11.10.2024
Boston Bruins 6 - 4 Montreal Canadiens
In an exciting matchup at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins secured a 6-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, highlighted by Elias Lindholm and Cole Koepke each contributing a goal and two assists. Key performances included Mark Kastelic scoring twice and David Pastrnak adding a goal and an assist for Boston. Meanwhile, Brendan Gallagher scored twice for Montreal, with strong support from Joel Armia, Lane Hutson, and Kaiden Guhle, who each notched two assists. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman made his season debut, saving 20 shots after signing a significant eight-year, $66 million contract. Despite hopes stirred by a late rally, Montreal struggled with defensive lapses, as noted by coach Martin St. Louis and captain Nick Suzuki. The Bruins' victory extended their impressive point streak against the Canadiens to 15 games, the longest active streak against a single franchise.
Buffalo Sabres 1 - 3 Los Angeles Kings
In their season opener, the Los Angeles Kings overcame the Buffalo Sabres 3-1, highlighted by Anze Kopitar’s spectacular third-period natural hat trick, which included the crucial go-ahead goal with just 1:38 left on the clock. Kopitar’s performance marked his seventh career hat trick and elevated him to sixth place in Kings history, surpassing Wayne Gretzky and Dustin Brown. He also became the seventh player in NHL history to achieve a natural hat trick in a season opener, achieving this feat for the second time in his career. Darcy Kuemper, newly acquired from Washington, was instrumental in goal, making 32 saves. Despite the Sabres initially controlling play, outshooting the Kings 27-11 in the first two periods and capitalizing on one of their five power plays with Alex Tuch's short-handed goal, they couldn’t sustain their lead, with Kopitar’s leadership and relentless scoring turning the tide. Also notable was Andre Lee's NHL debut for the Kings, and Jason Zucker celebrated his 700th NHL game for the Sabres.
Ottawa Senators 3 - 1 Florida Panthers
In a thrilling season opener, Linus Ullmark showed an impressive debut for the Ottawa Senators by making 30 saves in their 3-1 victory against the Florida Panthers. Acquired from the Boston Bruins and recently signed to a four-year, $33 million contract, Ullmark's standout performance included 16 saves in the third period, extending his winning streak against Florida to eight games. Tim Stutzle shone by scoring twice, with his second goal sealing the game into an empty net, while Shane Pinto added to Ottawa's tally. Senators coach Travis Green, in his first game behind the bench for Ottawa, praised the team's defensive efforts, highlighted by 33 blocked shots. Meanwhile, Panthers star Aleksander Barkov suffered a potential injury after a collision with Stutzle, dampening Florida's spirits despite Gustaf Forsling's lone goal. The Panthers, still struggling on power plays, saw their captain helped off ice, marking a significant concern moving forward.
Detroit Red Wings 3 - 6 Pittsburgh Penguins
In a thrilling matchup at Little Caesars Arena, Joel Blomqvist impressed with 29 saves in his NHL debut, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins secure a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins, rebounding from a decisive 6-0 loss to the Rangers, were bolstered by Evgeni Malkin's milestone 800th assist as he joined Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane as the only active players to achieve this feat. Anthony Beauvillier emerged as a key player for Pittsburgh, scoring twice to aid the win. Despite Alex DeBrincat's two goals and an assist for Detroit and Vladimir Tarasenko scoring in his debut, the Red Wings couldn't maintain momentum, struggling defensively after a solid first period. Erik Karlsson contributed a power-play goal while Kevin Hayes capped the scoring, as the Penguins capitalized on Detroit's defensive lapses. Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry left the game in the second period due to an upper-body injury, adding to Detroit's woes.
New Jersey Devils 2 - 4 Toronto Maple Leafs
In an exciting NHL matchup, Dennis Hildeby made a remarkable debut by making 23 saves, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. This victory marked the first win for Toronto's new coach, Craig Berube, with significant performances from Steven Lorentz, who netted a goal and an assist, and contributions from Max Pacioretty, Bobby McMann, and John Tavares, each scoring once. The game witnessed New Jersey's own changes, as Sheldon Keefe, making his coaching debut for the Devils after being dismissed by the Maple Leafs, saw his team unable to maintain their initial winning streak from the NHL Global Series in Czechia. An intriguing highlight was the decisive first period, where Toronto capitalized with three goals on just 11 shots, setting a tone that New Jersey couldn’t overcome despite goals from Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier. Toronto's focused defense, with 27 blocked shots, plus a strong team attitude embodying Berube's blend of skill and old-school physicality, contributed to their continued road success over the Devils since 2018.
New York Islanders 4 - 5 Utah Hockey Club
In a thrilling encounter at UBS Arena, the Utah Hockey Club staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. Dylan Guenther emerged as the hero, netting his second goal just over two minutes into the extra frame on a 3-on-1 rush, assisted by Sean Durzi. This victory marked Utah's first road win as a new franchise, with Guenther notching four goals across the first two games of the season. Key support came from Lawson Crouse, who contributed both a goal and an assist, while Connor Ingram made 21 crucial saves. Despite Maxim Tsyplakov scoring in his NHL debut to give the Islanders a late lead, Josh Doan quickly equalized to force overtime. Anthony Duclair and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also provided noteworthy performances for New York, but the team couldn't maintain their advantage, a point underscored by coach Patrick Roy's comments about missed defensive opportunities. Utah's resilience and depth were evident as they capitalized on key moments to secure the win.
Nashville Predators 3 - 4 Dallas Stars
In the season opener at Bridgestone Arena, the Dallas Stars triumphed over the Nashville Predators 4-3, dampening the much-anticipated debuts of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault for the Predators. Mason Marchment led the Stars with two goals, while Roope Hintz added a goal and an assist, and rookie Logan Stankoven provided three assists, becoming just the second rookie in team history to tally three points in a season opener. Goalie Jake Oettinger made 33 saves to secure the win. Filip Forsberg, with a goal and an assist, became the first player to notch points in nine consecutive season-opening games since the Sedin twins. Meanwhile, Predators' goalie Scott Wedgewood, filling in for the injured Juuse Saros, allowed four goals. Despite the late surge by Nashville, led by goals from Tommy Novak and Ryan O'Reilly, Dallas managed to hold onto their lead, largely built up in a dominant second period where they scored all their goals.
Minnesota Wild 3 - 2 Columbus Blue Jackets
In a tight season opener, Matt Boldy’s one goal and two assists powered the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Xcel Energy Center. Boldy opened the scoring with a snap shot and later set up Joel Eriksson Ek’s go-ahead goal and Mats Zuccarello’s power-play strike with a no-look pass. Filip Gustavsson was instrumental in the win, making 31 saves, including a crucial stop on Yegor Sharangovich’s slap shot in the dying seconds. For Columbus, Kent Johnson had a noteworthy performance with a goal and an assist, and Zach Werenski netted a power-play goal. The game also marked Dean Evason’s coaching debut for the Blue Jackets following his tenure with the Wild. Despite the loss, Columbus showed promise, particularly when James van Riemsdyk's potential go-ahead goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference. The game saw Kirill Kaprizov continuing his streak of scoring in openers, while Boone Jenner’s absence due to shoulder surgery loomed over the Blue Jackets’ season prospects.
San Jose Sharks 4 - 5 St Louis Blues
In an exciting NHL debut, Macklin Celebrini scored a goal and added an assist, but the San Jose Sharks squandered a three-goal lead in the third period, ultimately losing 5-4 in overtime to the St. Louis Blues. Celebrini's goal, which deflected in off a Blues defenseman's skate, came just 7:01 into the game, marking the second-fastest goal by a No. 1 overall draft pick in NHL history. The Sharks appeared dominant early with Tyler Toffoli and Barclay Goodrow contributing goals, but the Blues mounted a comeback led by Radek Faksa and Ryan Suter. Justin Faulk's late goal tied the game, and Brayden Schenn sealed the win just 45 seconds into overtime. Joel Hofer's 25 saves and the Blues' resilient play under coach Drew Bannister highlighted the game, showcasing the team's ability to capitalize on opportunities and maintain pressure throughout. Celebrini's early impact and the Blues' comeback left fans on the edge of their seats.