NHL DAILY RECAP
January 8, 2026
Final Scores
Washington Capitals 1, Dallas Stars 4
Montreal Canadiens 4, Calgary Flames 1
Chicago Blackhawks 7, St. Louis Blues 3
Utah Mammoth 3, Ottawa Senators 1
Los Angeles Kings 3, San Jose Sharks 4 OT
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Washington Capitals vs Dallas Stars
Final Score: Capitals 1, Stars 4
Shots on Goal: Washington 24, Dallas 36
Shots off Target: Washington 12, Dallas 11
Shooting Percentage: Washington 4.17%, Dallas 11.11%
Blocked Shots: Washington 11, Dallas 16
Goalkeeper Saves: Washington 32, Dallas 23
Save Percentage: Washington 91.43%, Dallas 95.83%
Penalties: Washington 4, Dallas 4
PIM: Washington 11, Dallas 11
Dallas controlled the game territorially, generating a clear shot advantage and converting efficiently. Strong goaltending stabilized the Stars whenever Washington pushed back.
Montreal Canadiens vs Calgary Flames
Final Score: Canadiens 4, Flames 1
Shots on Goal: Montreal 35, Calgary 29
Shots off Target: Montreal 14, Calgary 12
Shooting Percentage: Montreal 11.43%, Calgary 3.45%
Blocked Shots: Montreal 13, Calgary 19
Goalkeeper Saves: Montreal 28, Calgary 31
Save Percentage: Montreal 96.55%, Calgary 88.57%
Penalties: Montreal 4, Calgary 2
PIM: Montreal 8, Calgary 4
Montreal dictated pace early and never relinquished control. Defensive structure and elite save percentage shut down Calgary’s limited chances.
Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues
Final Score: Blackhawks 7, Blues 3
Shots on Goal: Chicago 35, St. Louis 30
Shots off Target: Chicago 12, St. Louis 16
Shooting Percentage: Chicago 20%, St. Louis 10%
Blocked Shots: Chicago 7, St. Louis 16
Goalkeeper Saves: Chicago 27, St. Louis 28
Save Percentage: Chicago 90%, St. Louis 80%
Penalties: Chicago 6, St. Louis 4
PIM: Chicago 20, St. Louis 8
Chicago capitalized ruthlessly on scoring opportunities, posting a high shooting percentage and overwhelming St. Louis with offensive execution.
Utah Mammoth vs Ottawa Senators
Final Score: Mammoth 3, Senators 1
Shots on Goal: Utah 21, Ottawa 33
Shots off Target: Utah 13, Ottawa 16
Shooting Percentage: Utah 14.29%, Ottawa 3.03%
Blocked Shots: Utah 13, Ottawa 20
Goalkeeper Saves: Utah 32, Ottawa 18
Save Percentage: Utah 96.97%, Ottawa 85.71%
Penalties: Utah 3, Ottawa 4
PIM: Utah 6, Ottawa 8
Despite being outshot heavily, Utah leaned on elite goaltending and clinical finishing to secure a disciplined road-style win.
Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks
Final Score: Kings 3, Sharks 4 OT
Shots on Goal: Los Angeles 26, San Jose 28
Shots off Target: Los Angeles 11, San Jose 18
Shooting Percentage: Los Angeles 11.54%, San Jose 14.29%
Blocked Shots: Los Angeles 17, San Jose 14
Goalkeeper Saves: Los Angeles 24, San Jose 23
Save Percentage: Los Angeles 85.71%, San Jose 88.46%
Penalties: Los Angeles 4, San Jose 3
PIM: Los Angeles 8, San Jose 6
A tight, balanced matchup decided in overtime, where San Jose converted the decisive chance after sustaining late pressure.
Coach Mark Comment
This game night highlighted how efficiency and goaltending can outweigh raw shot volume. Dallas and Montreal showed structure-driven control, while Utah delivered a textbook example of defensive discipline paired with elite save percentage. Chicago’s performance stood out offensively, converting at a rate that completely flipped the expected outcome. Overtime in Los Angeles versus San Jose underlined how small execution details decide evenly matched games.
Q&A
Why can a team win while being outshot?
Because shooting efficiency and goaltending impact results more than volume alone.
What statistic mattered most across these games?
Save percentage was decisive in multiple matchups, especially Utah and Montreal.
Why do blocked shots appear high in losing teams?
Teams without puck control often block more shots due to extended defensive zone time.
Does overtime usually favor the home team?
Not necessarily. Execution on limited chances is more important than venue in overtime.