We've got 10 games on for the first big day of the season. First up...
The Buffalo Sabres host the Ottawa Senators. Anton Forsberg and Craig Anderson are the goalies. Ottawa opened in the first period with a Brady Tkachuk goal, assisted by Drake Batherson and Erik Brannstrom. Buffalo tied it in the second period with a JJ Peterka goal, coming off of Dylan Cozens. The Sabres took the lead with a Rasmus Dahlin goal, courtesy of Peyton Krebs and Kyle Okposo. Buffalo added on in the third period with a Victor Olofsson empty net goal, going in unassisted. The Sabres iced it at 4-1 with another Olofsson empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by Ilya Lyubushkin. The three stars were Olofsson, Dahlin, and Peterka.
Down in Philadelphia, the Flyers welcome the New Jersey Devils. Mackenzie Blackwood and Carter Hart man the nets. New Jersey began in the first period with an Alexander Holtz power play goal, powered by Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer. Philadelphia tied it on a Wade Allison goal, coming off of Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo. The Flyers pulled ahead in the second period with a Travis Konecny goal, made possible by Kevin Hayes and Provorov. Philadelphia added on with a Morgan Frost goal, via Tanner Laczynski and James van Riemsdyk. The Flyers extended the lead in the third period as Konecny scored his second goal of the game on the power play, thanks to Hayes and DeAngelo. The Devils got one back with a Damon Severson goal, helped along by Bratt. Philadelphia iced it at 5-2 with a Frost empty net goal, his second of the game, going in unassisted. The three stars were Konecny, Frost, and Provorov, while DeAngelo, Hayes, and Bratt get the honorable mentions.
Across Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Penguins bring in the Arizona Coyotes. Karel Vejmelka and Tristan Jarry are the masked men. Pittsburgh led off with a Sidney Crosby goal, coming off of Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang. The Penguins added on with a Jason Zucker goal, via Danton Heinen and Jeff Petry. Pittsburgh extended the lead on a Guentzel power play goal, powered by Bryan Rust and Crosby. Arizona got on the board in the second period with a Nick Ritchie power play goal, with assists provided by Shayne Gostisbehere and J.J. Moser. The Penguins fired back with an Evgeni Malkin power play goal, helped along by Crosby and Letang. The Coyotes pulled one back in the third period with another Ritchie power play goal, with helpers from Gostisbehere and Moser. Pittsburgh answered with a Rust goal, passed from Zucker and Marcus Pettersson. The Penguins padded the lead on a Kasperi Kapanen goal, courtesy of Heinen and Jeff Carter. The final stayed at 6-2, with the three stars handed to Crosby, Guentzel, and Ritchie, while Rust, Zucker, Heinen, Letang, Gostisbehere, and Moser get the honorable mentions.
In Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals. Charlie Lindgren and Ilya Samsonov are set to start in goal. Toronto started in the first period with a John Tavares power play goal, powered by Morgan Rielly and Mitchell Marner. Washington tied it on a Nic Dowd goal, via Erik Gustafsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk. The Capitals took the lead with a Marcus Johansson goal, courtesy of T.J. Oshie and Lars Eller. The Maple Leafs tied it in the second period with a Calle Jarnkrok goal, assisted by Alexander Kerfoot and Rielly. Toronto pulled ahead in the third period with an Auston Matthews goal, coming off of Mark Giordano and Rasmus Sandin. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars handed to Rielly, Matthews, and Giordano.
Back stateside, the New York Islanders welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Sorokin are the Russian goalies. Florida got going in the second period with an Eetu Luostarinen goal, made possible by Radko Gudas and Colin White. New York tied it in the third period with a Noah Dobson power play goal, powered by Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal. The Panthers retook the lead with a Patric Hornqvist goal, coming off of Ryan Lomberg. Florida iced it at 3-1 with a Matthew Tkachuk empty net goal, going in unassisted. The three stars were Hornqvist, Bobrovsky (31 for 32 in saves), and Luostarinen.
Over in Minnesota, the Wild bring in the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Marc-Andre Fleury guard the cages. New York struck first in the first period with a Chris Kreider power play goal, powered by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. The Rangers added on with an Adam Fox goal, assisted by Alexis Lafreniere and Panarin. New York extended the lead as Panarin scored, thanks to Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck. Minnesota got on the board in the second period with a Mats Zuccarello power play goal, with assists provided by Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Foligno. The Rangers replied with a Filip Chytil goal, via Fox and Barclay Goodrow. New York padded the lead on a Trocheck goal, fueled by Panarin. The Wild got one back with a Matt Boldy goal, guided in by Jacob Middleton. The Rangers replied with a Kaapo Kakko goal, an unassisted goal. The Wild replied with Boldy's second goal of the game, with helpers from Matt Dumba. New York fired back with a Kreider goal, his second of the game, passed from K'Andre Miller and Zibanejad. This made it 7-3, the final, with the three stars given to Kreider, Boldy, and Panarin, while Fox, Trocheck, Zibanejad, and Lafreniere get the honorable mentions.
South to Nashville, as the Predators host the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Juuse Saros tend the twines. Dallas was first to score in the first period with a Mason Marchment goal, guided in by Tyler Seguin. The Stars added on with a Marchment power play goal, his second of the game, powered by Nils Lundkvist and Seguin. Dallas extended the lead in the second period as Joe Pavelski scored, thanks to Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. The Stars padded the lead in the third period with a Wyatt Johnston goal, coming off of Seguin and Ryan Suter on the power play. Nashville got on the board with a Ryan Johansen goal, assisted by Eeli Tolvanen. The final held at 4-1, with the three stars belonging to Marchment, Seguin, and Johnston.
Northwest to Calgary, as the Flames welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Francouz and Jacob Markstrom are in the creases. Colorado kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Bowen Byram goal, assisted by Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon. Calgary tied it on a Brett Ritchie goal, via Milan Lucic and MacKenzie Weegar. The Flames took the lead with a Dillon Dube shorthanded goal, set up by Andrew Mangiapane. Calgary added on with a Rasmus Andersson goal, coming off of Weegar. The Flames extended the lead in the third period as Tyler Toffoli scored on the power play, powered by Nazem Kadri and Andersson. Calgary padded the lead on an Elias Lindholm power play goal, with an assist provided by Jonathan Huberdeau. The Avalanche got one back with a MacKinnon goal, fueled by the goalie Francouz. Colorado got closer with a Valeri Nichushkin power play goal, his third of the season, with helpers from Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen. This was as close as it got, with the three stars of the 5-3 game being Andersson, MacKinnon, and Weegar.
Back south, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Chicago Blackhawks. Alex Stalock is mismatched with Logan Thompson in goal. Vegas dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Paul Cotter goal, via Zach Whitecloud. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Thompson (27 save shutout), Cotter, and Stalock (36 for 37 in saves).
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Seattle Kraken. Martin Jones and Jonathan Quick are the veteran goalies. Seattle drew first blood in the first period with a Jaden Schwartz power play goal, powered by Jordan Eberle and Andre Burakovsky. Los Angeles tied it on an Alex Iafallo power play goal, going in unassisted. The Kraken regained the lead in the second period with a Brandon Tanev goal, via Will Borgen. Seattle added on with an Alexander Wennberg goal, helped along by Matty Beniers and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The Kraken finished it at 4-1 with an Adam Larsson shorthanded empty net goal, an unassisted tally. The three stars were Jones (26 for 27 in saves), Tanev, and Wennberg.
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