NHL Recap: Canadiens Fall 6-5 in OT to Penguins (Oct. 3)

Our NHL recap for Saturday, Oct. 3 covers all 13 games, and the Canadiens’ game was the one nobody will forget quickly. Montreal trailed Pittsburgh 5-1 in the second period, scored four unanswered goals, tied it with 44 seconds left in regulation and still lost 6-5 in overtime. Thirteen games, three overtimes and a 6-0 shutout later, here is the full NHL recap from across the league. If you missed Friday’s games, catch up with our NHL recap from Oct. 2, and for the college side of the Habs system see our Michael Hage report.

Canadiens 5, Penguins 6 (OT)

For the first 20 minutes the Canadiens looked like they had it figured out. Cole Caufield scored on Montreal’s second shot of the night, a wrist shot from the right circle past the blocker of Arturs Silovs at 3:49, with Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson assisting, according to NHL.com. Evgeni Malkin tied it on a power play late in the first, and then the second period turned into a problem. Pittsburgh scored four times in the second period, through Declan Carlile, Samuel Girard, Tommy Novak and Ben Kindel, and led 5-1 after outshooting Montreal 23-5 over a 25-minute stretch, per ESPN.

The comeback started at 18:46 of the second, when Suzuki split the defence and went backhand to make it 5-2. Caufield added his second of the night three and a half minutes into the third. Pittsburgh thought it had restored the cushion when Egor Chinakhov scored at 5:25, but the Canadiens challenged for offside and the goal came off the board. That decision was the hinge of the night. With Jakub Dobes pulled for the extra attacker, Suzuki found Chris Kreider for a one-timer in the slot with 1:08 left, and 24 seconds later Suzuki sent a pass across the crease to Ivan Demidov at the far post to tie it 5-5.

Overtime lasted 93 seconds. Malkin and Novak went 2-on-1, Malkin slid the puck over, and Novak finished his second goal of the game. “Anytime you kind of give up a lead like that, it feels good to come through with the two points,” Novak said (NHL.com). On the Montreal side, coach Martin St. Louis was blunt about the first 40 minutes. “Once the brain goes, it’s hard to prevent stuff,” he said. Kreider, who picked up his first two points as a Canadien with a goal and an assist, said the team was “playing pond hockey at times, turning the puck over.”

The individual numbers were strong. Suzuki had a goal and three assists, Hutson three assists, Demidov a goal and an assist, and Caufield two goals, all per the Canadiens’ game recap. Dobes finished with 24 saves on 30 shots, while Silovs stopped 20 of 25. Montreal also lost defenceman Alexandre Carrier in the second period; the team said he was being evaluated and would not return, and there was no further update.

For Pittsburgh, it was a strange night in the best way. Malkin, who is 40, scored for the second game in a row, becoming only the second 40-year-old in NHL history to do that in his first two games of a season after Gordie Howe in 1968-69. Sidney Crosby collected his 1,109th career assist, tying Joe Thornton for seventh all-time, and Kindel scored in his return from injury. The Penguins are 2-0-0, and the Canadiens are 1-0-1 with three points.

What it means for the Habs in this NHL recap: Montreal showed the offensive ceiling of a team that can score in bunches, and the late goals from Kreider and Demidov are a good argument for the top six with Suzuki. The turnovers that created Pittsburgh’s lead are the part that needs work before the home opener. The Canadiens host Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET at the Bell Centre, the start of a four-game homestand.

Highlights: Canadiens vs. Penguins | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

NHL recap: Canadian teams

Senators 3, Maple Leafs 2

Thomas Chabot’s first game as Ottawa’s captain ended with a goal and a win. He scored at 18:51 of the first period, Auston Matthews tied it 33 seconds into the second, and Kirill Marchenko, traded from Columbus on Monday, scored his first goal as a Leaf on the power play. Michael Amadio tied it for Ottawa, and Stephen Halliday jammed in the rebound of a Fabian Zetterlund shot at 9:46 of the third for the winner, according to NHL.com.

Linus Ullmark made 27 saves and Sergei Bobrovsky 26. Ottawa outshot Toronto 16-5 in the third period. The Senators lost defenceman Jake Sanderson to an injury in the first period, and coach Travis Green said the team would know more in a few days. “Our penalty kill stepped up big time,” Chabot said. Toronto is 1-2-0, and John Tavares played his 600th game as a Leaf.

Highlights: Senators vs. Maple Leafs | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Canucks 4, Flames 1

Vancouver scored all four of its goals in the third period. Calgary led 1-0 on a Matt Coronato power-play goal until Liam Ohgren tied it at 1:28 of the third following a video review. Elias Pettersson put the Canucks ahead, Drew O’Connor made it 3-1 at 16:33, and Aatu Raty added an empty-netter, per NHL.com.

Leevi Merilainen, claimed off waivers from Ottawa on Sept. 25, made his first start for Vancouver and stopped 23 of 24 shots. The Canucks are 2-1-0, while the Flames are 0-2-0 and visit Seattle on Sunday.

Highlights: Flames vs. Canucks | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Oilers 3, Kraken 1

Leon Draisaitl broke a 1-1 tie with 2:27 left in the third period, assisted by Connor McDavid and Ryan Shea, and McDavid sealed it with an empty-netter. Owen Michaels scored his second goal in as many games in the first period, and Bobby McMann tied it for Seattle on a power play, per NHL.com.

Devon Levi made 19 saves for Edmonton, and a Jordan Eberle shot that looked close in the third was reviewed and confirmed not to have crossed the line. The Oilers are 2-0-1.

Highlights: Kraken vs. Oilers | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

NHL recap: overtime and comebacks

Sharks 5, Kings 4 (OT)

The best game in this NHL recap might have been in San Jose. Igor Chernyshov scored twice, including a one-timer from a Macklin Celebrini pass at 3:18 of overtime. Los Angeles led 1-0 on an Adrian Kempe power-play goal, San Jose scored three straight in the second, Byfield cut it to 3-2 on a power play, Chernyshov made it 4-2, and the Kings answered with an Eric Haula goal and a tying goal from Artemi Panarin at 15:00 of the third, according to NHL.com.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 31 shots for the Sharks, who are 2-0-0 for the first time since 2021-22. Ivar Stenberg, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft, picked up his first NHL point on a Tyler Toffoli goal. The Kings are 0-2-0.

Highlights: Kings vs. Sharks | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 (OT)

Sebastian Aho scored 10 seconds after the opening faceoff, the fastest game-opening goal by a Hurricanes or Whalers player since Kevin Dineen in 1990. Owen Tippett tied it and Matvei Michkov put Philadelphia ahead, and Aho tied it on a power play before Shayne Gostisbehere won it on another power play at 2:51 of overtime, per NHL.com.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 16 saves in his first game since Dec. 20, while Joseph Woll stopped 37 shots for the Flyers. Rasmus Ristolainen left in the third period with an undisclosed injury. “Our execution is not good this year. It really isn’t,” coach Rick Tocchet said after Philadelphia fell to 0-1-2.

Highlights: Hurricanes vs. Flyers | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Sabres 4, Blackhawks 3

Jiri Kulich scored the go-ahead goal at 13:20 of the third period, his first goal in 11 months after a blood clot ended his last season, and Buffalo came back from a 2-0 deficit. Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi scored early for Chicago, Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson brought the Sabres back, Oliver Moore put the Blackhawks ahead again late in the second, and Rasmus Dahlin tied it at 3-3 before Kulich’s winner, according to NHL.com.

“After that one, it was a lot of emotions,” Kulich said. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 12 saves and Spencer Knight 24. Chicago is 0-3-0, Buffalo 1-1-0.

Highlights: Blackhawks vs. Sabres | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

NHL recap: blowouts and the rest of the league

Islanders 6, Devils 0

Ilya Sorokin made 37 saves for the only shutout in this NHL recap, his 30th career, reaching that mark in 310 games. Simon Holmstrom, Brayden Schenn and Bo Horvat scored in the second period, and Victor Eklund, Ondrej Palat and Casey Cizikas, shorthanded, added three more in the third. Eklund’s came on his 20th birthday and was his first NHL goal, per NHL.com.

Nico Daws stopped 26 of 32 for New Jersey. “They played on another level,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Highlights: Devils vs. Islanders | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Avalanche 6, Blues 1

Colorado led 6-0 by 18:25 of the second period. Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Josh Manson, Artturi Lehkonen, Nicolas Roy and Necas again scored before Dalibor Dvorsky got one back for St. Louis early in the third. Necas finished with two goals and an assist and scored his 50th goal as an Avalanche, according to NHL.com.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves and Gabriel Landeskog played his 800th game. The Avalanche have scored 14 goals in two games.

Highlights: Blues vs. Avalanche | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Mammoth 4, Blue Jackets 1

Utah scored on three of its four power plays. Mikhail Sergachev and Nick Schmaltz scored in the first period, Dylan Guenther and Schmaltz added power-play goals in the third, and Sebastian Cossa made 17 saves in his first NHL start, per NHL.com. Schmaltz reached 500 career points with his second goal. “Penalties kind of killed us tonight,” Columbus defenceman Zach Werenski said. Utah is 2-0-0 and visits the Rangers on Sunday.

Highlights: Mammoth vs. Blue Jackets | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Wild 4, Bruins 1

Boston led on a Tanner Jeannot goal 1:53 into the game, then Minnesota scored four straight. Kirill Kaprizov tied it on a power play, Quinn Hughes scored the go-ahead goal on a five-on-three, Jared Spurgeon made it 3-1, and Kaprizov added an empty-netter, according to NHL.com. Hughes picked up his 50th assist in his 50th game as a Wild player, the fastest in franchise history. Jesper Wallstedt made 26 saves. “I own that,” Boston goalie Michael DiPietro said after his first start since January 2022.

Highlights: Bruins vs. Wild | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Lightning 3, Capitals 1

Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Conor Geekie scored in the first period, Justin Sourdif got one back for Washington, and Jake Guentzel sealed it with an empty-net goal for a three-point night. Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed only the Sourdif goal, and Nikita Kucherov reached 1,126 career points, per NHL.com. Washington defenceman Matt Roy left with a lower-body injury.

Highlights: Capitals vs. Lightning | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

Predators 2, Stars 1

Miro Heiskanen scored 47 seconds in for Dallas, but Nashville answered with two power-play goals. Steven Stamkos scored his 625th NHL goal to tie it, tying Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic for 17th all-time, and Nils Hoglander deflected a Jack Ahcan shot for the winner at 15:49 of the first, according to NHL.com. Juuse Saros made 29 saves. Ahcan recorded an assist in his Predators debut.

Highlights: Stars vs. Predators | NHL Highlights | Oct 3, 2026

NHL recap: three stars of the night

1. Tommy Novak, Penguins – two goals and an assist, including the overtime winner against Montreal.
2. Nick Suzuki, Canadiens – a goal and three assists, including the passes on both late goals.
3. Martin Necas, Avalanche – two goals and an assist in Colorado’s 6-1 win.

Up next

Sunday has five games, including the Jets at the Red Wings (1 p.m. ET), the Mammoth at the Rangers (6 p.m.), and the Golden Knights at the Canucks (9 p.m.). The Canadiens are off until Tuesday’s home opener against Carolina. For more coverage, head to the Hockey Informers home page, and check back tomorrow for the next NHL recap. That wraps up Saturday.

NHL Recap Oct. 3: Habs Rally From 5-1, Lose 6-5 in OT