NHL Drops the Puck on 2025-26 Season with Banner Night, Shutouts, and Star Power

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October 8, 2025 – The National Hockey League roared back to life last night, Tuesday, October 7, with a thrilling tripleheader that delivered all the pomp, narrative, and on-ice drama fans have waited for. The 2025-26 season opener was defined by a spectacular banner-raising ceremony, a triumphant return to New York for a coach, and a statement road victory from a Western Conference powerhouse.

Panthers Raise the Banner, Then Win the Game

The night kicked off in Sunrise, Florida, where the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers hosted the Chicago Blackhawks. The festive atmosphere began with the ceremonial raising of the Panthers’ second consecutive Stanley Cup championship banner, capping off a period of remarkable sustained success for the franchise.

Once the puck dropped, the defending champions had to battle for their win against a determined Blackhawks squad. Chicago’s young star, Frank Nazar, scored the first goal of the 2025-26 NHL season, giving the visitors a surprising early lead. The Panthers responded with goals from A.J. Greer and a power-play marker from Carter Verhaeghe. After the Blackhawks tied the game in the second period, it was Jesper Boqvist who scored the game-winning goal in the third period, batting a puck out of the air and past Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight.

The Panthers took the 3-2 victory to successfully begin their quest for a three-peat, but the young Blackhawks showed resilience, suggesting they won’t be an easy out this season.

Penguins Spoil Sullivan’s Broadway Debut with Shutout

In one of the evening’s most anticipated matchups, the Pittsburgh Penguins visited Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers, marking the regular-season debut of new Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan—who previously coached the Penguins to two Stanley Cups.

However, it was the Penguins who stole the spotlight, securing a decisive 3-0 shutout win. Goaltender Arturs Silovs was stellar in net, earning his first career NHL shutout by stopping all 25 shots he faced. The offense was led by Justin Brazeau, who scored twice, including the opening goal and an empty-netter.

The victory was a feel-good moment for the veteran Penguins core, as future Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby (entering his 21st season), Evgeni Malkin (20th season), and Kris Letang (20th season) all started their historic 20th season together, a first for any trio of teammates in North American pro sports history. For the Rangers, the night proved a difficult start, with new coach Sullivan noting, “We got a long way to go to become the team we want to become.”

Avalanche Dominate Kings in Western Showdown

The final game of the tripleheader saw the Colorado Avalanche travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings in a Western Conference battle. The Avalanche controlled the game from the second period onward, cruising to a 4-1 road victory.

Colorado’s offense exploded in the second period, getting goals from Martin Necas and defenseman Sam Malinski to seize a two-goal lead. Necas, acquired in the offseason, picked up a second power-play goal in the third period. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar were prominent throughout, with MacKinnon assisting on Necas’ opening goal to set an Avalanche/Nordiques franchise record for most points (670) in a player’s first 13 seasons. Kevin Fiala scored the Kings’ lone goal on a late power play.

The victory sends a clear message that the Avalanche are a top contender in the West, while the Kings struggled to generate offense in their home opener, which also marked the start of captain Anze Kopitar’s presumed final NHL season.

The NHL season now moves into full swing tonight with four more home openers, including the traditional “Battle of Alberta” as the Calgary Flames host the Edmonton Oilers.