By CanucksBanter
October 9, 2025
FLAMES, KINGS CAP NIGHT WITH MULTI-GOAL COMEBACK WIN
The second day of the 2025-26 regular season concluded with the Flames completing a three-goal comeback win in the ‘Battle of Alberta’ during a contest that featured Matvei Gridin score in his NHL debut and Leon Draisaitl reach the 400-goal milestone. In another Pacific Division matchup, it was the Kings who outlasted the Golden Knights in a contest that saw both clubs overcome a multi-goal deficit.
* Gridin, who was selected by the Flames 28th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and spent last season skating with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL, became the fourth teenager in franchise history to score in his NHL debut, joining Zayne Parekh (April 17, 2025), Jarome Iginla (Oct. 5, 1996) and Brian Glynn (Oct. 8, 1987). He helped Calgary record its second three-goal comeback win in the ‘Battle of Alberta’ during the regular season (also March 26, 2011), the most by either team.
* Draisaitl became the fourth player in Oilers history and third fastest to score 400 goals (791 GP), trailing Wayne Gretzky (436 GP) and Jari Kurri (608 GP). He also became the ninth-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the milestone on a list topped by Kurri (608 GP), Alex Ovechkin (634 GP), Pavel Bure (635 GP), Teemu Selanne (700 GP), Jaromir Jagr (742 GP), Ilya Kovalchuk (771 GP), Peter Bondra (782 GP) and Alexander Mogilny (783 GP).
RALLY SPARKS KINGS TO SHOOTOUT WIN OVER GOLDEN KNIGHTS
* Quinton Byfield and Andrei Kuzmenko each had a goal and an assist to help the Los Angeles Kings rally for a 6-5 shootout victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday. Trevor Moore and Adrian Kempe scored in the shootout for Los Angeles.
* Trevor Moore and Brandt Clarke scored in the final 8:21 to force extra time, where the Kings eventually triumphed in a shootout. Los Angeles earned its first third-period, multi-goal comeback win since Dec. 5, 2023 (4-3 OT W at CBJ) and extended its winning streak in road openers to four – only two other teams have an active run of that length: Carolina (7 GP from 2018-19 – 2024-25) and Philadelphia (4 GP from 2021-22 – 2024-25).
* Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev (3-0—3), scored the NHL’s first hat trick of 2025-26 last night. Dorofeyev became the fourth Golden Knights player to score three goals in a period and the first to do so since Jack Eichel on Nov. 10, 2022. He also tied William Karlsson and Eichel (each w/ 3) for the second-most hat tricks in Golden Knights history behind Jonathan Marchessault (5).
* The Kings scored twice in a 2:41 span in the third period to rally from a two-goal deficit. Moore cut the Vegas lead to 5-4 at 11:39 with a short-handed goal, beating Adin Hill on a breakaway. Brandt Clarke tied the game 5-5 at 14:00 when he guided in a pass from Byfield as he crashed the net. Jeff Malott also scored, and Anton Forsberg made 30 saves for the Kings (1-1-0).
MAPLE LEAFS WIN 10TH STRAIGHT HOME OPENER
William Nylander (1-2—3) and Auston Matthews (1-0—1) accounted for two of three goals in the final frame and helped the Maple Leafs win their 10th straight home opener as well as their 11th straight home game against the Canadiens dating to April 7, 2021. Toronto has posted only two other runs of that length versus one opponent (12 GP vs. VAN from Feb. 8, 2014 – May 1, 2021 & 11 GP vs. MMR from Dec. 6, 1931 – Nov. 17, 1934).
* Matthews scored his 13th career goal in a season-opening game and tied Alex Ovechkin for the most among active players. He trails only Michel Goulet and Dino Ciccarelli for the most in NHL history (both w/ 14).
* Nylander (7-8—15 in 9 GP) surpassed Darryl Sittler (8-4—12 in 12 GP) for the third-most career points by a Maple Leafs player in season-opening games. The only players with more are Mats Sundin (7-10—17 in 13 GP) and Matthews (13-3—16 in 9 GP).