12.10.2024
Carolina Hurricanes 1 - 4 Tampa Bay Lightning
In an impressive season opener, Nikita Kucherov led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes with a natural hat trick in the third period, including two empty-net goals. Kucherov also added an assist, becoming the third player in Lightning history to record four points in a season-opening game. This extends his franchise points to 877, placing him third behind Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. The game marked Kucherov's sixth NHL hat trick, contributing to an effective power-play performance by Tampa Bay. The Lightning were previously evacuated to Raleigh due to Hurricane Milton. Newcomer Jake Guentzel made his debut with two assists after joining the Lightning from the Hurricanes, while Andrei Vasilevskiy solidified the win with 20 saves. Despite Jordan Staal giving the Hurricanes an early lead, Carolina struggled to generate offense, a point of criticism by coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Winnipeg Jets 2 - 1 Chicago Blackhawks
Mark Scheifele delivered a thrilling performance for the Winnipeg Jets by scoring both the tying goal and overtime winner in their 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. With just over a minute left in regulation, Scheifele evened the score by capitalizing on a rebound, and then secured the win only 38 seconds into overtime. This dramatic finish not only marked the Jets' victorious home opener but also cemented Scheifele as the second player in franchise history to reach 300 goals, alongside Ilya Kovalchuk. The game highlighted goaltender Connor Hellebuyck's resilience, whose shutout streak ended at 96:51 minutes, yet his 25 saves were crucial. Meanwhile, Soderblom impressed with 33 saves for the Blackhawks, and Ryan Donato scored their lone goal. Despite near-full game effort, defensive lapses in the final moments cost the Blackhawks, emphasizing the need for complete 60-minute performances as noted by Chicago players and coaches.
Vancouver Canucks 2 - 3 Philadelphia Flyers
In an exciting season opener, the Philadelphia Flyers edged out the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout at Rogers Arena, with Morgan Frost netting the decisive goal in the fifth round. The Flyers saw Cam York and Tyson Foerster score in regulation, while Samuel Ersson made 24 crucial saves, including an impressive first-period performance that kept the game within reach. Despite being reduced to five defensemen after Tyler Myers' early injury, Vancouver led twice during the match with goals by Nils Hoglander and Teddy Blueger. Frost's shootout winner and a pivotal third-period goal by York, combined with Ersson's steadfast goaltending, sealed the victory for Philadelphia. The game also marked the NHL debut for Flyers’ rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko, showcasing the franchise's promising future talents. Vancouver, still seeking its first win, has been unable to maintain third-period leads in back-to-back games this season.
Vegas Golden Knights 4 - 3 St Louis Blues
Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev each contributed a goal and an assist, helping the Vegas Golden Knights secure a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues at T-Mobile Arena. Shea Theodore also tallied a goal and an assist, while Mark Stone provided two assists for the Golden Knights, who improved to 2-0-0. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy praised the team's ability to close out games with a lead, highlighting the players’ strong performance in key moments. Although Pavel Buchnevich scored twice and added an assist for the Blues, St. Louis couldn't overcome a multiple-goal deficit. The game also saw Jordan Kyrou extend his multi-point streak to three games, matching a rare feat in Blues history. In a notable debut, Cole Schwindt recorded his first NHL assist on Theodore’s goal.