Game Day: January 7, 2026
Final Scores
Buffalo Sabres 5, Vancouver Canucks 3
Carolina Hurricanes 6, Dallas Stars 3
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Anaheim Ducks 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Colorado Avalanche 2
New York Islanders 9, New Jersey Devils 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Florida Panthers 1
Winnipeg Jets 3, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 6, Nashville Predators 2
San Jose Sharks 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Seattle Kraken 7, Boston Bruins 4
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Buffalo Sabres 5, Vancouver Canucks 3
Buffalo capitalized on efficiency, converting a limited number of chances while surviving sustained pressure for long stretches.
Shots on Goal: 20 - 35
Shots off target: 13 - 24
Shooting %: 25% - 8.57%
Blocked shots: 8 - 14
Goalkeeper Saves: 32 - 15
Saves %: 91.43% - 78.95%
Penalties: 3 - 1
PIM: 8 - 2
Carolina Hurricanes 6, Dallas Stars 3
Carolina controlled pace and shot volume, steadily pulling away through structured zone pressure and strong finishing.
Shots on Goal: 32 - 22
Shots off target: 21 - 16
Shooting %: 18.75% - 13.64%
Blocked shots: 11 - 12
Goalkeeper Saves: 19 - 26
Saves %: 86.36% - 81.25%
Penalties: 3 - 5
PIM: 6 - 10
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Anaheim Ducks 2
Philadelphia dictated play with heavy volume and physical engagement, forcing Anaheim into extended defensive shifts.
Shots on Goal: 39 - 18
Shots off target: 13 - 16
Shooting %: 12.82% - 11.11%
Blocked shots: 15 - 23
Goalkeeper Saves: 16 - 34
Saves %: 88.89% - 89.47%
Penalties: 6 - 11
PIM: 26 - 39
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Colorado Avalanche 2
Tampa Bay stayed composed defensively and converted timely chances despite being outshot overall.
Shots on Goal: 28 - 33
Shots off target: 20 - 13
Shooting %: 14.29% - 6.06%
Blocked shots: 19 - 16
Goalkeeper Saves: 31 - 24
Saves %: 93.94% - 88.89%
Penalties: 5 - 3
PIM: 18 - 6
New York Islanders 9, New Jersey Devils 0
The Islanders delivered a dominant performance, overwhelming New Jersey in every measurable aspect.
Shots on Goal: 24 - 46
Shots off target: 5 - 18
Shooting %: 37.5% - 0%
Blocked shots: 5 - 17
Goalkeeper Saves: 46 - 15
Saves %: 100% - 62.5%
Penalties: 3 - 0
PIM: 6 - 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Florida Panthers 1
Toronto combined disciplined defending with superior finishing to close the game without allowing momentum swings.
Shots on Goal: 23 - 32
Shots off target: 14 - 24
Shooting %: 17.39% - 3.13%
Blocked shots: 10 - 18
Goalkeeper Saves: 31 - 19
Saves %: 96.88% - 86.36%
Penalties: 4 - 3
PIM: 11 - 9
Winnipeg Jets 3, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (OT)
A tightly contested matchup decided in overtime, with Vegas generating slightly more sustained pressure.
Shots on Goal: 20 - 31
Shots off target: 6 - 15
Shooting %: 15% - 12.9%
Blocked shots: 10 - 19
Goalkeeper Saves: 27 - 17
Saves %: 87.1% - 85%
Penalties: 5 - 3
PIM: 13 - 9
Edmonton Oilers 6, Nashville Predators 2
Edmonton controlled shot volume and goaltending metrics, steadily building separation as the game progressed.
Shots on Goal: 43 - 26
Shots off target: 15 - 15
Shooting %: 13.95% - 7.69%
Blocked shots: 13 - 16
Goalkeeper Saves: 24 - 37
Saves %: 92.31% - 86.05%
Penalties: 2 - 2
PIM: 4 - 4
San Jose Sharks 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
San Jose matched Columbus in volume but converted with significantly higher efficiency.
Shots on Goal: 36 - 36
Shots off target: 9 - 12
Shooting %: 13.89% - 5.56%
Blocked shots: 16 - 14
Goalkeeper Saves: 34 - 31
Saves %: 94.44% - 91.18%
Penalties: 4 - 6
PIM: 11 - 15
Seattle Kraken 7, Boston Bruins 4
Seattle’s finishing proved decisive, converting at a high rate despite Boston’s shot advantage.
Shots on Goal: 27 - 36
Shots off target: 13 - 24
Shooting %: 25.93% - 11.11%
Blocked shots: 13 - 17
Goalkeeper Saves: 32 - 20
Saves %: 88.89% - 76.92%
Penalties: 3 - 4
PIM: 6 - 8
Coach Mark Comment
This game day showed a clear pattern across multiple matchups. Teams that combined disciplined defensive structure with efficient shooting punished opponents who relied solely on volume. Several games highlight that controlling shot quality and rebound management remains more decisive than raw shot totals, especially late in games and in overtime situations.
Q&A
Q: What was the biggest factor across tonight’s NHL games?
A: Shooting efficiency and goaltending performance.
Q: Why did several teams win despite being outshot?
A: Superior shot selection, defensive coverage, and rebound control.
Q: What stood out in the blowout results?
A: High conversion rates combined with near-perfect goaltending.