* Gavin McKenna’s first career tally featured an assist by fellow No. 1 pick Auston Matthews, who scored the overtime winner to cap Toronto’s three-goal comeback victory versus Nashville.
* Jack Eichel established a Golden Knights benchmark for four-point games, and in doing so, became the League’s first player to 10 points this season – a feat he also achieved last year.
* Alex Ovechkin is set to suit up for the final home opener of his 22-season NHL career tonight on TNT against long-time rival Sidney Crosby in their 101st head-to-head meeting.
McKENNA, MATTHEWS MOBILIZE MAPLE LEAFS TO COMEBACK VICTORY
First-overall picks took center stage in Toronto as Gavin McKenna (1-1—2) collected his first NHL goal and assist while Auston Matthews (1-3—4) put up a four-point performance, including netting the overtime winner, as the Maple Leafs earned a three-goal comeback victory.
* McKenna (18 years, 290 days) became the ninth-youngest player in franchise history at the time of his first career NHL goal and youngest since Luke Richardson (18 years, 204 days on Oct. 16, 1987). McKenna, with the help of Matthews, also became the fifth No. 1 pick in NHL history whose first career goal featured an assist by another first-overall selection chosen by the same franchise after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Oct. 9, 2011 w/ Taylor Hall), Steven Stamkos (Oct. 30, 2008 w/ Vincent Lecavalier), Brian Lawton (Oct. 16, 1983 w/ Bobby Smith) and Doug Wickenheiser (Oct. 23, 1980 w/ Guy Lafleur).
* Matthews recorded his 18th career four-point game and climbed multiple lists: he surpassed Mitch Marner for the second most in Maple Leafs history and moved into a tie with Keith Tkachuk and Mike Modano (both w/ 18 GP) for the seventh most by a U.S.-born player. He trails only Pat LaFontaine (28 GP), Jeremy Roenick (25 GP), Joe Mullen (22 GP), Matthew Tkachuk (20 GP), Patrick Kane (20 GP) and Joe Pavelski (20 GP).
EICHEL BECOMES FIRST TO 10 POINTS THIS SEASON AFTER FOUR-POINT NIGHT
Jack Eichel (1-3—4) factored on four of six Golden Knights goals in their victory over the Kraken and became the League’s first player to 10 points this season, a feat he also achieved in 2025-26. Eichel became just the second Golden Knights player to post a four-game season-opening assist streak, joining Mark Stone (3x; longest: 6 GP in 2025-26), who reached his own benchmark tonight by becoming Vegas’ third 400-point scorer.-07051929.png)
* Eichel’s second point of the night was his 100th multi-point game with Vegas (319 GP). He became the seventh-fastest active player to reach that mark with a franchise, behind Sidney Crosby (235 GP w/ PIT), Artemi Panarin (269 GP w/ NYR), Connor McDavid (270 GP w/ EDM), Alex Ovechkin (272 GP w/ WSH), Kirill Kaprizov (292 GP w/ MIN) and Evgeni Malkin (292 GP w/ PIT).
* Eichel recorded his eighth four-point game with Vegas and passed Stone (7) for the most in club history. He also tied Stone and Shea Theodore (11) for the most three-assist outings with the franchise.
* Eichel (4 GP) also bested his own Golden Knights benchmark for fewest games to the 10-point mark and became the fifth American player in NHL history to hit it in four games or fewer. He joined Kevin Stevens (3 GP in 1990-91), Jack Hughes (4 GP in 2023-24), Auston Matthews (4 GP in 2018-19) and Andy Brickley (4 GP in 1991-92).
OTHER No. 1 PICKS MAKE THEIR MARK
While Gavin McKenna and Auston Matthews teamed up in Toronto’s win, other No. 1 picks around the League also made their mark during Tuesday’s nine-game slate:
* John Tavares and Steven Stamkos (2-0—2) also tallied at Scotiabank Arena in addition to McKenna and Matthews, marking the fourth game in NHL history where four first-overall picks each had at least one goal. The other instances involved the Flames and Oilers (Oct. 17, 2015), Quebec Nordiques and Sabres (March 28, 1991) as well as the Nordiques and Maple Leafs (Oct. 10, 1990).
* Alexis Lafrenière (3-1—4) logged his third career hat trick and second four-point game to help the Rangers (4-1-0, 8 points) record four wins through five contests in a season for the second time over the last three campaigns (also 2024-25). Lafrenière became the first Rangers player with a “Battle of New York” hat trick since Andrew Copp (April 21, 2022).
* Taylor Hall had his first two goals since scoring the Stanley Cup clincher last June and Sebastian Aho (1-2—3) reached a team-leading seven points on the season as the Hurricanes defeated the Canadiens in a rematch of the 2026 Eastern Conference Final. Hall is expected to hit the 1,000-game milestone on Oct. 20 just before Carolina visits Edmonton, where he played each of his first six seasons after the Oilers chose him with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
* Owen Power (1-1—2) potted the overtime winner after Tage Thompson (1-1—2) and Noah Ostlund had third-period tallies as Buffalo earned its second multi-goal comeback win in as many games (also Oct. 3). The Sabres earned a multi-goal comeback victory in consecutive contests for the second time over the last five seasons (also 2 GP from Jan. 24-27, 2024).
SCHMALTZ’S STREAK AND FIRST WINS FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured notes on all nine games during a busy Tuesday, including Nick Schmaltz extending his season-opening goal streak to lead the Mammoth to victory as well as the Red Wings and Blackhawks earning their first wins of 2026-27:
* Dylan Larkin made his season debut and found the score sheet twice (1-1—2) in Detroit’s first win of 2026-27. Larkin recorded a point in his first game of a campaign for the 11th time in his career, which passed Sergei Fedorov, Alex Delvecchio and Nicklas Lidstrom (all 10x) for the third-most instances in Red Wings history. He trails Gordie Howe (18x) and Steve Yzerman (12x).
* Anton Frondell (1-1—2) forged a second straight multi-point game to help the Blackhawks rally past the Blues in Chicago’s home opener. Frondell(19 years, 152 days)became the fifth teenager in franchise history with a goal during the Blackhawks’ home opener after Eddie Olczyk (18 years, 56 days on Oct. 11, 1984), Connor Bedard (18 years, 96 days on Oct. 21, 2023), Stan Mikita (19 years, 140 days on Oct. 7, 1959) and John Harms (19 years, 187 days on Oct. 29, 1944).
* Schmaltz tallied 1-2—3 to extend his season-opening goal streak to four games and established the longest run in Mammoth history. Utah secured its first-ever win against New Jersey in five meetings – the Devils were the only team the Mammoth had not defeated prior to Wednesday.
QUICK CLICKS
* Capitals owner Ted Leonsis to receive Lester Patrick Trophy
* NHL names Degree official deodorant partner in multiyear deal
* Alex Ovechkin’s best moments on home ice discussed by NHL.com
* Goalie goals ‘neat thing’ with Igor Shesterkin latest to score in empty net
* NHL on TNT has its most-watched Opening Week since 2023, up 50% vs. 2025
TONIGHT ON TNT: OVECHKIN FACES CROSBY IN FINAL HOME OPENER
Two days after announcing this will be his final NHL season – on the 21st anniversary of his NHL debut – the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals leader, Alex Ovechkin, will suit up at Capital One Arena for the final home opener of his career. Ovechkin will do so with a familiar foe on the other side in long-time rivals Sidney Crosby and the Penguins – this will mark the 101st all-time meeting between Ovechkin and Crosby (reg. season & playoffs combined). Ovechkin and Crosby could meet four times this season, including in Washington’s regular-season home finale in six months (Sunday, April 4 on ESPN, SN).
* The first home opener of Ovechkin’s career was also his first NHL game, scoring the first two goals of his record-setting total in a 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets. It also marked his first of 185 career multi-goal games in the regular season – only Wayne Gretzky (189) has more.
* Ovechkin (20-11—31 in 20 GP) is the active leader for goals and points in home openers, with Crosby (11-15—26 in 19 GP) ranking among the top three on each of those lists (goals: t-3rd; points: 2nd). Ovechkin (20) is also tied with former Capitals forward Mike Gartner (20) for the most goals in home openers in NHL history.
* This will mark the 76th all-time regular-season meeting between Ovechkin and Crosby but just the second time they have faced off in a Capitals home opener. The only other time they’ve met in Washington’s home opener was in 2023-24 when Crosby scored twice in a 4-0 Penguins victory.
* Since both players entered the League in 2005-06, Ovechkin and Crosby have combined to score 1,583 regular-season goals (Ovechkin: 929; Crosby: 654), 3,451 regular-season points (Crosby: 1,763; Ovechkin: 1,688) and both rank among the top 10 on the NHL’s all-time points list (Crosby: 7th; Ovechkin: 10th).
* In addition they have combined to win four Stanley Cups (Crosby: 3; Ovechkin 1), three Conn Smythe Trophies (Crosby: 2; Ovechkin 1), five Hart Trophies (Ovechkin: 3; Crosby 2), six Ted Lindsay Awards (3 each), 11 Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies (Ovechkin: 9; Crosby 2), three Art Ross Trophies (Crosby: 2; Ovechkin 1), two Mark Messier NHL Leadership Awards (1 each) and a Calder Trophy (Ovechkin: 1).
WHAT’S NEXT FOR OVECHKIN?
Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL season could still see him hit a slew of records, milestones and benchmarks:
* Needs 11 goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history (reg. season & playoffs combined).
* Sits 25 games shy of 1,600 and 12 points away from becoming the 10th player in NHL history to reach 1,700 career points.
* Enters Wednesday’s game just four assists from surpassing long-time teammate Nicklas Backstrom (762) for the most in Capitals history. Ovechkin is already the all-time franchise leader in goals and points.
