It was a night of stellar goaltending and timely scoring across the NHL as several teams extended their strong starts to the season. Kyle Connor led the Winnipeg Jets to an overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild, the Dallas Stars posted another shutout, and the Calgary Flames continued their winning streak with a decisive win over the Edmonton Oilers. Here’s a recap of Sunday’s action:
Jets 2, Wild 1 (OT)
Kyle Connor’s Overtime Goal Lifts Winnipeg
Kyle Connor scored 51 seconds into overtime, lifting the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Minnesota Wild. The Jets are now 3-0 to start the season. Mark Scheifele contributed with a goal and an assist, while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 of 27 shots to secure the win for Winnipeg.
Minnesota’s Jake Middleton scored the lone goal for the Wild, who have earned a point in each of their last two games despite a shootout loss and Sunday’s overtime defeat. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 35 saves, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Winnipeg in extra time.
Connor’s game-winning goal came off a slick pass from Scheifele, as he fired a high shot from the right circle past Gustavsson’s glove side to clinch the win for the Jets.
Key Stats:
- Kyle Connor: Game-winning goal in overtime.
- Connor Hellebuyck: 26 saves, 1 GA.
- Jake Middleton (MIN): 1 goal.
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Stars 2, Kraken 0
DeSmith Shines in Debut as Stars Shut Out Kraken
Casey DeSmith made 25 saves in his Dallas Stars debut to earn his 11th career shutout, helping the Stars to a 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Sam Steel and Wyatt Johnston scored for Dallas, who have now won three straight games to open the season. The Stars have posted back-to-back shutouts, solidifying their defensive prowess early in the season.
Seattle’s Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves in the loss, but the Kraken couldn’t find a way past DeSmith, who was sharp from start to finish.
The Stars’ two goals came just 13 seconds apart late in the first period, giving them all the momentum they needed to hold off Seattle for the remainder of the game.
Key Stats:
- Casey DeSmith: 25 saves, shutout.
- Sam Steel & Wyatt Johnston: 1 goal each.
- Philipp Grubauer (SEA): 21 saves, 2 GA.
Flames 4, Oilers 1
Andersson Leads Flames to Dominant Win Over Oilers
Rasmus Andersson led the Calgary Flames to a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers with a goal and two assists. The Flames extended their season-opening winning streak to three games, while Edmonton has now lost three straight games to start a season for the first time since 2015-16.
Calgary received additional goals from Anthony Mantha, Justin Kirkland, and Connor Zary, while goaltender Dan Vladar made 25 saves to secure his second win of the season.
The Oilers’ Jeff Skinner scored the lone goal for Edmonton, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Flames, who controlled the game from start to finish. Stuart Skinner made 25 saves in the loss.
Key Stats:
- Rasmus Andersson: 1 goal, 2 assists.
- Dan Vladar: 25 saves, 1 GA.
- Jeff Skinner (EDM): 1 goal.
Golden Knights 3, Ducks 1
Samsonov Wins Vegas Debut, Golden Knights Stay Perfect
Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves in his first start for the Vegas Golden Knights, leading them to a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Vegas remains unbeaten through their first three games of the season, marking the third straight year they’ve started 3-0.
Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights, while Keegan Kolesar contributed two assists. Anaheim’s Troy Terry scored the only goal for the Ducks, while goaltender James Reimer made his debut for the team and finished with 29 saves.
Key Stats:
- Ilya Samsonov: 22 saves, 1 GA in Vegas debut.
- Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev: 1 goal each.
- James Reimer (ANA): 29 saves, 3 GA.
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Postgame Reactions and Key Takeaways
Kyle Connor on the Jets’ Strong Start:
“It’s always nice to get the game-winner, but it’s all about the team’s effort. We’re playing really well right now, and we just want to keep it going.”
Casey DeSmith on His Shutout Debut:
“I couldn’t have asked for a better start with Dallas. The guys in front of me did a great job, and I’m just happy to contribute to the win.”
Rasmus Andersson on Leading the Flames:
“We’re clicking right now, and everyone’s doing their part. It feels good to get off to a strong start, but there’s a lot more work to do.”
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Looking Ahead: What’s Next for These Teams
Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks will seek their first win of the season when they face the Los Angeles Kings.
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets will look to extend their perfect start when they take on the Los Angeles Kings next.
Minnesota Wild: Minnesota aims to rebound in their upcoming game against the Colorado Avalanche.
Dallas Stars: Dallas continues their hot start as they prepare to face the Calgary Flames in a potential early-season showdown of unbeaten teams.
Seattle Kraken: Seattle will try to bounce back and find their first win of the season against the Vancouver Canucks.
Calgary Flames: The Flames, with momentum on their side, will face the Dallas Stars in a highly anticipated matchup.
Edmonton Oilers: Edmonton will try to avoid a fourth straight loss when they take on the Arizona Coyotes.
Vegas Golden Knights: Vegas looks to maintain their unbeaten streak as they take on the San Jose Sharks next.
