In a dramatic season‑opening matchup in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Florida Panthers edged the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 1‑0 in overtime. Gustav Forsling delivered the decisive goal with just five seconds remaining in the extra period, marking the only overtime marker of the night.
Florida’s netminder Jacob Markstrom was solid, stopping all 15 shots he faced, including the final one in overtime. Carolina’s starter, Brandon Bussi, who had been thrust into the spotlight after starting the last three games of the Stanley Cup Final, made 19 saves but could not keep the Panthers at bay.
Banner ceremony and power‑play struggles
Before tip‑off, the Hurricanes raised their Stanley Cup championship banner in a pre‑game ceremony, celebrating last season’s triumph. Despite the fanfare, both teams struggled on the power play, with the Panthers going 0‑for‑7 and the Hurricanes 0‑for‑6.
Other opening‑night results
Vancouver secured a 6‑5 overtime win over Edmonton, thanks to Paul Cotter’s game‑winning goal. The Canucks also saw contributions from Max Sasson, Marco Rossi, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Elias Pettersson, and Filip Hronek, while goalie Kevin Lankinen recorded 32 saves.
Edmonton’s standout was defenseman Evan Bouchard, who posted a historic five‑point night (three goals, two assists), becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to achieve a five‑point performance in a season opener. Vasily Podkolzin added two goals for the Oilers, and goalie Tristan Jarry stopped 17 shots.
Boston, Montreal, and Vegas open strong
Boston continued its impressive home‑opening streak, beating the New York Rangers 3‑0. Fraser Minten scored the winner with 3:46 left, and Jeremy Swayman earned a 24‑save shutout, matching the league’s record of 11 consecutive home‑opening victories.
In Toronto, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 3‑2. Josh Anderson and Alexandre Carrier each tallied a goal and an assist for Montreal, while William Nylander scored twice for Toronto. Toronto’s new acquisition, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, made 21 saves.
Vegas defended its Western Conference title with a 5‑2 win over Chicago. Jack Eichel contributed a goal and two assists, and the Golden Knights improved to 7‑0‑1 in their last eight season openers. Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Jordan Greenway each scored, and goalie Spencer Knight made 32 saves.
These opening‑night results set an exciting tone for the NHL’s 2026‑27 campaign, highlighting strong performances from both veteran stars and emerging talents.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
