Read the reports from Friday’s NHL games.
Updated yesterday at 11:18 p.m.
Consult the meeting summaries
The Lightning wins with a 4-1 victory against the Hurricanes
Nikita Kucherov picked up where he left off last season with a hat trick and an assist in his first game of the campaign and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Friday night.
Kucherov, who amassed 144 points in 2023-2024, was complicit in Brayden Point’s goal in the second period which tied the game 1-1. Jordan Staal gave the Hurricanes the lead in the first period.
The 31-year-old Russian then made it 2-1 midway through the third period with a powerful one-timer on the power play.
Kucherov completed his hat trick with two empty-net goals.
New Lightning captain Victor Hedman also had a productive evening with three assists.
In his first game in a Florida uniform, Jake Guentzel collected two assists. The 30-year-old American signed a seven-year deal, worth US$63 million, with the Lightning during the summer season.
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 of the 21 shots aimed at him while his opposite number Frederik Andersen made 19 saves.
The Canadian Press
The Jets win 2-1 against the Blackhawks
PHOTO TERRENCE LEE, USA TODAY SPORTS
Winnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter (62) vies for position with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones (4) during the second period at Canada Life Centre.
Mark Scheifele played the hero in overtime and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1.
After winning a faceoff in overtime, Scheifele escaped the coverage of Philipp Kurashev and redirected a Kyle Connor pass past Arvid Soderblom.
None of this would have happened if Scheifele had not forced an overtime period, with only 64 seconds remaining in the third period.
Ryan Donato scored the only goal for the Blackhawks, who lost a second straight game.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 pucks for the Manitoba team. Soderblom finished the game with 34 saves for the visitors.
The Canadian Press
