Saturday NHL: Dallas stops skid, Colorado rolls, Buffalo sweeps trip

Dallas finds a stopper

Dallas defeated Columbus 3-1 on Saturday, and the victory halted a two game losing streak for the Stars. Coach Glen Gulutzan identified Oettinger as the primary difference in the game, according to the Dallas team recap, which puts goaltending at the center of the turnaround. Dallas was outshot 25-17 by Columbus, so the win did not come from territorial dominance, and the recap presents Oettinger as the reason Dallas still controlled the result. m:…4611

Esa Lindell returned to the lineup after a five game injury absence, and David Perron made his Stars debut, playing 11:31, according to the Dallas recap. Those returns added depth at a useful moment, even though the scoring came from familiar and new names alike. Mikko Rantanen scored his seventh goal of the season two minutes into the game, Thomas Harley scored his first goal since March 14 of last season, and Arttu Hyry scored an empty net goal in the final second of the game. m:…4611

A Columbus goal in the third period was overturned due to an offside review, according to the Dallas recap, which preserved the Dallas lead at a key moment. The Stars now hold an 8-5-1 record on the season, according to the same recap. The win therefore reads as a steadier result after two losses, with goaltending, a returning defender, and a reviewed call all helping Dallas close out a game it did not dominate in shots. m:…4611

Colorado spreads the scoring

Colorado defeated Calgary 5-2 at Ball Arena on October 31, 2026, according to the Colorado team recap, and the scoring was spread across the lineup. Lehkonen scored two goals in the game, Makar recorded four assists, and Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Brock Nelson scored goals for Colorado. Devon Toews recorded two assists in the game, which adds a second playmaking line to the same result and shows why the 5-2 score was not dependent on one scorer. m:…7209

Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 of 27 shots faced, according to the Colorado recap, and Jared Bednar described Blackwood performance as exceptional. Bednar also praised the team effort and intentions during the game, according to the same recap. Makar believes Lehkonen is playing well and the line is performing effectively, which gives the two goal night a line chemistry explanation rather than treating it as an isolated hot game. m:…7209

Colorado improved its season record to 8-5-1 with the win, according to the Colorado recap. That record, combined with the spread scoring and the goaltending numbers, presents Colorado as a team winning through balance in this game, with contributions from the top line, the supporting scorers, and the goaltender all visible in the same recap. m:…7209

Buffalo sweeps, Ottawa pulls away

Buffalo defeated Los Angeles 3-2 at Crypto.com Arena, according to the Buffalo team recap, and the win completed a three game sweep of the California road trip. Buffalo is currently on a three game winning streak, and holds a 7-4-3 record one month into the season. The recap ties the recent run to special teams, saying Buffalo power play unit is 4 for 6 over the last two games, and Buffalo scored two power play goals during the game against Los Angeles. m:…1772

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves in the game against Los Angeles, and has secured four victories this season, according to the Buffalo recap. Jack Quinn scored his eighth goal of the season against Los Angeles, with Zach Benson providing the assist for Quinn goal. Rasmus Dahlin and Noah Ostlund initiated the play for Quinn goal with a keep in at the point, according to the same recap, which traces the goal back to a defensive zone decision that kept the puck in play. Anton Forsberg served as the goaltender for Los Angeles. m:…1772

Ottawa defeated the Sharks 5-1 in a game at the SAP Center on Saturday, according to the Sharks team recap, and the Senators scored four straight goals to pull away. Tim Stutzle recorded a goal and an assist, Dylan Cozens recorded a goal and an assist, and Shane Pinto recorded a goal and an assist. That spread of one goal and one assist for three different players matches the Buffalo and Colorado pattern from the same Saturday, with several contributors rather than a single player carrying the scoring. m:…8855

Taken together, the Saturday results reward finishing in different ways. Dallas finished a close game with an empty net goal in the final second, Colorado finished with five goals from five different scorers counting Lehkonen twice, Buffalo finished a road trip with a sweep, and Ottawa finished a game by scoring four straight goals. Each recap supports that reading with a final score and a specific detail, from the overturned Columbus goal to the Buffalo power play run, rather than relying on a single highlight alone. m:…4611 m:…7209 m:…1772 m:…8855