* Connor Ingram improved to 4-0-1 to achieve an NHL first and help Utah Hockey Club remain undefeated in front of their home fans.
* More than half of Saturday’s games (9 of 13) included a team rally back to at least even the score, with clubs combining for 17 tying goals.
* The undefeated Jets kickstart a three-game Sunday against the Penguins, which will conclude the first of four instalments of the ‘Freeway Face-Off' between the Kings and Ducks.
SATURDAY MAYHEM
In the lead-up to NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday – when all 32 clubs will play across 16 staggered start times (including an exclusive tripleheader on ESPN) – Saturday served up five games with multi-goal rallies:
* The Lightning overcame 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, but Brady Tkachuk and Noah Gregor netted consecutive special-team goals to help Ottawa hand Tampa Bay its first loss of 2024-25. The Senators have eight power-play goals through five contests of a season for the second time in franchise history (also 8 PPG in 5 GP in 2005-06) and have scored on the man advantage in each of their first four home games for the sixth time.
* Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of 2024-25 to help the Capitals take a 3-1 lead, but Nico Hischier set a franchise record by scoring two goals in a span of 10 seconds to level the game. Washington would take another two-goal lead before New Jersey rallied from its second multi-goal deficit of the game to force overtime where it was Tom Wilson (2-1—3) who netted the winner to help the Capitals improve to 3-1-0.
* Cole Caufield recorded his fifth and sixth goals of the season – tied for second across the League – as the Canadiens erased a 2-0 deficit before falling to the Islanders in a shootout. Noah Dobson had two assists in regulation and netted the decisive marker in the nine-round shootout, the longest in the NHL this season and longest for the Islanders since Jan. 18, 2022.
* JJ Peterka tallied a go-ahead goal soon after Chicago erased a 2-0 deficit as he and Ryan McLeod both extended their goal streaks to three games in a Buffalo win. Peterka and McLeod will have a chance to match and set career highs when the Sabres host the Stars during NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday.
* Mathieu Joseph tied the game at 1-1, thanks to an assist from his brother Pierre-Olivier Joseph that gave their parents a lot to cheer about, before the Blues took a 3-1 lead which was then erased with two third-period goals by the Hurricanes. The night ended in a St. Louis win and with Philip Broberg joining a short NHL list as he recorded a point in his sixth consecutive game with club.
PANTHERS, STARS EMERGE AS RECENT PLAYOFF FOES RENEW ACQUAINTANCES
Two games Saturday were head-to-head between clubs that recently met late in the postseason: the Panthers defeated the Golden Knights in a battle of the past two Stanley Cup champions (and 2023 Final foes), shortly after the Stars ousted the Oilers to avenge a loss in the 2024 Western Conference Final.
* Sam Reinhart (1-2—3) scored one of three tying goals for the Panthers in regulation – boosting his totals to 5-7—12 this season (7 GP) – and Gustav Forsling notched the overtime winner to give Florida its fourth straight regular-season victory against Vegas (and third consecutive since losing to them in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final). Sergei Bobrovsky secured his 399th win as he closes in on becoming the fastest goaltender in NHL history to 400 victories, helping Florida overcome a 45-save effort by Vegas newcomer Ilya Samsonov.
* Roope Hintz (1-2—3) helped Dallas build a 3-0 lead and Jake Oettinger (30 saves) won his first appearance since signing an eight-year contract extension Thursday as Dallas improved to 4-0-0 on home ice this season. Oettinger improved to 4-0-0 overall, matching the longest season-opening winning streak of his career. The Stars have allowed just three goals against through the first 245 minutes of playing time at American Airlines Center in 2024-25.
SEASON-OPENING POINT STREAKS EXTENDED
The Flames (4-0-1), Rangers (4-0-1) and Wild (3-0-2) all extended their season-opening point streaks – Calgary collected a point against Seattle in overtime, but suffered its first loss of 2024-25, while New York tied a franchise record.
* Alexis Lafrenière opened the scoring for a point in his fifth straight game to help the Rangers maintain their perfect road record – New York matched the second-longest, season-opening road winning streak in franchise history (also 3 GP in 1927-28) and trail a 4-0-0 start in 1931-32. Lafrenière tied Tomas Sandstrom (5 GP in 1986-87) and Mike McEwen (5 GP in 1978-79) for the second-longest season-opening point streak by a Rangers player age 23 or younger, trailing Darren Turcotte (11 GP in 1990-91).
* After scoring a goal Tuesday, goaltender Filip Gustavsson (23 saves) nearly followed that up with a shutout Saturday as he came within 85 seconds of a perfect showing and helped Minnesota boost its record to 3-0-2. The Wild, who have yet to trail in regulation in 2024-25, stretched their season-opening point streak to five games (3-0-2) – their longest since 2008-09 (6-0-1 in 7 GP) and three shy of the franchise record set in 2007-08 (7-0-1 in 8 GP).
MORE #NHLSTATS AROUND THE RINKS FROM A BUSY SATURDAY
A busy Saturday included a number of #NHLStats which were featured in Live Updates:
* Utah found itself trailing in the third period but a goal by Vladislav Kolyachonok helped send the game to extra time which was followed by Michael Kesselring’s overtime goal as Utah Hockey Club improved to 2-0-0 at Delta Center this season while goaltender Connor Ingram improved to 4-0-1 overall. Utah became the 10th franchise in NHL history and first since Tampa Bay in 1992-93 to win each of its first two home games.
* Nikita Kucherov scored his League-leading seventh goal of 2024-25 to stretch his season-opening goal streak to four games while new teammate Jake Guentzel netted his first in a Lightning uniform. Soon after, Kucherov’s former teammate Steven Stamkos tallied his first goal with the Predators (shortly after being denied by Alex Lyon’s highlight-reel save). Stamkos, who will play in Tampa as a visitor for the first time Oct. 28 (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu, TVAS), netted his 215th career power-play goal to tie Joe Nieuwendyk for 14th on the NHL’s all-time list.
* The Red Wings claimed their second victory of the season as general manager Steve Yzerman served his 1,000th game in that role. Yzerman became the 37th general manager to hit the mark, with Winnipeg’s Kevin Cheveldayoff (999) set to join him when the Penguins visit the Jets on Sunday.
* Tyler Myers collected an assist in his 1,000th game to help the Canucks earn their second straight victory. Myers became the 400th player in League history to reach the 1,000-game milestone and the sixth defenseman from the 2008 NHL Draft class (also Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, John Carlson, Erik Karlsson & Luke Schenn). The 2008 draft class is the fourth to have six blueliners reach the milestone (also 7 from 1984, 6 from 1982 & 7 from 1979).
QUICK CLICKS
* Predators celebrate Luke Schenn’s 1,000th NHL game with special ceremony
* Brenden Morrow ‘very honored’ to be inducted into Stars Hall of Fame
* CHL notebook: Jets prospect Kevin He off to fast start
* Alexis Lafreniere feeling 'cool' with eyes of a nation upon him
* Aleksander Barkov could return from lower-body injury next week for Panthers
PERFECT JETS, ‘FREEWAY FACE-OFF' PREVIEW
The undefeated Jets (4-0-0) kickstart a three-game Sunday against the Penguins before the Kings and Ducks clash for the first rendition of this season’s ‘Freeway Face-Off'. Winnipeg, which can extend its season-opening win streak to five games, has spent just 15.7% of playing time trailing during its string of success to start the season (37:56), which is among the lowest in the League so far this season.
