training camp before St-Louis thought he had an NHL-level computer. He plays a sound game, and he’s also predictable for his linemates on the ice. The way he performed on Thursday night, it’s almost as if he was telling the coach that while he was looking forward to playing Veleno, it shouldn’t be at his expense.

Meanwhile, Patrik Laine is trying his best on the fourth line, but playing a two-way game does not necessarily come naturally to him. It’s a work in process, and last night, he was on the ice when Nick Perbix scored the Predators’ second goal. He did backcheck, but he let his man go too early, when Noah Dobson wasn’t close enough to cover him adequately, as Laine skated towards the other side to cover Ozzy Wiesblatt.

Yes, he’s part of the power play, but things haven’t yet clicked for him on the man-advantage, and his presence on the fourth line is posing a challenge for Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. They are used to playing with Brendan Gallagher, who plays a simple, efficient, and predictable game, and Laine doesn’t do that, even though he’s working on it.

When the Canadiens needed an equalizer against Nashville and they deployed six skaters, Laine wasn’t on the ice; he was on the bench. I liked what I’ve seen from Laine since the start of the season. The effort is there, but right now, for me, he’s the one who should come out if St-Louis wants to give Veleno a game.

---

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ELMONT, NY --Matt Martin may have called it a career this summer, but his impact on the future of the New York Islanders' organization is immeasurable.

Since No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer arrived on Long Island, Martin, who was named Special Assistant to first-time general manager Mathieu Darche, has taken the recently turned 18-year-old under his wing. 

Martin, along with countless other teammates, had offered their homes to Schaefer for his rookie season, but every time we asked the young defenseman during training camp who he'd be living with, he said that he was focused on making the team first -- the right answer. 

But, during Thursday night's ESPN+ broadcast, Emily Kaplan asked Schaefer who he'd be living with. Schaefer told her that over 10 teammates offered to house him, but that he'd be living with Martin.

#Isles Matthew Schaefer tells ESPN's @emilymkaplan that he'll be living at the Matt Martin house this year.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) October 17, 2025

Schaefer has made an incredible bond with Martin's family, which includes their daughters Winnie and Alice. Martin and his wife Sydney also welcomed two twin boys back in June, so credit to them for bringing in another kid -- jokes. 

Following the game, The Hockey News asked Schaefer about what Martin has meant to him:

NHL (@NHL) on XMatthew Schaefer might be a member of the Martin family now 🥹 (🎥: IG/sydneyemartin)

It's very common for rookies to live with vets during their rookie season. Mathew Barzal lived with Dennis Seidenberg and his family. John Tavares lived with Doug Weight and his family. 

While Schaefer's focus is developing his game on the ice, the 18-year-old is still learning a ton about life and there aren't two better people, in Martin and his wife Sydney, to learn from.

We await the social media posts of Schaefer donning an Elsa outfit. 

Islanders Rookie Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest In NHL History To Open Career With Four-Game Point StreakSchaefer broke another NHL record, becoming the youngest ever to record a point in four consecutive games to start his career. His impressive debut lights up the league.

Anthony Stolarz's mask was popped off via a shot late in the third period against the New York Rangers, and instead of calling for an official, he bounced back up to make a save on J.T. Miller.

"I kind of just saw the rebound go to the side, and as I was going, the helmet kind of flew off, so just trying to be a competitor and slide across," Stolarz said after Toronto's 2-1 overtime win over the Rangers. "Obviously, it's not an ideal situation, but at that stage of the game, you're just trying to do anything to keep the puck out of the net."

Rule 9.6 (Helmets) in the NHL rulebook states: "When a goalkeeper has lost his helmet and/or face mask and his team has control of the puck, play shall be stopped immediately to allow the goalkeeper the opportunity to regain his helmet and/or face mask. When the opposing team has control of the puck, play shall only be stopped if there is no immediate and impending scoring opportunity."

It's a situation that could have gone horribly wrong had the shot come up and gotten Stolarz in the head area. Luckily, it didn't. But it's not the first time a goaltender has lost their mask and had to make a save this season.

lost his mask and kept going to make the save pic.twitter.com/fUVHSK5N4d

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2025

Vegas Golden Knights netminder Adin Hill took a slapshot off the mask on Oct. 14 against the Calgary Flames. The play continued, with Hill sliding across to make a stop on the rebound. The goaltender remained in the game for the rest of the first period before exiting the game.

When discussing the play post game, Stolarz brought up the Hill incident.

"Hopefully, we can find a compromise. It's not like goalies are trying to knock our helmets off. I mean, without the buckle, you can't really see the puck. You can't really track or do anything because as soon as you move your head, it falls off," Stolarz said.

"So, hopefully, the league can kind of look at it, talk to some goalies or people who have knowledge of the position, and we can kind of come to some sort of compromise where our safety isn't put at risk there."

just another day at the office pic.twitter.com/3S2GjeYUp5

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2025

Stolarz wasn't the only player on the Maple Leafs who shared their dislike for the rule.

"I didn't know about (the rule) until they came over and explained it to us," Auston Matthews said.

"I mean, I don't know. It's tough because his helmet's off and J.T. Miller's coming down the slot with a one-timer. I don't know. Thankfully, he didn't hit him there. But yeah, I was completely unaware of the rule. I thought the second the helmet's off, the play was going to be dead."

William Nylander: "I think, it's a goalie without his helmet, I mean, that's so dangerous. It should be blown off right away. I mean, I guess you could argue that sometimes a goalie can try and shake his helmet off or whatever, but I mean, I think that's pretty dangerous."

Matthew Knies said he was "a little scared" when Stolarz's mask came off and there was no whistle blown right away. "I don't know how it came to that. I thought it was supposed to be blown, but I don't know. It was a shocker for sure, for everyone, I think."

Did Cayden Primeau Show Enough In His Maple Leafs Debut To Instil Confidence As An NHL Backup?Cayden Primeau could feel the nerves building as he walked out of the tunnel inside Scotiabank Arena for his first start with the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Nashville Predators.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube shared the same sentiment as the players: blow the play dead once a goaltender's mask is off.

"It's a tough call. I mean, your goalie loses his mask. He's in a very vulnerable position. And a position to get really hurt. I don't think anybody wants to see that, ever. So in my opinion, blow it down. But that's me."

Despite that scare in the third period, Stolarz was strong for Toronto. The 31-year-old stopped 28 of 29 shots in the win over the Rangers, improving his record to 2-2-0, and his save percentage to .907 through four games.

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After a highly entertaining home opener on Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to keep their game winning streak going by hosting the Nashville Predators at the Bell Centre.

Without the tribute and the home opening ceremony, the 2025-26 introduction video took center stage, and I must say it’s nice to see the torch projected on the ice for every game; seeing the rink light up in flames gets to me for some reason. As for the video itself, it’s an interesting change of pace; there are a lot of bone-crushing hits in there, and no longer just spectacular goals and saves.

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Taking More Shots

For a second game in a row, the shot clock stayed relatively low throughout the first 20 minutes. On Tuesday, Montreal could muster only four shots in the first frame, and on Thursday, they managed just six, the same amount as the Predators.

It’s not that the Habs played poorly, but at times, they’re trying one too many passes out there. Nashville aborted multiple chances, sticks getting in the passing lanes that shouldn’t have been tried since there was a good shot opportunity available. There’s something to be said about keeping things simple sometimes.

In all fairness, though, since training camp, the Canadiens haven’t focused that much on offense, something the coach has been quite open about:

Where we can improve the most is in the offensive zone; it’s not about spending more time there, but it’s about being more efficient. We die with the pucks in the corner. I think we can do a better job of it. We’ve worked so much on the other side of the game since the start of training camp that we’re a bit behind on that side, but I’d rather be behind on that side.

- St-Louis on what his team can improve

With all the offensive talent he has at his disposal, that declaration makes sense. Tightening that side of the game was urgent, as falling behind and conceding five or six goals a game would be worse than missing some scoring chances.

Dobes’ Composure

Say what you will about Jakub Dobes, but he’s always ready when he gets the call, and he’s a calm and reassuring presence in the net. While he wasn’t tested too often in the game, when he was, he was sharp.

In the first frame, he made a great save on an odd-man rush, which resulted from Noah Dobson fanning on a shot at the opposing blueline. In the middle stanza, there was a weird bounce off the boards that nearly led to a goal, as he had come out to play the puck. Jayden Struble prevented the goal, but Dobes got back in a hurry to lend a hand.

When the Preds opened the score on a power-play goal off a Kaiden Guhle semi-block, he looked at his blueliner as if to say, 'It happens.' He stayed even keel; he has a way to handle himself that sends the message to his teammates that there’s no problem, they’ll get the goal back.

Furthermore, in the overtime period, the Predators got a two-on-zero, and the goalie stood tall; without that stop, there wouldn’t have been a game-winning goal with two seconds left.

On The Dynamic Duo

When Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield started playing with the Canadiens, they were both known as offense-first players, but a few years down the line, they are so much more than that. Suzuki receives Selke Trophy votes now, and as for Cole Caufield, his growth as a complete player has been phenomenal since St-Louis' arrival.

In Thursday night’s game, we saw Caufield shine at both ends of the ice. Not only did he score the game-tying and the game-winning goal, but in the extra frame, when Mike Matheson broke his stick and the Habs were essentially down to two players instead of three, it was the diminutive forward who put the pressure necessary to lead to the whistle and allowed the Canadiens to survive a tricky situation. Just a year ago, that broken stick would have put an end to the night, but not anymore.

Speaking to the media after the game, Hutson explained how he feels the chemistry between the two reminds him of the Patrick Kane-Johnathan Toews combination. Since he grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan, that’s quite a compliment from the youngster, and one that makes sense.

In the dying minutes of overtime, Suzuki missed a good scoring chance, and when the puck came to him again, he didn’t try for the shot; instead, he passed it to his partner in crime. Caufield made no mistake, scoring his second goal of the night and his fifth of the season. This duo makes the Canadiens an exciting team to watch, and it appears to be the case for the foreseeable future, with this young core locked up for years to come.

After two Hollywood-style wins in as many games at home, one has to wonder if the Canadiens forgot to introduce the script writer when they introduced the staff on Tuesday night. No moment was more impressive than when Hutson made a save in front of the empty net. For half a quarter of a second, he looked like he was thinking, “ouch, that hurt,” but then, gamer mode kicked in, and he launched the perfect pass to send Caufield on his way to to tie up the game. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Struble did very well in his first game of the season. He spent nearly 14 minutes on the ice and made quite a few noticeable defensive plays, showing no sign of rust whatsoever.

The Canadiens will have a well-deserved day off on Friday before getting back to work on Saturday morning, ahead of their duel with the New York Rangers at the Bell Center.

---

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It’s been a tough few days for the Florida Panthers.

Playing their first road games of the season, Florida has lost each of the past three games they’ve played.

The three defeats have all come over the past four days, and each one saw the game either tied or a one-goal contest late into each affair.

There will be plenty for the Cats to clean up after Thursday’s loss, and they won’t have long before getting back at.

Next up for Florida is a 1 p.m. matchup with the Sabres in Buffalo on Saturday.

Before we get to that, here are Thursday’s takeaways:

TARASOV SHINES AGAIN

It’s now been two strong starts for goaltender Daniil Tarasov this season.

The Panthers were keen on Tarasov when they acquired him over the summer, and now we’re starting to see why.

He’s turned a strong training camp and preseason into a pair of steady outings for Florida.

With Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice and his staff looking to limit starting goalie Sergei Bobrvosky to around 50-55 starts, having a reliable backup is a must if Florida wants to keep Bob fresh for what they hope is another long playoff run.

“He's been great,” Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues said of Tarasov. “I think we all kind of expected it, seeing him in preseason, training camp, stuff like that. He’s given us a chance (every game) and we haven't supported him too great in his two starts. But yeah, I don't think any of us are surprised.”

NOT MUCH LEFT IN THE TANK

Playing their third road game in four nights, the Panthers had a rough time finding their legs late in Thursday’s game.

To the Devils’ credit, they look to play a similar style to Florida and did a good job of limiting the Panthers time and space.

At the same time, Jersey also utilized their time with the puck and kept Tarasov very busy. If not for him, the game could have gotten away from Florida far sooner.

“He was fantastic,” said Maurice. “A lot of lateral plays that he got across on and gave us a chance to stay in that game, especially in the back half of that game when the wheels fell off the cart for us. We didn't have much we could do, and he was great, so that's a great sign for us.”

TOO MANY BLOCKED SHOTS

One area that the Panthers will be looking to improve on is in the shots on goal department.

Florida put up only 21 and 22 shots in Detroit and New Jersey, respectively, which is a low number for this team.

It doesn’t help that over the two games, the Red Wings and Devils blocked over 40 of the Panthers shot attempts.

“You’ve got to get near the net, to start, and then you’ve got to get a puck near the net,” said Maurice. “I think we had 23 blocked tonight, 25 blocked last night, so either heat ‘em up or get ‘em by them, one of the two.”

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Photo caption: Oct 16, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Prudential Center. (Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images)

Ivan Provorov(1) scored the only goal for the Blue Jackets, and goalie Elvis Merzļikins played very well for most of this game. Ultimately, the Blue Jackets would lose 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche. Merzļikins would end the game, stopping 

The first period was very fast, with both teams flying up and down the ice, giving each other lots of scoring chances. Both goalies had to be sharp and were, with Elvis Merzļikins getting most of the work. The Avs put 12 shots on goal and had 30 shot attempts, while the Jackets had 7 and 20, respectively. The Blue Jackets had a power play, but couldn't convert, so the period ended with neither team being able to beat each other's goalie. 

The Jackets held on as long as they could in the second period. After Ivan Provorov scored to make it 1-0, Makar and Nelson scored 1:12 apart to crush the CBJ. The law of averages caught up to the Jackets in the second. The Avs will shoot the puck, from anywhere, from anyone, and do it in short order. The Jackets thought they tied the game late in the second period when a puck went in off of Dmitri Voronkov's chest, but it was disallowed because the referee thought he had gloved it in. He did not glove it in, but it did go in off a body part, which is illegal. The Avs then scored a third goal with four seconds left on the clock to make it a 3-1 game after two periods. That goal, at the time, seemed like the nail in the coffin. 

The third period was more of the Avs just trying to end the game more than anything. The CBJ had a few chances, but the Avs shut pretty much everything down. On a good note, the Jackets killed off an Avs power play, which is something they have struggled to do this season through three games. Late in the third, the Jackets looked to have pulled to within one goal, but again the goal was disallowed due to a hand pass. The Avs would add an empty net goal to make it a 4-1 final at Nationwide Arena. 

The Blue Jackets will be fine. It's only been four games, but it's obvious where the help is needed, and that's scoring. We saw a glimpse of that against the Minnesota Wild in game two of the season when they poured in seven goals. The CBJ goalie tandem has been playing lights out for the most part, and that's a very good sign. 

The Blue Jackets honored the great Cam Atkinson before this game. Earlier in the day, Atkinson held a press conference where he signed a one-day NHL contract and then formally announced his retirement from the NHL. After warmups, Atkinson came back to the ice, dressed in his familiar #13 Blue Jackets jersey, and made a lap around the ice as the Nationwide Arena faithful went nuts. As he worked his way around the arena, he stopped to slap the glass at fans and give fist bumps through the glass as well. At one point, he even kissed the CBJ crest on the jersey, just before pointing up the Johnny Gaudreau banner that hangs on the east side of the arena. He stopped to say hi to his wife and kids and then finished his lap, as the Avs were coming onto the ice. He stayed on the ice for the National Anthem and then disappeared down the hallway. Later in the game, a couple of tribute videos were shown, most of which featured his former teammates from years past in Columbus. After one of those videos, Cam was seen chugging a beer with a massive smile on his face. Cam Atkinson was a legend for Columbus, and the fans of the CBJ should be honored to have been able to watch him play all those years. 

Even before Cam Atkinson officially retired, the #13 was never going to be worn again, but after Cam took the ice wearing it one more time, it's safe to say that that number, although not officially retired by the Jackets, will never be worn again. 

Final Stats

Player Stats

• Ivan Provorov played in his 700th career NHL game. He also scored his first goal of the season.
• Kirill Marchenko tallied an assist, his first of the season.
• Zach Werenski had 3 shots on the night.
• Elvis Merzļikins stopped 32 of 35 Colorado shots.

Team Stats

• The Jackets' power play went 0/2 against the Avs.
• The Columbus PK stopped the only Avs man advantage they had on the night.
• Columbus won 45.3% of the faceoffs.

Up Next: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit Columbus on Saturday night. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.  

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Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin has scored his first career NHL goal, just four games into his regular season career.

The highly touted Russian blueliner has been close quite a few times, especially when he hit the goal post on a 2-on-1 on Tuesday, but he finally got his.

Early into the third period, Nikishin found some soft space in the slot as the Hurricanes' top line was going to work and Sebastian Aho quickly found the activating defenseman.

Nikishin made no mistake, rifling the puck past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal and you could tell how much that first one meant to him.

Niki with his first, welcome to the NHL‼️ pic.twitter.com/9CbaIrkltk

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 17, 2025

That first NHL goal feeling 🥹 pic.twitter.com/t90p7rSfb6

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 17, 2025

Here's to many more, Niki!

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LAS VEGAS -- The Golden Knights got at least one point from 11 skaters Thursday night, led by William Karlsson's two goals, as Vegas defeated the Boston Bruins, 6-5.

"This was one of our more - it might sound funny - complete games, especially offensively," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I thought we were the better team most of the night. We gave up the first goal again, but answered right away. And then I thought we took it to Boston in a lot of different areas."

Vegas has given up the first goal in 15 straight games dating back to last postseason, through the preseason and over the first five games of the regular season.

"I thought the score was a little more complimentary than the game myself," Cassidy said. "I'm sure they may feel differently, but that's how I felt as a coach, and that's a good thing. That means we're moving in the right direction.

"Do we have some things to fix? Of course, you do. It's game five. It's the middle of October. We'll have things to fix for a while, but I'd like the direction the game went tonight. We're just going to keep emphasizing better starts. Some of that's puck management."

Jack Eichel became the first player in the NHL to hit double digits in points this season as he finished with a goal and an assist to extend his season-opening point streak to five games.

Eichel leads the league with 11 points, including five goals.

Everything is going in for Jack Eichel right now 👏 pic.twitter.com/174eDplfH6

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Captain Mark Stone finished with three assists, upping his season tally to a league-leading nine helpers.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored his sixth goal of the season and moved into a league-leading tie with Ottawa's Shane Pinto.

we lost track of how many goals Pavel is on pace for but it's a lot 🚨 pic.twitter.com/wr04XropbW

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Cole Reinhardt scored his first goal as a Golden Knight, while Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas.

🦏 THE RHINO 🦏 pic.twitter.com/QdMfKuLRSz

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

"We got four lines that can do a lot of damage in various ways," defenseman Zach Whitecloud said. "I don't want to specify anyone, because everyone has some things that they do really well that other lines don't necessarily have their identity as, but they can all score and create problems down low, especially off the rush.

"I think we're a good team creating off the rush, especially when we're breaking pucks out well. And I've said it all the time, as long as we get our forwards going with possession out of our own zone, more often than not, they're going to do a great job creating up the ice and managing pucks."

Karlsson finished with two special teams goals, one short-handed goal near the end of the second period and a power-play goal early in the third. It was the latter that not only ended up being the game-winner, but that also moved him within one point of his 400th point as a Golden Knight.

and here's his power-play goal! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/je3QJgwur9

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 17, 2025

Goaltender Akira Schmid improved to 3-0-0 after stopping 19 shots in what was his third appearance but just his second start of the season.

Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, and Nico Hischier scored, and the New Jersey Devils won their home opener, 3-1, against the Florida Panthers at Prudential Center on Thursday.

Evan Rodrigues scored Florida's lone goal, and Daniil Tarasov made 31 saves for the Panthers. 

"I felt we stayed with it," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "(It was a) funny game, lots of special teams, all that kind of stuff, especially in the early going, but we stayed with our game. We built our game as we went through. Power play finally came through after a ton of chances, so that was good. Penalty kill was outstanding, and we built our lead in the third period." 

Rodrigues opened the scoring at the 1:59 mark of the first period. Brad Marchand fired two quick shots on Allen before his linemate capitalized, scoring his fourth career goal against New Jersey.  

Jack Hughes tied it 1-1 with a power play goal at 5:48 of the second period. Devils team reporter Sam Kasan perfectly described the goal, "When puck carriers get near the goal line, goalies are taught to use the Reverse VH (down on a knee with body against the post). That leaves them vulnerable up high if you can make a great shot. Jack waits for Tarasov to drop and then picks the corner."

Jesper Bratt's primary assist on Hughes' goal marked the 300th of his NHL career. It ranks 10th all-time for franchise history behind Aaron Broten's 307 (ninth). 

Meier put the Devils in front 2-1 at 6:21, redirecting Simon Nemec's shot from the blue line. Brenden Dillon picked up the secondary assist. 

"I was hoping," Meier said postgame when asked if he thought Nemec was going to take that shot. "I think that is something we can work on. Get more pucks to the net and types of goals like that. More guys at the net to get more goals like this."

Nico Hischier extended the Devils' lead with his second goal of the 2025-26 campaign. Dawson Mercer showed tremendous effort, diving to poke the puck over to his linemate. 

"It was important to treat our fans to a good game, especially in the first one of the season," Meier continued. "I thought the guys got better as the game went on; it was impressive."

The Devils' next game is scheduled for Saturday afternoon against the Edmonton Oilers at Prudential Center. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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The Buffalo Sabres finally won a regular-season game Wednesday, beating the Ottawa Senators to get their record to 1-3-0. But if you think the Sabres are out of the woods now, think again. The Sabres are still going to have to play extremely hard to recover in the Atlantic Division standings.

Why? For one thing, lust look at the current standings position of the Senators team the Sabres just beat. Ottawa has put up a 2-3-0 record out of the skate, with the Sens being outscored 18-7 in those three defeats. So we know the Sabres weren’t taking on an elite Ottawa team Wednesday. 

The Sens will be a much better squad when they get star forward Brady Tkachuk back from injury, but as far as the Sabres go, they’d best believe Ottawa will give them a far tougher test than the one they had Wednesday.

These inter-divisional games are so important to win, so that was heartening for the Sabres. But they didn’t play a perfect game Wednesday. Far from it. Because even in a winning game against the Sens, they still gave up four goals. That means Buffalo has allowed 14 goals in its four games this season. And that’s not acceptable.

The margin for error in Buffalo is as thin as a wasp’s wing. But the biggest thing – as crazy as it sounds – is that the Sabres can’t get complacent. To get back in the race for a Stanley Cup playoff spot, they’re going to need many more wins to be in the playoff conversation. 

More Misery For Sabres As Buffalo Loses Third Straight Game To Start New SeasonAny way you want to frame it, losing three straight games to start the season is a disaster for the Buffalo Sabres. <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">The Sabres</a>' third straight defeat came Monday at the hands of the <a href="http://thn.com/colorado">Colorado Avalanche</a> -- a legitimate Stanley Cup frontrunner -- and once again, offense was a problem for Buffalo.

Judging by last season, you need 40-44 wins just to get into a wild-card. So you can see why the road ahead is so tough for the Sabres. Their poor start to the current situation had fans anxious, but to be honest, they should still be anxious for this team for quite some time. It’s going to take a consistent effort to get this Sabres team across the finish line as a playoff team.

And if they can’t do it, change will be on the horizon in Buffalo. 

Regardless of how the season shakes out for the Pittsburgh Penguins, there are sure to be a good bit of milestones courtesy of their future Hall-of-Famers.

And one of them has climbed two all-time lists with one goal.

On Thursday, 39-year-old center Evgeni Malkin scored a second-period power play goal against the Los Angeles Kings, which puts him at 515 for his career - tying him for 41st on the NHL's all-time list with Pierre Turgeon. 

In addition, Malkin tied Guy Lafleur for 29th on the NHL's all-time points list at 1,353. He is now just one point shy of tying Brendan Shanahan for 28th on the list.

Last season, Malkin became just the 48th player in NHL history - and fourth active player - to reach the 500-goal mark. He needs just four more goals to surpass Dale Hawerchuk for 40th all-time in goals.

  

Despite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' ProspectsEven if the Penguins sideline top prospects Brunicke and Kindel for "development," this strategic move signals a long-term commitment - possibly defying expectations of a return to juniors for both players.

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Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele scored twice and tied the franchise’s all-time points record as the Jets rolled to a 5–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre.

Scheifele, who recorded his 811th and 812th career points, matched Ilya Kovalchuk’s franchise mark and continued a strong early-season run for Winnipeg. His second goal, a power-play marker early in the third period, gave the Jets a commanding 4–1 lead and helped seal their third straight win.

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Vladislav Namestnikov opened the scoring less than five minutes into the first period, followed by second-period goals from Scheifele and Morgan Barron. The Flyers briefly clawed back into the game with a goal from Owen Tippett late in the second, but Barron responded just 1:27 later to restore Winnipeg’s two-goal cushion.

Philadelphia rookie Matvei Michkov added a late goal in the third, but Tanner Pearson iced the game with an empty-netter in the final minute.

Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves for the Jets (3–1–0), who dominated the pace of play despite being outshot 17–15. Kyle Connor chipped in with two assists.

Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson stopped 10 shots in the loss as Philadelphia (2–2–0) dropped its second straight game.

The Jets return to action Saturday night when they host the Calgary Flames.

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Shane Pinto scored the shootout winner as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 on Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre. Pinto scored in regulation as well and currently leads all NHL players with 6 goals on the young season.

It was a fine bounce-back performance by Ottawa after getting pounded 8-4 in Buffalo the night before. Having said that, the Senators were less than two minutes away from their fourth straight loss. They trailed 3-2, and with Linus Ullmark on the bench for the extra attacker, Dylan Cozens scored to tie the game at 3 with 1:46 remaining.

Cozens unleashed what appeared to be a nothing shot from the boards out past the top of the right circle. But Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer may have been screened by his teammate, Jamie Oleksiak, who appeared to skate through Grubauer's field of vision at just the wrong time.

The 3-on-3 overtime settled nothing, but Tim Stützle and Shane Pinto both scored in the shootout to seal the win for Ottawa. Pinto’s goal, a shot just inside the right post, clinched it for the Sens. He's now the NHL’s leading goal scorer with 6 goals in 5 games.

For the fifth time in as many games the Senators allowed the first goal. But goals from Pinto and David Perron helped them rally to take a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. That advantage was erased by a pair of Chandler Stephenson goals – one in the second and another early in the third. And that, of course, set up Cozens’ late, game-tying heroics.

Of course, he wouldn't have had a chance to do so if Ullmark didn't make some monster saves in the third. Overall, Ullmark was excellent, stopping 30 of 33 shots, along with two more in the shootout.

 "I thought Linus was huge in the third period," head coach Travis Green told the media after the game. "Everyone raises their game, or you hope they can raise their game when the heat's on. And everyone does it in a different way. For a goalie, it's finding ways to stop the puck when maybe you don't. And the good goalies in the league make big saves when it matters. And he did tonight."

The Senators will play game two of their four-game homestand on Saturday afternoon at 3 against the New York Islanders.

More Sens headlines at the Hockey News Ottawa:
Tkachuk Has Successful Thumb Surgery And Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Sens Call Up Kaliyev As Tkachuk Goes On IR
Senators Suffer Discouraging 8-4 Loss At Buffalo
Senators Lose Sebrango, Claimed Off Waivers By Florida
An Early Glance At The Senators' Goaltending Pipeline
Brady Tkachuk Likely To Miss A Month Of Action (At Least)