It was a Saturday night filled with drama, comebacks, and overtime heroics across the NHL, as teams continued to jostle for early-season momentum and fans were treated to a string of nail-biting finishes and emotional moments. From Philadelphia’s charged arena to overtime thrillers in Toronto and Los Angeles, and even a potential injury setback for one of Vegas’s brightest stars, the action was relentless and left plenty to talk about heading into the new week.
Let’s start in Philadelphia, where the Flyers found a way to send their fans home happy—albeit a bit later than expected. Noah Cates emerged as the overtime hero, scoring just 2:36 into the extra frame to lift the Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. That game-winner marked only the Flyers’ second win in their first five outings, but it might just be the spark they need on this crucial homestand. Dan Vladar, who’s quickly making a case to be the team’s number one goalie, turned aside 15 shots and now owns both Flyers victories this season, putting a bit of daylight between himself and Samuel Ersson in the ongoing crease competition.
“The boys were fired up from the opening faceoff,” one could say, and the crowd certainly got a jolt early on when Nicolas Deslauriers squared off with Minnesota’s Marcus Foligno. The bout ended in a draw, but Deslauriers—cheek reddened and cut—soaked up the cheers as he headed to the penalty box, waving his arms to the fans. It set the tone for a physical contest. Vladimir Tarasenko opened the scoring for the Wild early in the second period, capitalizing on one of Minnesota’s rare first-period chances (the Wild managed just three shots on goal in the opening frame, a night after getting thumped 5-1 in Washington). But the Flyers clawed back, tying the game in the third when Owen Tippett’s backhanded effort from behind the net bounced in off Jesper Wallstedt’s pad—Tippett’s third tally of the young season.
Wallstedt was busy for Minnesota, stopping 19 shots, but it was Cates who had the final say, sending the remaining fans into celebration mode. The Flyers, under first-year coach Rick Tocchet, are hoping this gritty win can help turn the tide after a slow 1-3-1 start. Up next, the Wild head to New York to face the Rangers, while Philadelphia will try to keep their momentum alive against Seattle.
Speaking of Seattle, the Kraken found some overtime magic of their own north of the border. Mahura played the role of hero, firing home the winner at 3:06 of overtime to give the Kraken a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the night also belonged to John Tavares, who scored twice for Toronto and reached the 500-point milestone with the club. It was a bittersweet result for Leafs fans—celebrating Tavares’s achievement, but forced to watch the points slip away in extra time.
Out west in Los Angeles, the Kings staged an inspired rally but ultimately fell short in overtime against the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes, losing 4-3 at Crypto.com Arena. The Kings (now 1-3-2) found themselves down 3-0 before mounting a furious comeback, tying the game with just under nine minutes left in regulation. Trevor Moore, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Kevin Fiala all found the back of the net, while Adrian Kempe chipped in with two assists. Anton Forsberg, stepping in for the injured Darcy Kuemper, made 36 saves to keep the Kings alive.
But Carolina’s depth and relentless pace—praised by Kings coach Jim Hiller—proved decisive. Jordan Staal notched his 300th and 301st career goals, and Seth Jarvis snapped home the overtime winner with 3:15 left on the OT clock. Carolina’s captain was a force all night, winning over 90% of his faceoffs and setting the tone from the opening puck drop. “They start better than anybody in the National Hockey League, they’re very consistent,” Hiller admitted. The Kings had a golden chance to win late, but Moore missed on a breakaway with 3:30 remaining. For a team still searching for wins, the effort was there, but the execution just wasn’t enough to topple the Hurricanes, who remain perfect at 5-0-0.
In Columbus, the Blue Jackets snapped a three-game skid, rallying for a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kirill Marchenko continued his electric start, scoring early in the third for his fifth goal in as many games, and extending his point streak to five. Kent Johnson celebrated his 23rd birthday with a goal, Damon Severson also found the net, and Jet Greaves stopped 17 shots for his first win of the season. The first period was a feisty one, with 30 combined penalty minutes, and Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli gave the visitors a 2-1 lead after one. But Columbus responded, tying it in the second and sealing it early in the third. The Lightning, meanwhile, have now dropped three straight and will look to regroup before hosting Chicago.
Elsewhere, the Boston Bruins’ week has been a roller coaster. Just seven days ago, they were a perfect 3-0-0. Now, after three straight losses—including a tough 4-1 defeat to Colorado where they were outshot 73-27—the Bruins sit at 3-3-0 and are searching for answers. Head coach Marco Sturm didn’t mince words after the Colorado loss: “Our top guys were not the top guys again. If you look at Colorado and our team, that’s the difference. That’s just the way it is. It doesn’t matter which team you are, your best players have to be your best players. That was the biggest disappointment tonight.” Sturm also lamented missed opportunities, noting, “We were in the game. It’s a 2-1 hockey game. We know they’re going to be better than us, but it’s a 2-1 hockey game. That was the frustrating part.”
Boston was set to face the Utah Mammoth next—a squad sitting at 3-2-0 and undefeated at home. With six of their next seven games coming at home after the Mammoth tilt, the Bruins were desperate for a spark to stop the slide and regain early-season momentum. Lineup changes seemed imminent, as the club searched for any edge to turn things around.
Finally, in Las Vegas, the Golden Knights cruised to a 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames, but the result was overshadowed by an apparent wrist injury to captain Mark Stone in the third period. Stone had already tallied two goals and two assists before leaving the ice, extending his point streak to six games (two goals, 11 assists). Coach Bruce Cassidy said he would know more about Stone’s status by Sunday or Monday. Stone’s durability has been a concern—he played 66 games last season, his most since 2018-19—and Vegas fans will be holding their breath for good news.
With overtime drama, milestone moments, and injury worries, the NHL’s Saturday slate delivered everything fans could want—and then some. As teams prepare for the next round of games, the storylines only get juicier. The season’s just getting started, but already, the stakes are rising and every point is precious.
