Seattle Kraken 6-3 Detroit Red Wings
Neither the Seattle Kraken (3-2-0) nor Detroit Red Wings (1-3-0) have fearsome rosters, but heading into this one, both have played some very competitive games early in 2026/27. In this one though, it was the road team that was heavily favored, and after a 1-1 first that saw Detroit on top in the run of play, the Kraken absolutely dominated, with two goals to Frederik Gaudreau highlighting a 4-1 second period that saw Seattle put this game away.
On a positive note for the Red Wings, rookie Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored his first goal in the National Hockey League, but with Philipp Grubaer stopping 38 of the 41 shots he saw on the night, it was the Kraken that cruised to a 6-3 victory.
Washington Capitals 3-1 New York Rangers
Both the Washington Capitals (3-1-0) and New York Rangers (4-2-0) entered 2026/27 with hopes of reigning supreme in the Metropolitan Division, and if their first matchup of the year is anything to go by, both teams can keep their optimism moving forward. Thanks to goals from Alexis Lafreniere, Timothy Liljegren and Boone Jenner, it was the Capitals that entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, showing just how tight and physical this matchup was.
In the end however, it was the Capitals that reigned supreme, as a third period empty-net goal from Tom Wilson clinched the 3-1 game, a matchup in which Logan Thompson dominated, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he saw. For New York though, the worries are far greater, as Igor Shesterkin left the game with an injury after making 13 early saves, with their fanbase collectively holding their breath coming out of the defeat.
Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 Pittsburgh Penguins
Both of these teams are very hard to read early in the year, as the talent is clearly there for both to be able to beat anyone in the NHL, but for the Columbus Blue Jackets (2-1-0) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2-1), nothing is going to come easy in 2026/27. This game was no different, as goals to Damon Severson, Mathieu Olivier, Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin saw this game go through to overtime, with both earning themselves a point.
From there, things pushed through to a shootout with no team able to finish the game, and in the shootout, it was a Kent Johnson goal to start things that sealed the deal for Columbus, with five straight saves leading the Blue Jackets to the 3-2 victory over a key Metropolitan Division rival.
Anaheim Ducks 5-1 Winnipeg Jets
The Anaheim Ducks (3-1-0) took plenty of criticism from a controversial summer, but with their star center locked in long-term, the team are off to a red-hot start, and on Friday, they battled another fast starting team in the Winnipeg Jets (3-1-1). The Jets have their own issues off the ice, and thus far they've overcome them, but against the Ducks, the team didn't get the same level of goaltending from Clay Stevenson, who allowed four goals on 16 shots.
As for the Ducks, their hot offensive start continued, with Beckett Sennecke's two assists on the night making him one of five players with multiple points, and behind another standout performance from Lukas Dostal, the team came away winners 5-1.