Three days, 21 games and plenty of big moments. From October 9 to 11, Washington defeated the Rangers, Edmonton extended their winning streak, and defending Stanley Cup champions Carolina continued their impressive start to the season.
In our weekend preview, we picked out three key matchups, but not everything went according to expectations. Ovechkin had to wait until his second game of the weekend to score, Celebrini returned from injury, and Philadelphia couldn’t find a way past the champions. Here’s how the biggest storylines played out with 888STARZ.
Capitals vs Rangers: Washington Win Without an Ovechkin Goal
October 9 | Capitals 3–1 Rangers
Washington picked up an important home victory, although the game didn’t start their way. Alexis Lafrenière put the Rangers ahead before Timothy Liljegren brought the Capitals level in the second period.
The turning point came when Igor Shesterkin suffered a leg injury and was forced to leave the game. Boone Jenner then scored what proved to be the winner, with Tom Wilson adding another to seal the result.
Ovechkin didn’t get on the scoresheet that night, but he scored his first goal of the season on October 11 — the 930th of his NHL career. Washington, however, fell 5–3 to Seattle.
So the main storyline from our preview eventually delivered: Ovechkin added to his record-breaking goal tally, even if the Capitals ended the weekend with a defeat.
Sharks vs Oilers: McDavid Keeps the Points Coming
October 10 | Sharks 1–3 Oilers
Edmonton made it four straight wins, with Connor McDavid once again making an impact on the scoresheet.
The Oilers captain assisted Vasily Podkolzin, who doubled Edmonton’s lead to 2–0. Mattias Ekholm and Alex Formenton also found the net for the visitors.
San Jose had a positive moment of its own, as Macklin Celebrini returned after missing two games through injury. The young forward marked his comeback with a goal, but it wasn’t enough to stop Edmonton.
McDavid finished the opening five games of the season with 13 points, underlining his outstanding early form as the Oilers continued to build momentum.
Flyers vs Hurricanes: The Champions Prove Too Strong
October 11 | Flyers 1–4 Hurricanes
In our preview, we highlighted the demanding schedule facing both teams. But playing on consecutive days didn’t stop Carolina from recording a fifth straight victory.
Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each contributed a goal and an assist. Shayne Gostisbehere and Mark Jankowski also scored, while Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.
For Philadelphia, the early-season struggles continued. The Flyers remained without a win through seven games, suffering another frustrating defeat against an Eastern Conference rival.
Carolina, meanwhile, finished the weekend riding a five-game winning streak and looking every bit like one of the East’s most dangerous teams.
What Else Happened Around the NHL?
Toronto delivered an impressive 6–3 victory over Colorado, with William Nylander recording five points (2 goals, 3 assists) and Auston Matthews adding four (2 goals, 2 assists).
Vegas edged Los Angeles 2–1 in overtime thanks to Mitch Marner’s winner, while Pittsburgh defeated Dallas 2–1 in a shootout.
The opening weeks are already revealing a few early trends. Edmonton are consistently picking up points, Carolina are making a strong start to their title defense, and Washington still have work to do to find the right balance between offense and defense.
The next round of games will show which teams can turn their early momentum into lasting form.
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