* Shane Pinto, Tim Stützle and Linus Ullmark led the Senators to victory over the Devils, with the latter becoming just the third goaltender in franchise history to earn a win in each of their first five games of a season.
* Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes and Sabres forward Tage Thompson both posted multi-point outings to help their teams earn a win on home ice.
* All 32 teams will take the ice tonight at 16 different start times as NHL Frozen Frenzy returns for a fourth season. The jampacked slate includes a tripleheader on ESPN that starts at 6 p.m. ET with Jack Hughes and the Devils visiting Alex DeBrincat and the Red Wings.
SENATORS CONTINUE HOT START TO SEASON WITH WIN IN NEW JERSEY
Shane Pinto (1-0—1) and Tim Stützle (1-1—2) both found the back of the net against the Devils on Monday, while Linus Ullmark made 29 saves to lift the club to victory at Prudential Center. Ottawa improved to 5-1-0 on the season, reaching the five-win mark in six or fewer games for the third time in franchise history (also 5-0-0 in 2007-08 & 2005-06).
* Pinto scored nine seconds into the second period and tied Josh Norris (0:09 into OT on May 12, 2021) and Jason Spezza (0:09 into P2 on Nov. 26, 2005) for the fourth-fastest goal to start a period in Senators history behind Alexandre Daigle (0:07 into P2 on Jan. 22, 1995), Matt Duchene (0:07 into OT on Jan. 5, 2018) and Zack Smith (0:08 into P3 on Dec. 13, 2017).
* Stützle recorded his 265th career assist and tied Christian Ehrhoff for the third most by a German player in NHL history, behind only Leon Draisaitl (625) and Jochen Hecht (277). Stützle now has a point in each of his first four road games to start the season (4-4—8) – only one German player has recorded a longer such point streak to open a campaign:Draisaitl (2x: 8 GP in 2022-23 & 6 GP in 2020-21).
AMERICAN STARS PROPEL WILD, SABRES TO VICTORY MONDAY
Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (Orlando, Fl.) and Sabres forward Tage Thompson (Phoenix, Ariz.) both had multi-point showings during Monday’s three-game slate.
* Hughes (0-2—2) factored on two of his team’s four goals to help Minnesota earn its fourth consecutive win against Vegas. Hughes extended his season-opening point streak to six games, which is tied for the sixth longest such run by an American defenseman in NHL history and lengthiest among that list since John-Michael Liles in 2010-11 (9 GP).
* Sam Reinhart (2-0—2), who spent his first seven NHL seasons with the Sabres, scored two of the Panthers’ three game-tying goals, but Tage Thompson (1-1—2) netted the second of two third-period goals as Buffalo earned its third consecutive win against Florida. Thompson’s 217th career goal with the Sabres moved him into a tie with Jason Pominville for 10th place on the franchise’s all-time list.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates – Oct. 12, 2026
* Auston Matthews, Jake Oettinger & Alexis Lafrenière named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week
* Knicks’ Jalen Brunson shows support for Igor Shesterkin
* Alex Ovechkin celebrates 930 goals with golden ticket to 9:30 Club
* Connor Bedard could make season debut for Blackhawks against Penguins
FROZEN FRENZY RETURNS: 32 TEAMS. 16 GAMES. ONE NIGHT.
All 32 teams will take the ice at 16 different start times as NHL Frozen Frenzy returns for a fourth season. It will mark the first of two 16-game days in 2026-27 – the other will occur on the final day of the regular season on Saturday, April 10.
* ESPN will feature a tripleheader starting at 6 p.m. ET with Jack Hughes and the Devils visiting Alex DeBrincat and the Red Wings followed by a Central Division clash between the Avalanche and the Stars before closing with the Bruins visiting the Sharks. There will also be a whip-around show on ESPN2 with live look-ins on all 16 games.
* The NHL Frozen Frenzy broadcast will spotlight Hockey Fights Cancer stories from across the League for the third straight season and help raise funds for the V Foundation in support of Hockey Fights Cancer.
16 NOTES FOR A 16-GAME NIGHT. . .
Devils at Red Wings (6 ET on ESPN, SN+)
Alex DeBrincat and the Red Wings open NHL Frozen Frenzy against Dawson Mercer and the Devils – they are two of three players set to take the ice at Little Caesars Arena that hold a spot on the NHL’s active list of most consecutive games played (also Moritz Seider).
Avalanche at Stars (8:30 ET on ESPN, SN+, TVAS)
On the topic of consecutive games played, Brent Burns (1,012 GP) continues his pursuit of the NHL’s all-time “Ironman” record when the Avalanche and Stars meet for the first of a back-to-back national home-and-home. Burns (13-32—45) needs one goal to tie Chris Chelios (14-78—92) for the third most by a defenseman age 40 or older in NHL history.
Bruins at Sharks (11 ET on ESPN, SN+, NESN)
The Sharks (3) and Bruins (1) account for four of the NHL’s 13 overtime goals to start 2026-27 and each of San Jose’s three victories this season have come after 60 minutes of action. Only four teams in NHL history have had their first four or more wins of a campaign take place beyond regulation: 2022-23 Ducks (5 from Oct. 12 – Nov. 15, 2022), 2016-17 Kings (5 from Oct. 20 – Nov. 3, 2016), 1999-00 Flames (5 from Oct. 13 – Nov. 10, 1999) and 2021-22 Stars (4 from Oct. 14 – Nov. 4, 2021).
Oilers at Kings (10:30 ET on SN1, TVAS, ABTV)
Connor McDavid (412-821—1,233 in 799 GP) is set to appear in his 800th career game and will rank third in NHL history in terms of most points through 800 career games – he already holds the spot behind Wayne Gretzky (649-1,243—1,892) and Mario Lemieux (649-931—1,580). McDavid’s 821 assists will also rank third behind Gretzky and Lemieux.
Panthers at Blue Jackets (6:15 ET on CBJHN, CBJNHL, SCRIPPS)
Zach Werenski (1-11—12) and Seth Jones (1-3—4) will face off for the eighth time in their careers since Jones was traded by Columbus to Chicago on July 23, 2021. Werenski and Jones played 305 games together and factored on the same goal 42 times — double the closest defensive duo in franchise history (James Wisniewski & Jack Johnson: 21).
Sabres at Canadiens (6:30 ET on RDS, TSN2, MSG-B)
The Sabres and Canadiens are meeting for the first time since their seven-game series during the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nick Suzuki, who leads Montreal with 3-4—7 in 2026-27, is coming off a career-best campaign where he collected 101 points in 82 games and has produced an increased point total in five consecutive seasons dating to 2020-21 – tied with Yvan Cournoyer (1963-64 to 1968-69) and Dickie Moore (1953-54 to 1958-59) for the longest stretch by a Canadiens player in franchise history.
Capitals at Hurricanes (6:45 ET on HHN, CARNHL, MNMT)
The venue where Alex Ovechkin has scored his most road goals (33), road assists (26) and road points (59) as well as played the most road games (48) of his career will be the first he visits for the final time in regular-season play.Ovechkin scored his first career NHL road goal 21 years ago at Lenovo Center (Oct. 12, 2005; called RBC Center at the time). The Hurricanes won the game 7-2 which included a three-point performance from current head coach Rod Brind’Amour (1-2—3). Ovechkin also leads all visiting players in career goals and points at Lenovo Center. Overall, Ovechkin has 53-58—111 in 97 career games versus Carolina, his most assists, points and games played against any franchise (third-most goals behind WPG: 58 & PHI: 54).
Kraken at Flyers (7 ET on Prime Video, KONG, KING, NBCSP)
The Kraken have been no strangers to scoring outbursts to start 2026-27, with five or more goals in each of their past two games and four of their first six contests this season. Seattle, which possesses an NHL-best nine players with five-plus points (tied w/ CAR) and nine players with multiple goals (1st), can be the 11th franchise in the past 40 years with five or more five-goal games through their first seven outings of a campaign.
Lightning at Rangers (7:15 ET on The Spot, MSG)
Alexis Lafrenière and the Rangers host Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning at Madison Square Garden, where New York remains undefeated to start the season (4-0-0). The Rangers can win each of their first five home games to start a campaign for just the third time in franchise history, following 1990-91 (8-0-0) and 1983-84 (6-0-0).
Blues at Senators (7:30 ET on STLNHL, RDSI, TSN5, BN+)
Tim Stützle will look to record his fifth multi-point game of the season – and third consecutive – when Ottawa hosts St. Louis at Canadian Tire Centre. Stützle (6 GP) can become the second-fastest Senators player to reach five multi-point games in a season behind Alexandre Daigle (6 GP in 1993-94) and tie Leon Draisaitl (7 GP in 2019-20) for the fewest outings by a German player to hit the mark in a campaign.
Canucks at Islanders (7:45 on MSGSN, SNP)
Matthew Schaefer, who has found the score sheet in each of the Islanders’ first three home games this season (0-4—4), enters Tuesday’s match against the Canucks one point shy of matching Larry Murphy (64) for the eighth most by a teenage defenseman in NHL history. Only Phil Housley (132), Rasmus Dahlin (84), Ray Bourque (79), Rick Hampton (76), Bobby Orr (72), Scott Stevens (70) and Doug Bodger (68) had more.
Penguins at Blackhawks (8 ET on CHSN, SN-PIT)
Sidney Crosby (654-1,109—1,763 in 1,426 GP) and the Penguins begin a four-game road trip in Chicago – a city in which the longtime captain has collected 3-6—9 in 11 career games. Crosby enters NHL Frozen Frenzy one assist shy of overtaking Joe Thornton (1,109) for seventh place on the League’s all-time list and two assists shy of tying Ray Bourque (1,111 w/ BOS) for the most by a player with a single franchise in League history.
Wild at Jets (8:15 ET on MINNHL, TSN3, Wild+)
Two of the NHL’s leading goal scorers in 2026-27 go head-to-head during a Central Division clash as Kirill Kaprizov (6-3—9 in 6 GP) and the Wild visit Kyle Connor (6-2—8 in 5 GP) and the Jets. Kaprizov and Connor rank among the top seven players in goals League-wide since Kaprizov entered the NHL in 2020-21.
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Golden Knights at Predators (8:45 ET on SCRIPPS)
Predators forward Steven Stamkos (3-4—7 in 5 GP) and captain Roman Josi (1-5—6) have been offensive catalysts for Nashville to start 2026-27 and both sit one game shy of matching the longest season-opening point streak in franchise history. Since 1998-99, only four forward-defenseman teammates have started a campaign with simultaneous point streaks of six or more games: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar (13 GP in 2024-25), Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang (7 & 6 GP in 2019-20), Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly (7 & 6 GP in 2018-19) as well as Vinny Prospal, Brad Richards and Dan Boyle (7 GP in 2002-03).
Maple Leafs at Mammoth (9 ET on Mammoth+, Utah16, TSN4)
Three of the NHL’s highest-scoring players will be in action at Delta Center when William Nylander (5-6—11), Auston Matthews (4-6—10) and Nick Schmaltz (6-2—8) take to the ice. No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna (1-3—4), will join them and has collected a point in each of Toronto’s past three games. He can become the seventh player age 18 or younger in franchise history to register a four-game point streak and first since Russ Courtnall posted the longest such stretch in 1983-84 (7 GP).
Flames at Ducks (9:45 ET on Prime Video, KCOP-13, SNW)
Anaheim (4-1-0, 8 points) has been aided by Leo Carlsson’s offensive contributions to start 2026-27 (1-7—8 in 5 GP) and can match the fewest games to five wins in a season in franchise history (6 GP in 2014-15 & 2013-14). Already with three multi-point games this campaign, Carlsson will need another to match Paul Kariya (6 GP in 1997-98) for the second-fewest contests by a Ducks player to reach 10 points in a season, behind only Teemu Selanne (4 GP in 1996-97).
