Saturday, September 26, 2026
Preseason Saturday in the NHL
The NHL preseason rolled on with packed action, including a Vancouver comeback and shutouts in both Nashville and Salt Lake City.
Saturday night delivered a busy slate of NHL preseason games, giving fans a first look at several lineups and plenty of standout performances. In Vancouver, the Canucks thrilled the home crowd by rallying past the visiting Seattle Kraken. The night also featured commanding shutouts from Carolina in Nashville and expansion Utah on their home ice.
Rogers Arena saw a back-and-forth battle as the Seattle Kraken jumped to a two-goal lead before the Vancouver Canucks answered. Brock Boeser put Vancouver on the board and later set up Jake DeBrusk for the game-winner in the dying minutes. Elias Pettersson and Zeev Buium added key tallies, while Jake DeBrusk finished with three points. Brandon Montour paced Seattle with a goal and an assist.
In Nashville, the Carolina Hurricanes blanked the Predators 6-0 behind a perfect night from Brandon Bussi, who turned aside all 22 shots for the shutout and earned first-star honors. The Utah Mammoth also pitched a shutout at home, as Karel Vejmelka stopped all 25 Colorado attempts for a 2-0 win at Delta Center.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Kings piled up six goals against the Anaheim Ducks, led by Alex Turcotte's two-goal effort and Mats Zuccarello's three-point night. Chicago edged St. Louis, the Blue Jackets spoiled Detroit's night, and the Devils rolled into UBS Arena for a convincing win over the Islanders. Claude Giroux keyed a Senators victory over the Canadiens in Ottawa, but Montreal reversed fortunes in the second half of a home-and-home. Edmonton controlled Calgary, while Tampa Bay survived a shootout finish in Florida. San Jose grabbed a road win in Vegas with Mason Marchment's multi-point night.
No PWHL games were played on Saturday.
- Brandon Montour opened scoring for Seattle on the power play; Bobby McMann followed up for a 2-0 lead.
- Brock Boeser answered on the power play, and Elias Pettersson tied it in the second period.
- The teams traded goals in the third, with Zeev Buium (VAN) tying on the power play, before Jake DeBrusk netted the game-winner at 18:22.
- Joey Daccord (SEA) made 26 saves; Kevin Lankinen (VAN) stopped 25 shots.
- Three stars: 1. Brock Boeser (VAN); 2. Brandon Montour (SEA); 3. Jake DeBrusk (VAN).
- Carolina scored three in the first, led by Jackson Blake on the power play.
- Logan Stankoven, Mark Jankowski, and Andrei Svechnikov added goals.
- Brandon Bussi stopped all 22 Nashville shots for the shutout.
- Juuse Saros made 20 saves for Nashville.
- Three stars: 1. Brandon Bussi (CAR); 2. Jackson Blake (CAR); 3. Nikolaj Ehlers (CAR).
- Jack McBain and Logan Cooley scored for Utah, including one on the power play.
- Karel Vejmelka stopped all 25 shots for the shutout victory.
- Scott Wedgewood made 33 saves for Colorado.
- Three stars: 1. Karel Vejmelka (UTA); 2. Logan Cooley (UTA); 3. Jack McBain (UTA).
- Sidney Crosby and Ville Koivunen put Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the first.
- Ryan McLeod got Buffalo on the board in the third on the power play.
- Nick Robertson sealed the win late in regulation.
- Arturs Silovs stopped 23 of 24 for Pittsburgh.
- Three stars: 1. Ryan McLeod (BUF); 2. Sidney Crosby (PIT); 3. Ville Koivunen (PIT).
- Kings scored four unanswered in the second and third, led by two from Alex Turcotte.
- Anaheim's Beckett Sennecke and Nikita Nesterenko had first period goals.
- Darcy Kuemper made 17 saves for LA.
- Lukas Dostal stopped 14 for Anaheim.
- Three stars: 1. Alex Turcotte (LAK); 2. Mats Zuccarello (LAK); 3. Drew Doughty (LAK).
- Ian Cole scored shorthanded as Chicago built a 3-0 lead.
- Jonatan Berggren and Colton Parayko replied for St. Louis.
- Spencer Knight made 29 saves for Chicago.
- Joel Hofer stopped 19 for St. Louis.
- Three stars: 1. Ian Cole (CHI); 2. Tyler Bertuzzi (CHI); 3. Spencer Knight (CHI).
- Charlie Coyle and Valeri Nichushkin put the Blue Jackets up early.
- Detroit closed the gap in the third but Cole Sillinger scored late for Columbus.
- Jet Greaves made 31 saves for Columbus.
- Three stars: 1. Charlie Coyle (CBJ); 2. Ben Chiarot (DET); 3. Jack Williams (CBJ).
- Claude Giroux led Ottawa with three points, including a goal and two assists.
- Montreal tied the game in the third before William Eklund's power play winner.
- Linus Ullmark made 20 saves for the Senators.
- Three stars: 1. Claude Giroux (OTT); 2. Carter Yakemchuk (OTT); 3. Alex Belzile (MTL).
- Juraj Slafkovský recorded a goal and two assists in Montreal's win.
- Noah Dobson and Phillip Danault added goals for the Canadiens.
- Samuel Montembeault stopped all 14 shots he faced.
- Three stars: 1. Juraj Slafkovský (MTL); 2. Noah Dobson (MTL); 3. Samuel Montembeault (MTL).
- Luke Evangelista scored twice for New Jersey, with Dougie Hamilton and Arseny Gritsyuk also finding the net.
- Simon Holmstrom netted the only Islanders goal.
- Jake Allen stopped 14 of 15 for New Jersey.
- Three stars: 1. Luke Evangelista (NJD); 2. Evan Rodrigues (NJD); 3. Jonas Siegenthaler (NJD).
- Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, Ryan Shea, and Kasperi Kapanen all scored for the Oilers.
- Matt Coronato had Calgary's goal on the power play.
- Devon Levi made 23 saves for Edmonton.
- Three stars: 1. Kasperi Kapanen (EDM); 2. Devon Levi (EDM); 3. Connor McDavid (EDM).
- Benjamin Rautiainen tied the game for Tampa Bay in the third and scored the shootout winner.
- Lucas Mercuri also scored for the Lightning; Sandis Vilmanis and Matvei Shuravin replied for Florida.
- Dennis Hildeby made 20 saves for the win.
- Three stars: 1. Benjamin Rautiainen (TBL); 2. Dennis Hildeby (TBL); 3. Lucas Mercuri (TBL).
- Mason Marchment had a goal and an assist for San Jose.
- Yaroslav Askarov made 27 saves in the win.
- Tomas Hertl and Nic Dowd scored for Vegas.
- Three stars: 1. Mason Marchment (SJS); 2. Yaroslav Askarov (SJS); 3. Tomas Hertl (VGK).
Sources: NHL scores · PWHL