VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Marc Gatcomb scored the go-ahead goal late on the second period and the Vegas Golden Knights downed the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Sunday night.
Mitch Marner scored his first goal of the season and Victor Olofsson added a power-play score for the Golden Knights. Adin Hill stopped 17 of the 19 shots he faced, including a key save midway through the third when he slid well out of his crease to deny Liam Ohgren on a short-handed breakaway.
Canucks winger Paul Cotter opened the scoring with a power-play goal late in the first period, extending his season-opening point streak to four games with four goals and two assists across that stretch.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki also scored for Vancouver while Kevin Lankinen made 25 saves in a bounceback performance from Thursday night when he gave up eight goals on 20 shots in the Canucks’ 9-7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
After putting up 17 goals over their first three games of the season, Vancouver struggled to generate offense against Vegas, with just 19 shots in the game.
The Golden Knights had ample scoring opportunities with five power plays and found success with the extra man with a five-forward unit.
The Golden Knights took the 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at the 14:30 mark of the second after Lankinen stopped a shot from Jack Eichel. The rebound popped out to Mark Stone at the goal line and he sent a pass to Olofsson, who fired a shot into the top of the net to make it 2-1 for Vegas.
Vegas has now won eight straight games against Vancouver dating to Dec. 19, 2024.
Up next
Canucks: Begin a six-game road trip on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Golden Knights: Visit the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.
Former NHL defenseman Lyle Odelein, who spent the final season of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005-06, died overnight Friday. He was 58.
No official cause of death has been shared at this point, although sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he died of a heart attack. Odelein lived outside of Pittsburgh in Fox Chapel, Pa. with his wife, Laura, and he owned several Supercuts locations in addition to being a community fixture at several local businesses.
A seventh-round pick (141st overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, Odelein hailed from Quill Lake, Saskatchewan in Canada. The 6-foot, 212-pound blueliner won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993 and spent 16 seasons in the NHL across eight different teams.
During his final season in Pittsburgh - the first season post-lockout and Sidney Crosby's rookie season - Odelein played in only 27 games, registering one point. Over the course of his NHL career, he amassed 50 goals and 252 in 1,056 games.
According to the Post-Gazette, it is believed that a blood infection caused by the prick of a cactus in 2018 while golfing in Arizona caused a blood infection that led to further health complications. The Penguins and several other NHL teams that Odelein suited up for acknowledged his passing with social media posts.
In addition, the Penguins held a moment of celebration for Odelein during their home opener against the Canadiens on Saturday.
The Vancouver Canucks battled, but they didn’t quite get their desired result, as they suffered a 3–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second-half of their weekend back-to-back. Paul Cotter and Jonathan Lekkerimäki were the two Canucks that found the back of the net, while Kevin Lankinen stopped 25 of 28 shots faced.
The first period was all about special teams. Vancouver made a slight change to their first-unit power play personnel tonight, subbing Cotter into the spot previously occupied by Drew O’Connor.
While Vancouver established some early momentum on the power play after Elias Pettersson drew a slashing call on Vegas captain Mark Stone, two back-to-back penalties taken by Jamie Oleksiak and Aatu Räty gave the Golden Knights an early offensive advantage, allowing them to establish a stronger presence in Vancouver’s zone by the time both penalties were over.
This continuous O-zone presence nearly gave Vegas the game-opening goal after the puck bounced around Lankinen before landing on top of Vancouver’s net. Though it was close, Zeev Buium managed to bat the puck away before Vegas could capitalize on the chance, allowing his team to re-set in their own zone.
When Vancouver did exit their zone, however, they made it count. Lekkerimäki and Arshdeep Bains, sent up-ice by Max Sasson, put together a strong rush-chance that ultimately drew a hooking call on Tomáš Hertl, sending the Canucks to the power play for the second time this period. It was none-other than Mr. 300th-Game himself that scored on the man-advantage, tapping-in a shot from Filip Hronek.
Vancouver’s penalty kill deserves some credit in tonight’s game, with some of their units featuring forward pairings of Bains and Cotter, Pettersson and Liam Öhgren, and Sasson and O’Connor, combining for an 80% success rate through around five PKs throughout the game. This included two 2-on-1 chances shorthanded for Sasson and O’Connor, during which they provided dangerous chances but weren’t quite able to score.
Having said that, the fact that Vancouver ended up on the penalty kill so often did ultimately cost Vancouver their initial lead. With Vegas scoring their first goal of the game at 5-on-5 off a play by Mitch Marner, Tom Willander’s tripping penalty gave the Golden Knights their fourth opportunity on the man-advantage.
One potentially worrisome moment saw Willander end up on the receiving end of a big hit by Vegas defenceman Brayden McNabb during the second period. The defenceman was slow to get up after the hit and immediately went to the Canucks’ dressing room, not returning for the remainder of the period. By the time the third period started, however, Willander returned to play.
Much like how they have in the past couple of games, after a couple of periods that resulted in Vancouver trailing, the Canucks switched up a couple of their lines. Öhgren was moved up to Pettersson and Linus Karlsson’s line, with Marco Rossi taking his spot alongside Cotter and Brock Boeser. O’Connor joined Sasson and Bains, while Lekkerimäki skated with Räty and Brendan Gallagher.
Despite their strong numbers in third periods throughout the 2026–27 season thus far, the Canucks were ultimately not able to pull off their same miraculous comebacks. Vegas battled back against the Canucks to retain their 3–2 lead by the end of the game.
At the end of the day, there was a clear skill gap between the Canucks and Golden Knights. That said, Vancouver was still able to put up a fair effort in the second-half of a back-to-back against a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final the year before.
Oct 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) tips a shot wide of defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Paul Cotter skates in his 300th NHL game
Two former members of the Canucks organization (Marc Gatcomb, Nic Dowd) record points
Forward Elias Pettersson (20:29) and defencemen Zeev Buium (20:07), Tom Willander (21:02), and Filip Hronek (26:25) all finish with over 20 minutes played
Marco Rossi records a team-high four hits
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
18:52 - VAN: Paul Cotter (4) from Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek (PPG)
2nd Period:
9:01 - VGK: Mitch Marner (1) from Brayden McNabb
14:30 - VGK: Victor Olofsson (2) Mark Stone and Jack Eichel (PPG)
17:54 - VAN: Jonathan Lekkerimäki (2) from Linus Karlsson and Luke Schenn
18:28 - VGK: Marc Gatcomb (1) from Braeden Bowman and Nic Dowd
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The New York Islanders underwent minor changes throughout the 2026 summer. The organization decidedly focused on leaving as much roster flexibility as possible for youth, such as Victor Eklund.
Undergoing that type of decision led to the departure of solid NHL players.
One of those became Marc Gatcomb, one of the hardest-working players on the Islanders in recent years.
Gatcomb signed a two-year, $1.75 million ($875k AAV) contract with the Vegas Golden Knights this past summer.
Gatcomb, 27, played 88 games over the last two seasons with the Islanders, posting 11 goals and 16 assists in that time.
He stepped up in times of injury or when the Islanders needed a spark in their bottom six, with his best success coming on New York's fourth line.
Gatcomb worked his way up from being undrafted, playing four years of college hockey, then parts of four AHL seasons before the Islanders gave him the call to the NHL in his fourth professional season.
The depth forward became a victim of the numbers guy in New York, with an excess of forwards on the team.
However, for a cap-strapped contender like the Golden Knights, it's a perfect fit.
Gatcomb's shown strong ability in semi-limited opportunities, and forced his way into Vegas' opening night roster.
He posted one assist in his Vegas debut on opening night, all while showcasing his strong two-way play.
Sunday night in Vancouver, the first team to give him a professional contract with the Abbotsford Canucks, Gatcomb buried his first goal with Vegas.
The style of goal shouldn't be any surprise to Islanders fans. Gatcomb excelled at finding the soft spots within team's defenses, consistently poaching rebounds and gritty, hard-working goals.
The more Gatcomb plays his way, the more success he will have.
The Montreal Canadiens lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime by a 6-5 final score on Saturday night.
After being down 5-1 at the 15:32 mark of the second period, the Canadiens scored four unanswered goals to force overtime. However, they fell just short, as Penguins forward Tommy Novak would score the overtime winner to give Pittsburgh the win.
Now, with this loss, the Canadiens have extended an unwanted drought.
According to Sportsnet Stats, the Canadiens have failed to start 2-0-0 for the 11th consecutive season. Sportsnet also reported that this is the longest-active drought for this stat in the NHL.
Going 11 straight years without starting a season with back-to-back wins is quite some time. Although this is the case, the Canadiens have plenty to be optimistic about when it comes to this season. They have a strong roster and, of course, made it to the Eastern Conference Final last season.
It will now be interesting to see how the Canadiens respond after their overtime loss to the Penguins. The Habs are set to play the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and will be looking for revenge after last season's playoff series.
#Habs fail to start 2-0-0 for 11th straight season. They have not won their first 2 games of a season since 2015-16 (longest-active such drought in the NHL) pic.twitter.com/o5aEQ2IwIB
In the second file in a new, season-long series here on TheHockeyNews.com, we’re analyzing each Buffalo Sabres game in the 2026-27 season. In each file, we’re focusing on three diferent things: first, the Best Thing: the statistic, player, or other elements that Sabres fans will like. Then, we’ll pick out the Worst Thing from every game from a Buffalo perspective. Finally, we’ll wrap up our thoughts on the game, and prepare readers for the next Sabres game (in this case, a home-ice showdown against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.)
With that out of the way, let’s turn our attention to the Sabres’ win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday:
The Score: Sabres 4, Blackhawks 3
Best Thing: Tage Thompson
Thompson was held off the scoresheet in Buffalo’s season-opening loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, and it’s no coincidence the Sabres won their first game of the year while Thompson led all Buffalo point-producers with a goal and two points.
The Sabres also got an emotional boost when youngster Jiri Kulich helped Buffalo come back from one of multiple deficits by scoring the game-winning goal late in the third period; Kulich was sidelined for all but 12 games of the 2025-26 season after being diagnosed with a blood clot, so seeing the 21-year-old stepping up with a huge goal clearly delivered an excellent sentiment in the Sabres’ dressing room.
But make no mistake – while many Buffalo players have to meet or exceed expectations for this Sabres team to do at least as much as they did last season, the Sabres are only going to go as far as Thompson carries them. He’s their most talented forward and most dangerous offensive player, and his two-point night Saturday was a good harbinger of what’s likely to come from Thompson this season.
Worst Thing
The worst thing might’ve been former Sabres star defenseman Bowen Byram pulling out of the game due to a family issue. But it wasn’t as if Buffalo fans were going to give Byram a slew of boos. The team moved on from Byram, not the other way around. But it would’ve been great for the Sabres to compete against him.
Otherwise, we’re going to focus again here on goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Give him credit – he came away with the victory, which is more than we can say for him in the loss to the Jackets. But allowing three goals on only 15 Blackhawks shots does not inspire confidence in Luukkonen., who now has a save percentage of .784 this season. And if that particular stat doesn’t improve – and improve in a hurry – the Sabres are going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations about their netminding.
The Wrap-Up:
Losing to both Columbus and Chicago – two of the league’s worst teams in ‘25-26 – wouldn’t have been a good way for Buffalo to start the season, so eking out a victory over the Hawks at the very least brushes away cynical Sabres fans for the time being. But the Sabres now have to take on a Minnesota team that has won its first two games, beating the Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins and limiting them to a combined two goals.
Thus, the Sabres will have their toughest test of the season when they face the Wild. Minnesota has stars at every position, and Buffalo has the chance to send a strong message to the rest of the league by beating the Wild. Or, Minnesota can beat the Sabres and show Buffalo brass what flaws this Sabres team really has.
Getting their first win of the season is a relief for Buffalo, but the Blackhawks game was more or less a must-win. If the Sabres are to win the Atlantic Division for the second straight season, they’re going to have to take care of business against lesser-light teams like Chicago. And against the Wild, Buffalo will either rise to the occasion, or wilt and underscore the notion that this Sabres team is very much a work-in-progress.
After picking up a win on Saturday, the Vancouver Canuck are back in action at Rogers Arena on Sunday night. For the first time this season, Vancouver will play a non-Alberta team as they battle the Vegas Golden Knights. Here are the lineup notes for October 4, 2026.
The only projected change in Sunday's lineup is in net as Kevin Lankinen returns to the crease. The 31-year-old has had a tough start to the campaign, allowing 13 goals on 57 shots. During his career, Lankinen is 3-5-2 versus the Golden Knights with a save percentage of .899.
Prior to the game, Manny Malhotra also provided an update on Jake DeBrusk. The winger missed Saturday's game due to illness and is not expected to play Sunday night. According to Malhotra, DeBrusk will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip.
Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a save behind leaping Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel (9) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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The anticipated return of former Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram to Buffalo with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday did not come to pass, as the blueliner had to attend to a family matter, but ex-Buffalo winger Jordan Greenway did receive a nice round of applause from the sold out KeyBank Center.
After the first week of the NHL season where Alex Tuch scored twice in his first game with the Washington Capitals, and JJ Peterka has scored two goals for the Boston Bruins, the latest former Sabre to make his mark for another team was goalie Devon Levi.
The 24-year-old was shipped off the Edmonton Oilers during the offseason for a draft pick, and started the season as the backup to starter Tristan Jarry, but after the Oilers surprising loss to Vancouver in their season opener, head coach Mike Babcock starter Levi in the rematch on Thursday. The two-time Mike Richter Award winner allowed seven goals on 22 shots in a 9-7 win, but fared much better in his second straight start against Seattle.
Levi made 19 saves in a 3-1 win over the Kraken, and may in the short term have won the Oilers starting job, until veteran Frederik Andersen is healthy enough to get into the Edmonton goaltending mix.
Tuch and Peterka were both held off the scoreboard on Saturday, but former Sabre Connor Clifton registered an assist in a 4-1 Minnesota win over Boston.
While the Detroit Red Wings finally found the back of the net, it was their penalty kill that let them down Sunday afternoon.
The Winnipeg Jets jumped out to a 3-0 lead, with all three goals coming on the power play, before holding off a late rally attempt to secure a 3-2 regulation win at Little Caesars Arena.
With the loss, the shorthanded Red Wings are now 0-2 to begin the 2026-27 campaign after being shut out by the New York Rangers on Friday.
They've played both games without Dylan Larkin, who could potentially return on Tuesday, and Simon Edvinsson, who is in his native Sweden admist his contract stalemate.
The Red Wings were also without Marco Kasper, who suffered an upper-body injury during Friday's game.
Winnipeg struck first on the power play, with Cole Perfetti credited with the goal after the puck deflected into the air and past goaltender John Gibson.
Michigan native Kyle Connor extended Winnipeg's lead to 2-0 shortly afterward, maneuvering through Detroit's defense before beating Gibson with a backhand shot that found the glove side.
Connor then scored his second power-play goal of the game at 5:41 of the second period, burying a rebound of Josh Morrissey's shot past Gibson.
At that point, the crowd at Little Caesars Arena was growing restless.
The Red Wings finally gave them something to cheer about late in the period when newcomer Viktor Arvidsson deflected a centering pass from Andrew Copp off his skate and past Jets goaltender Stuart Skinner.
At the 4:56 mark of the third period, Detroit pulled within one after Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who nearly scored his first NHL tally a moment earlier, fed Emmitt Finnie from behind the net. Finnie tapped the puck over the line, picking up his first goal of the season.
The Red Wings then began pressing for the tying goal, generating multiple prime scoring chances with Gibson on the bench for an extra attacker as time wound down in regulation.
Unfortunately for Detroit, the Jets withstood the late rally, sending the Red Wings to their second straight regulation loss.
Gibson made several key saves, including a breakaway stop on former Red Wings forward Vladislav Namestnikov, and finished with 24 saves.
Stuart Skinner, who is Winnipeg's starter amid Michigan native Connor Hellebuyck's contract holdout, picked up his first win as a Jet with 33 saves.
Forward Keegan Kolesar dropped the gloves for the first time as a Red Wing, though he took several punches to the face from Tyrel Bauer and briefly left the game before eventually returning.
The Red Wings will continue their homestand Tuesday evening when they host the divisional rival Ottawa Senators in search of their first win of the season.
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Alexey Toropchenko is the latest St. Louis Blues players to join the list of the wounded.
The Blues announced on Sunday that the forward will be re-evaluated in six weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in the Blues’ 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday night.
Toropchenko was injured when he was pushed from behind by Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel and sandwiched between Bichsel and Tyler Seguin behind the Blues net in the first period before skating off and leaving the game.
Toropchenko, 27, joins defensemen Tyler Tucker (knee) and Logan Mailloux (hand) on the injured list. Tucker is also on a six-week re-evaluation timeline, Mailloux was given an eight-week re-evaluation timeline.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Blues (1-1-0) have not recalled a forward from Springfield of the American Hockey League. Dillon Dube and Zach Dean were the extra forwards on the roster when the season opened and each played on Saturday in a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Blues play Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks to conclude a season-opening three-game road trip before the home opener Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.
The Montreal Canadiens are already without one regular defenseman in Kaiden Guhle, but on Saturday night, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they might have lost right-shot blueliner Alexandre Carrier. Early in the second frame, the diminutive defenseman fell awkwardly into the boards, back and neck first, after battling with Egor Chinakhov. The defenseman tried to keep playing, but he eventually left the game.
The Canadiens have a day off on Sunday, so we likely won’t have an update on Carrier, but if he misses time, Adam Engstrom should integrate into the lineup. While the Swede isn’t a right-shot defenseman, he played on his off-side last season in the AHL and made the team out of camp, so it wouldn’t make sense to recall David Reinbacher because he’s a righty and keep Engstrom as a healthy scratch.
That doesn't mean the Austrian blueliner won’t be called up; the Canadiens do need an extra defenseman. However, since they are entering a four-game homestand and Laval is so close to Montreal, they may not need to call anyone up yet. However, the Laval Rocket’s next game is on Saturday, October 10, meaning Reinbacher could conceivably join the Canadiens in practice this week without missing a game in the AHL.
The Canadiens’ defense corps also didn’t look great on Saturday. Mike Matheson had an awful game; Arber Xhekaj made a soft backhand pass in the neutral zone that directly led to one of the Pens’ goals; Jayden Struble’s coverage was awful, which led to another goal that was mercifully taken away by a coach's challenge for offside.
That said, Matheson plays too big a role to be scratched, and St-Louis wouldn’t even consider it. Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson are just as solid in the chairs. The question then becomes: did either Xhekaj or Struble play badly enough to deserve to be scratched in the home opener? I don’t believe so.
If Carrier cannot play, it stands to reason that Engstrom would be dressed, having watched the last two games from the press gallery. If Reinbacher is called up, he’ll have to wait his turn.
Pete DeBoer is a veteran coach so he’ll surely temper enthusiasm after two games, but he’s got to feel at least a fraction of the joy Islanders fans experienced from a proper home opener romp over a rival.
The Islanders’ 6-0 win over the Devils Saturday night had a little of everything: Ilya Sorokin’s 30th shutout, goal and assist contributions from all over the roster, first NHL point and first NHL goal by Victor Eklund in front of his mom, special teams contributions, and another Matthew Schaefer highlight to set up the 3-0 goal that set the night on course for a homecoming party.
Whatever directions this season takes, nights like that are essential, and the perfect tonic after the bland opener in Toronto.
Islanders News
A special, meaningful birthday night for Eklund and fam. [Newsday]
Takeaways: DeBoer liked the depth and balance. Includes video of fans singing “Happy Birthday” to Eklund after his interview with Shannon Hogan. [Isles]
Sorokin got the new post-game hero award, a canoe paddle, while Casey Cizikas got the orange hard hat. [Isles]
Matthew Schaefer continues to enjoy life at the Martins as uncle and babysitter. Piece from Compton includes some Barzal-with-Seidenberg and Tavares-with-the-Weights tales, too. [NHL]
Elsewhere
With some injuries up front, the Oilers are shopping for some forward depth. [Sportsnet] We’ve got a couple with cup-winning pedigree…
It’s somehow getting even uglier in Detroit, where unsigned former first-round pick Simon Edvinsson now reportedly prefers a trade. Feels like that franchise needs another Jimmy Devellano to come to the rescue them from another Dead Wings era. [Sportsnet]
Aleksander Barkov’s latest injury looks long term, but they hope not season-ending. [NHL | Sportsnet]
R.I.P. Lyle Odelein, former Canadien and Devil, among others, including the Blue Jackets’ first captain. [Sportsnet]
The Blackhawks big-ticket acquisition Bowen Byram will miss his team’s return to Buffalo. [TSN]
Mario Lemieux was part of the Penguins’ 60th anniversary celebration, which is maybe news since he’s supposedly been in and out and in and out with the ownership and management. [NHL]
The Sharsk arrived to their home opener in old cars. [NHL]
DENVER — Artturi Lehkonen is giving the Avalanche plenty to think about in a contract year.
Three goals in the first two games of his 10th NHL season certainly don't hurt.
Lehkonen is in the final year of the five-year, $22.5 million contract he signed with Colorado in July 2022, just after helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. He doesn't have a deal for next season, but this is hardly the first time Lehkonen has given Colorado a reason to want him around.
Cale Makar speaks to the media post-game, which included comments on Artturi Lehkonen
He scored the overtime winner against Edmonton in Game 4 of the 2022 Western Conference Final to send the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Final. Two weeks later, he scored again in Game 6 against Tampa Bay, this time to clinch the Stanley Cup. A year earlier, while with Montreal, he scored the overtime winner against Vegas that sent the Canadiens to the Final.
That's been Lehkonen's thing for a long time. Put him in an important game and, more often than not, he finds a way to matter.
Now he's started this season with three goals in two games, the best two-game start of his career.
So is there something different about him?
Colorado's soon-to-be $20.4 million defenseman doesn't see a huge change.
“I don’t know if he’s playing with a different edge,” Cale Makar told The Hockey News. “I think that’s always just Art.
“The puck’s found his stick the last few games, and he’s doing a great job of knocking it down. But little intangibles in his game are the things that make him special, and when he does those super well, he’s getting rewarded right now.”
Those are the parts of Lehkonen's game that can get lost when the goals start piling up. He's not going to cheat for offense. He's going to the net. He's going to battle for pucks. He'll take the hit to make the play. And when he gets a chance, he's usually willing to put himself in a place where the play might hurt a little.
Jared Bednar used a different word for it.
“Relentless.”
“The things that we liked in the first game, they were multiplied in this one.”
The Avalanche coach said Lehkonen’s work ethic and competitiveness are about as consistent as anything he sees from a player in the league. The difference early this season is that Lehkonen looks sharp all over the ice.
“He looks sharp early (on) both sides of the puck,” Bednar said. “He’s getting great touches on the puck to put it in areas for his teammates.
He’s getting to the net, something he has always done well. And two games in, Bednar thinks Lehkonen already looks like he’s been playing for much longer.
“He’s always gone to the net hard,” he continued. “He just looks like he’s in midseason form already.”
That’s probably the most interesting part of Lehkonen’s start. The scoring rate is new. The way he’s getting those goals isn’t.
And that’s where the contract situation becomes interesting.
The Avalanche know what Lehkonen is. They know what he has meant to them in the biggest games, and they know what he brings on the nights when he doesn't score. They also know there have been stretches when injuries have kept him out, including the shoulder surgery he underwent in 2024.
Lehkonen, meanwhile, doesn't seem particularly interested in turning any of that into a personal campaign.
During training camp, The Hockey News asked how he manages to get himself ready for those moments when the game is on the line.
His answer was about as Lehkonen as it gets.
“I don’t know, it’s... Just trying to find that being in the right place at the right time, I guess.”
That's it.
No talk about having another gear. No explanation for why he seems to find himself around the puck when the game is on the line. Just being in the right place at the right time.
It's also a pretty good reflection of how Lehkonen approaches the rest of his game. He doesn't seem overly concerned with whether his name is the one getting talked about. He just wants to do his job, and that happens to fit pretty well with the way the Avalanche want to play.
There's a lot of talent in Colorado's lineup, but the team has always put a premium on players who are willing to do the less glamorous work, too. Lehkonen has never needed to be the star of the show to have an impact on it.
Maybe that's why Makar doesn't see a different edge from him now.
Maybe it's why Bednar already thinks he's in midseason form.
And maybe it's why, with a contract decision looming, the Avalanche have plenty to think about.
Because Lehkonen isn't trying to convince anyone he's a different player.
After two lower-body injuries in quick succession during the preseason, Philadelphia Flyers forward Denver Barkey is finally on the mend and trending towards a return on the team's upcoming three-game road trip.
Barkey, 21, first suffered a lower-body injury during the preseason against the Washington Capitals, and after missing a few days, returned to practice. While getting in a session wearing a no-contact jersey, Barkey tweaked his injury again, restarting the timer and putting him back on the shelf.
The young Flyers forward had been skating wearing the yellow no-contact jersey in recent days, but on Sunday afternoon's practice, Barkey traded in the yellow sweater for a regular orange one, signaling the next step in his recovery and road back to the lineup.
After Sunday's practice, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged that Barkey could be an option for the road trip ahead, which starts on Monday night against Tampa Bay.
"Yeah, I think he'd be an option," Tocchet said of Barkey. "Like, I don't know if it's next game or whatever, but I think he's coming in a situation where he's an option."
With Barkey starting the season on injured reserve, the Flyers allocated the roster spot created by that designation to veteran enforcer Garrett Wilson, who signed a one-year contract with the Flyers last week, making him an available to dress and play for the NHL club if and when needed.
Carl Grundstrom, who cleared waivers at the end of training camp, went unclaimed and has remained with the team, bouncing up and down the lineup as a complementary checking winger.
It is currently too early to tell which player comes out of the lineup, and what roster moves are made, to activate Barkey and get him back on the ice, though the Flyers have flexibility when the time comes.
Barkey scored five goals, 12 assists, and 17 points in 43 regular season games for the Flyers last year in his first season of professional hockey, averaging 13:24 for the eventual playoff team.
The Buffalo Sabres unveiled their 2025-26 Atlantic Division banner before their home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks, something that young forward Jiri Kulich did not contribute a lot towards. In the second game of the season, the youngster made his first mark by scoring the game-winner in the Sabres 4-3 comeback win over the Hawks at KeyBank Center.
The 22-year-old Czech was filling in for the injured Josh Norris after he suffered an injury on opening night, but that opportunity lasted until November, when his season ended due to blood clot issues.
"I'm so happy for him. He was so frustrated late last year and watching us in the playoffs, and not being able to be part of it, and he was getting his career underway in the last 20 games of the year before." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said "(It was) a huge setback. He spent a lot of time this summer trying to get his body and just his hockey back in the right place..... I think he embraces the fact that he's playing right now. That i t could have gone any direction."
Kulich has been used in a limited role during training camp, but the Sabres are depending on him and a number of their young players to take a step this season with Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram elsewhere, and Jason Zucker out injured. The Sabres, through two games, have received some contributions from rookie Konsta Helenius (1 goal) and Noah Ostlund (2 assists) against Columbus, but most of the scoring has come from members of the veteran core group.
Jack Quinn scored for the second time in as many games, while Tage Thompson, Mattas Samuelsson, and Rasmus Dahlin have each scored. For the Sabres to be able to continue on the positive track laid out last season by snapping their 15-year playoff drought, they will need to have their young forwards to provide enough secondary offense to take some of the burden off their core players.
Buffalo continues their five-game homestand on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.
