The Canadiens played last night, taking advantage of the Red Wings' home visit to pick up their first win of the season.(with a score of 5-1). But the National League featured 13 more games.
Close competition was the trend Thursday, with 10 of the 14 games scoring the winning goal in the final frame or later. #NHLFaceOff#NHLStats: https://t.co/KmuyA5ryvO pic.twitter.com/Oa75fNNOXp
– NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 10, 2025
1: Crazy final game in San Jose
Last night the Golden Knights visited San Jose, and Pavel Dorofeev continued his excellent start to the season: after scoring a hat-trick in the first game of the campaign, the Russian hit the target again last night.
This season he has already scored four goals in just two matches:
Tic-tac-toe from the Vegas PP provided Dorofeev with his fourth goal of the season, the best in the league.
pic.twitter.com/U86Ej5P376
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
But this game got a lot of attention… especially because of what happened at the end. The Golden Knights were down 3-2 and decided to retire their goalie. The Sharks couldn't score into an empty net… and Jack Eichel picked up the disc and launched a counterattack. The Knights' star forward fired from the blue line… to tie the game and force overtime:
WHAT JUST HAPPENED
#Vegasbourne #TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/qZihu46hYU
– NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) October 10, 2025
But it didn't end there. In overtime, Alex Nedeljkovic made a fool of himself by coming out of the gate rather haphazardly. Reilly Smith took advantage and gave his team a 4-3 victory. This is not a joke:
Uhhhhhhhhhhh???? !!!
Reilly Smith scores the winning goal for Subway Canada OT with one of the craziest goals you'll see this year.
Obviously, Nedeljkovic looked better, and so did the Sharks. Can someone tell them that the season has officially started, or…? content advertising
2: Rough start for Logan Maillot
Logan Mayu officially made his first regular appearance for the Blues but things didn't go as planned. The St. Louis team was crushed Minnesota is 5-0. And Mailloux struggled defensively, finishing the game with a -2 score.
The 1st period has begun and Maillot already appears to be what scouts say he is as a defensive liability. I hope it was just nerves and he quickly got used to his role. #stlblues
– Michael Mitchell (@Mike_Mitchell72) October 10, 2025
Not the debut the big right-hander was hoping for in St. Louis. https://t.co/kuGlalR4If –
TVA Sports (@TVASports) October 10, 2025
We agree, it's just one game. But everyone in St. Louis would have had a different outcome. Mailloux couldn't help his club succeed, and meanwhile in Montreal Zachary Bolduc got off to a terrible start… Better luck next time, Logan!
3: Kyle Connor Hat Trick
Jonathan Toews made his big comeback last night. The former Blackhawks captain returned to the game after several years away from the game, and the crowd cheered him on the occasion.In Winnipeg we already love him very much:
JONATHAN TOVES – Winnipeg Jet player
pic.twitter.com/POEpBSjxWU
– TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 10, 2025
But in the game, it was Kyle Connor who took care of the show for Jets fans. The man who just signed a new eight-year, $96 million contract is off to a strong start to his season… thanks to a hat trick. His scoring talents are so underrated:
WHO ELSE!
Kyle Connor scores the Jets' first goal of the season.
KYLE CONNOR WITH SHORTIE AND IT'S 5-3
pic.twitter.com/IXhVmMwcFa
– TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 10, 2025
KYLE CONNOR'S HAT-TRICK OF CONTRACT RENEWAL
pic.twitter.com/PmVxhWyTXC
– Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 10, 2025
However, Connor's efforts were not enough as the Jets lost the game 5–4.Mikko Rantanen scored three free throws (one goal and two assists) for the Stars.
4: First NHL point for Matthew Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick in the last draft, made his NHL debut last night. And everything went relatively well. The defenseman earned his first NHL point with an assist on the Islanders' first goal of the season… Jonathan Drouin. His family was happy:
What a night for Matthew Schaefer and his family!
#NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/9fgVtlLmi3
– NHL (@nhl) October 10, 2025
The Isles have another guy playing in his first major league game. We're talking about Max Shabanov… and he also took the opportunity to score his first career point. He scored a great goal:
MAX SHABANOV! FIRST GOAL in the NHL!
He ties the game for @Newislanders! #NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/K8YMjZV8tJ– NHL (@nhl) October 10, 2025
The Penguins ended up winning 4-3, with good old Sidney Crosby helping his team to the win with a goal and an assist.and Evgeni Malkin had a great evening with three assists
5: First fight… during his first appearance
Are you familiar with the name Curtis Douglas? If you don't, maybe you shouldn't. We are talking about a 25-year-old player. We're talking about a 25-year-old 4th round pick (2018) who hadn't played a game in the NHL until last night. And the 6-foot-9, 242-pound forward (you read that right) took advantage… to fight in his very first appearance on the ice. I like it:
Curtis Douglas dropped the gloves with Kurtis McDermid on his FIRST NHL SHIFT.
pic.twitter.com/GI0ujJl5xr
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 9, 2025
The Lightning lost to the Senators 5-4, but it wasn't because Brayden Point didn't try to lead his team to victory.
The diminutive forward scored one goal and added two assists, marking the third time he has scored at least a point in his team's first season and the first to accomplish that feat in Lightning history:
Less than two minutes later, Brayden Point makes it 2-0!
pic.twitter.com/b2LKxSOLcT
– TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 9, 2025
Brayden Point (1-2-3) scored all three goals in the first period to lead the @TBLightning history to collect three-plus points in at least three season-opening games. #NHLFaceOff #NHLStatistics
Watch now
: https://t.co/dT3 4F4mhkc pic.twitter.com/gOEnzvFBh0– NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 10, 2025
“Extension”
– A special moment.
Brady Martin takes his rookie lap as the 18-year-old prepares to become Nashville's 1C tonight.
(By using @PredsNHL)pic.twitter.com/q8jZOqmBwH– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
– What a shot.
Oh Brock Boser
pic.twitter.com/ktJOg0XAHD
– Sportsnet (@sportsnet) October 10, 2025
– Funny goal.
TOUGH break for the Flames: Kevin Bahl hit the puck in the head, fell to Wolf, and then Chytil scored the rebound for a 2-0 lead pic.twitter.com/sizZv86qOi
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
– Nathan Maaaaaaakkinon!
Makar and MacKinnon, it's still unfair. pic.twitter.com/MOrPsftqzR
– Spittin' Chiclets (@spittin'chiclets) October 10, 2025
– Oops.
The Predators showed a tribute video to Dante Fabbro… when he was in the penalty area
(h/t @AlexDaugherty1) pic.twitter.com/ehkVJPOuJ9– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
– Beckett Senneke’s first goal in the NHL.
The Senneke family was in the building to watch Beckett's first NHL goal.
pic.twitter.com/PZKiy9b7Vt
– Spittin' Chiclets (@spittin'chiclets) October 10, 2025
– Feels good.
McLean Celebrini looks clean after getting an A for the first time
(by using @NHL) pic.twitter.com/EcCxtYLMDN– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
– Great job.
What a start for the Bruins.
Fraser Minten wins for Boston with Subway Canada OT winner pic.twitter.com/JrjsPlQ5Iv– Sportsnet (@sportsnet) October 10, 2025
– Wow.
Connor Bedard absolutely ruined it.
(by using: @NHLBlackhawks)pic.twitter.com/MoN75oqHui– BarDown (@BarDown) October 9, 2025
– Beautiful.
Some ELITE passes the Colorado Avalanche and Ross Colton finishes.
pic.twitter.com/FSMMJXF6z3
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025
– Beautiful goal!
JUSTIN BRAZEAU WITH BEAUTY!
He has three goals in the first two games of the season! #NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/Fa2VoCNuVG– NHL (@nhl) October 10, 2025
– Brad Marchand scored his first goal of the season.
BRAD MARCHAND ON THE BOARD
pic.twitter.com/Cask9Hc0Up
– Sportsnet (@sportsnet) October 10, 2025
– Bravo!
Harrison Brunicke scores his first NHL goal and also becomes the FIRST player of South African descent to score a goal in the NHL.
pic.twitter.com/d0jXerhgoO– Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 10, 2025
– Top scorers of the evening:
– There will be no NHL games tonight.
