NHL roundup – From dramatic overtime rallies to a tense return for Dylan Larkin, Tuesday night’s NHL slate delivered a series of high-stakes results across the league.
In Buffalo. the energy was palpable as Owen Power snapped a shot inside the left post just 4:22 into overtime. sealing a 3-2 comeback victory over Minnesota. The Sabres, finding themselves down by two goals late in the second period, mounted a gritty response. Tage Thompson and Noah Ostlund ignited the turnaround with goals just six minutes apart in the third. while third-string goalie Colten Ellis held firm with 18 saves in his season debut. For Minnesota. the night was a missed opportunity to open the season 3-0 for the first time since 2021-22. despite an early lead provided by Danila Yurov and Maxim Shabanov.
The victory was personal for Thompson, whose third-period goal marked his 400th career point. He is just the ninth player in franchise history—and the first since Thomas Vanek—to hit that milestone in 491 or fewer games. It was a needed boost for a Sabres squad that has now won two straight games when trailing entering the third period. echoing their home-opening win against Chicago.
The drama wasn’t confined to Buffalo. In Toronto, Auston Matthews buried the winner with only 14 seconds left in overtime to complete a stunning comeback against Nashville. The Maple Leafs erased a three-goal deficit behind goals from William Tavares. Jack Roslovic. William Nylander. and professional debutant Gavin McKenna. who picked up his first NHL goal. For Nashville’s Steven Stamkos. the night carried historical weight; his two-goal performance pushed him to 626 career goals. moving him past Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla into 17th place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list.
Elsewhere, the atmosphere in Detroit was heavy with underlying tension. Dylan Larkin. appearing in his first game since his trade request became public. faced a frosty reception from the home crowd. hearing boos during his first shift. That hostility shifted to cheers in the 13th minute when Larkin scored, helping Detroit secure a 5-3 win over Ottawa. Larkin. stripped of his captaincy and recently returned from an injury that sidelined him for the season opener. remains in a state of professional limbo.
In New York, Alexis Lafrenière fueled the Rangers’ fourth consecutive win with a hat trick against the Islanders. The game marked a grueling return for Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov. who took the ice for the first time in 676 days following double partial knee replacement surgery. While Varlamov showed signs of rust. the Islanders struggled to overcome a Rangers team that has yet to lose at home this season.
Other notable results saw Utah move to 5-3 against New Jersey. led by Nick Schmaltz’s league-leading fifth goal and three assists from Mikhail Sergachev. who left the game after a puck struck the back of his helmet. Carolina edged Montreal 5-4 in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference final. while Vegas dismantled Seattle 6-2. with Mark Stone joining the 400-point club for the franchise. In Los Angeles. Florida edged the Kings 2-1 on a late Matthew Tkachuk goal. though the victory was marred by an injury to Brad Marchand. who was helped off the ice after a late-game collision with the goal post.
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