* Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin sparked a Kings offense to a seven-goal showing as the former helped Los Angeles become the 15th different team to feature a player with a hat trick in 2026-27 – tied for the second most at this stage of a season (250 GP) in the past 25 years behind 2023-24 (17).
* The Panthers treated their fans at Amerant Bank Arena to a franchise first Wednesday as Florida defeated Chicago and captured 10 consecutive home wins against a single opponent for the first time in team history.
* The Hurricanes return to action on ESPN+ as their date with the Kraken – who skated to an overtime victory Wednesday – at the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland is now one week away. The reigning Stanley Cup champions have accumulated at least one standings point in 14 of their 17 games.
KEMPE’S HAT TRICK CARRIES KINGS PAST DIVISION-RIVAL SHARKS
The hats continued to fly Wednesday as Adrian Kempe (3-1—4)potted the NHL’s eighth hat trick in the past week – and third in the last two days – while Artemi Panarin (0-4—4) had a four-point night of his own to help the Kings extend their home point streak against the Sharks to 10 games (7-0-3), their second-longest active run versus one opponent (11 GP vs. STL).
* Kempe scored his fifth career hat trick and tied Jimmy Carson as well as Charlie Simmer for ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list. He also helped the Kings score six or more goals in a game for the third time in 2026-27 – behind only the Bruins, Hurricanes and Avalanche (all w/ 4) for the most among all teams.
* Panarin (35 years, 5 days) became the second-oldest Kings player to record a four-assist game behind Bob Nevin (0-4—4 on March 1, 1975 at 36 years, 348 days), while he and Kempe became the fourth set of Kings teammates to record four points in the same game in the past 10 years. The others: Jan. 1, 2022 (Viktor Arvidsson & Trevor Moore), Oct. 14, 2021 (Anze Kopitar & Drew Doughty) and Oct. 18, 2017 (Michael Cammalleri & Kempe).
VILMANIS, REINHART LIFT PANTHERS TO 10TH STRAIGHT HOME WIN VS. BLACKHAWKS
Sandis Vilmanis (2-2—4) and Sam Reinhart (1-2—3) were regulars on the score sheet Wednesday, which included factoring on the same goal three times, as the Panthers (9-5-2, 20 points) won 10 consecutive home games against a single opponent for the first time in franchise history (next closest: 9-0-0 vs. MTL from 2018-19 – 2023-24).
* Vilmanis, who became the ninth different Panthers player to record four points in a game at age 22 or younger, joined Matthew Tkachuk (2x), Brady Tkachuk and Seth Jones as the fourth Florida skater with a four-point game in 2026-27 – the most among all teams and one more than the next closest (EDM: 3).
* Reinhart’s performance bolstered his career totals with the Panthers to 198-203—401 (401 GP). He became the fifth player in franchise history with 400 career points – requiring the fewest games to hit the milestone – and overtook Keith Yandle (201) for eighth place on the Panthers’ all-time assists list.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 4
* Save of the Season? Colten Ellis robs Senators with impressive pad save
* Jets’ historic comeback against Canadiens fueled by puck possession, mid-range prowess
* Nuggets DeMar DeRozan rocks Avalanche Hometown Remix jersey before game
* NHL partners with Dusseldorf’s Ko on Ice ahead of Global Series
HURRICANES ON ESPN+ WITH ONE WEEK TO GLOBAL SERIES
The Hurricanes (12-3-2, 26 points) visit the Islanders (7-5-2, 16 points) on ESPN+ and Sportsnet+ with Carolina a week away from dropping the puck on the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland in Helsinki where they will face the Kraken – who rallied to an overtime victory Wednesday – in consecutive games Nov. 12 and 14. At the conclusion of the two-game set between the Hurricanes and Kraken in Helsinki, the NHL will have reached 50 regular-season games hosted outside North America, with that total set to grow to 52 before the turn of the calendar when the Blackhawks and Senators face off for two games in Dusseldorf, Germany on Dec. 18th and 20th.
* The Hurricanes have accumulated at least one standings point in 14 of the 17 games they have played this season. Only three other defending Stanley Cup winners since 2000 have recorded 26 or more points through their first 17 games in the season after the championship: Vegas (13-3-1, 27 points in 2023-24), Detroit (12-2-3, 27 points in 2008-09) and Chicago (11-2-4, 26 points in 2013-14).
* The Hurricanes will become the fourth reigning champs to appear in games outside North America following the 2024-25 Panthers (2-0-0 in 2 GP in Tampere, Finland), 2022-23 Avalanche (2-0-0 in 2 GP in Tampere, Finland) and 2007-08 Ducks (1-1-0 in 2 GP in London, England). All 20 players who dressed for the Hurricanes in their Cup-clinching Game 6 victory remain with the team in 2026-27 (including Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal who is currently injured).
* Sebastian Aho (Rauma, Finland), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Pori, Finland) and Juuso Välimäki (Tampere, Finland) are the Finnish skaters currently on the Hurricanes roster. Aho ranks high on the Finnish all-time list for regular-season goals (5th; two behind Olli Jokinen for 4th), points (7th) and game-winning goals (3rd; three behind Jari Kurri for 2nd).
* #NHLStats Pack: 2026 NHL Global Series Finland
* NHL Global Series Interactive Information Guide
