IHM NHL Daily Recap | February 1, 2026
By IceHockeyMan Newsroom | Date: February 1, 2026
Final Scores
Buffalo Sabres 2, Montreal Canadiens 4 | New York Islanders 3, Nashville Predators 4 | Ottawa Senators 4, New Jersey Devils 1 | St. Louis Blues 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 5 | Vancouver Canucks 2, Toronto Maple Leafs 3 (SO) | Utah Mammoth 2, Dallas Stars 3 | Edmonton Oilers 3, Minnesota Wild 7 | Vegas Golden Knights 2, Seattle Kraken 3
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Buffalo Sabres 2, Montreal Canadiens 4
Montreal made their scoring chances count and built separation despite Buffalo generating a higher volume of attempts. Buffalo’s shot total was there, but the finishing edge and key saves swung the game.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Buffalo 38 | Montreal 31
- Shots off Target: Buffalo 18 | Montreal 11
- Shooting Percentage: Buffalo 5.26% (2/38) | Montreal 12.9% (4/31)
- Blocked Shots: Buffalo 20 | Montreal 7
- Goalkeeper Saves: Buffalo 27 | Montreal 36
- Save Percentage: Buffalo 90% (27/30) | Montreal 94.74% (36/38)
- Penalties: Buffalo 3 | Montreal 4
- PIM: Buffalo 6 | Montreal 8
New York Islanders 3, Nashville Predators 4
Nashville leaned on heavy shot volume and sustained pressure, eventually converting enough to stay in front. The Islanders stayed competitive, but Nashville’s pace and repeated zone time showed up in the final result.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: New York Islanders 30 | Nashville 42
- Shots off Target: New York Islanders 9 | Nashville 14
- Shooting Percentage: New York Islanders 10% (3/30) | Nashville 9.52% (4/42)
- Blocked Shots: New York Islanders 6 | Nashville 10
- Goalkeeper Saves: New York Islanders 38 | Nashville 27
- Save Percentage: New York Islanders 90.48% (38/42) | Nashville 90% (27/30)
- Penalties: New York Islanders 4 | Nashville 5
- PIM: New York Islanders 8 | Nashville 18
Ottawa Senators 4, New Jersey Devils 1
Ottawa paired efficient scoring with strong work in key defensive moments. New Jersey struggled to turn their looks into goals, and Ottawa’s goaltending and finishing gap created a decisive margin.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Ottawa 34 | New Jersey 27
- Shots off Target: Ottawa 10 | New Jersey 9
- Shooting Percentage: Ottawa 11.76% (4/34) | New Jersey 3.7% (1/27)
- Blocked Shots: Ottawa 10 | New Jersey 20
- Goalkeeper Saves: Ottawa 26 | New Jersey 30
- Save Percentage: Ottawa 96.3% (26/27) | New Jersey 90.91% (30/33)
- Penalties: Ottawa 6 | New Jersey 4
- PIM: Ottawa 12 | New Jersey 8
St. Louis Blues 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 5
Columbus won the conversion battle with sharper execution, turning fewer chances into more goals. St. Louis generated a healthy shot count, but Columbus’ finish and timely stops built a two-goal cushion.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: St. Louis 31 | Columbus 23
- Shots off Target: St. Louis 16 | Columbus 18
- Shooting Percentage: St. Louis 9.68% (3/31) | Columbus 21.74% (5/23)
- Blocked Shots: St. Louis 11 | Columbus 10
- Goalkeeper Saves: St. Louis 18 | Columbus 28
- Save Percentage: St. Louis 81.82% (18/22) | Columbus 90.32% (28/31)
- Penalties: St. Louis 2 | Columbus 4
- PIM: St. Louis 4 | Columbus 8
Vancouver Canucks 2, Toronto Maple Leafs 3 (SO)
This one stayed tight through the full contest, and Toronto finished the job in the shootout. Vancouver put up plenty of looks, but both teams leaned on goaltending and structure to get to extra time.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Vancouver 30 | Toronto 41
- Shots off Target: Vancouver 14 | Toronto 25
- Shooting Percentage: Vancouver 6.67% (2/30) | Toronto 4.88% (2/41)
- Blocked Shots: Vancouver 10 | Toronto 23
- Goalkeeper Saves: Vancouver 39 | Toronto 28
- Save Percentage: Vancouver 95.12% (39/41) | Toronto 93.33% (28/30)
- Penalties: Vancouver 1 | Toronto 1
- PIM: Vancouver 2 | Toronto 2
Utah Mammoth 2, Dallas Stars 3
Dallas controlled the shot share and kept the game in their preferred lanes, while Utah had to be selective with their chances. Dallas’ volume and situational execution were enough to secure the win.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Utah 14 | Dallas 31
- Shots off Target: Utah 12 | Dallas 18
- Shooting Percentage: Utah 14.29% (2/14) | Dallas 9.68% (3/31)
- Blocked Shots: Utah 12 | Dallas 8
- Goalkeeper Saves: Utah 28 | Dallas 12
- Save Percentage: Utah 90.32% (28/31) | Dallas 85.71% (12/14)
- Penalties: Utah 5 | Dallas 3
- PIM: Utah 10 | Dallas 6
Edmonton Oilers 3, Minnesota Wild 7
Minnesota produced a high-end finishing night and built a runaway scoreline. Edmonton generated plenty of attempts, but Minnesota’s conversion rate and save support turned it into a lopsided final.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Edmonton 43 | Minnesota 29
- Shots off Target: Edmonton 23 | Minnesota 16
- Shooting Percentage: Edmonton 6.98% (3/43) | Minnesota 24.14% (7/29)
- Blocked Shots: Edmonton 22 | Minnesota 17
- Goalkeeper Saves: Edmonton 22 | Minnesota 40
- Save Percentage: Edmonton 75.86% (22/29) | Minnesota 93.02% (40/43)
- Penalties: Edmonton 3 | Minnesota 2
- PIM: Edmonton 6 | Minnesota 4
Vegas Golden Knights 2, Seattle Kraken 3
Seattle capitalized with better finishing and held their ground when Vegas pushed the shot count. The Kraken stayed efficient, and the underlying numbers point to a game decided by conversion and key saves.
Team Stat Box
- Shots on Goal: Vegas 29 | Seattle 23
- Shots off Target: Vegas 15 | Seattle 12
- Shooting Percentage: Vegas 6.9% (2/29) | Seattle 13.04% (3/23)
- Blocked Shots: Vegas 14 | Seattle 11
- Goalkeeper Saves: Vegas 20 | Seattle 27
- Save Percentage: Vegas 86.96% (20/23) | Seattle 93.1% (27/29)
- Penalties: Vegas 2 | Seattle 2
- PIM: Vegas 4 | Seattle 4
Coach Mark Comment
Tonight is a clean example of how scorelines can be driven by conversion rather than volume. Several teams carried the shot share but lost the finishing battle, and that is usually tied to where the attempts come from, who owns the inside lanes, and how quickly the puck moves east to west before the release. When a team is forced to shoot through layers, you see blocked shots climb and shooting percentage fall, even if the shot totals look strong.
In the tight games, the details were situational. Discipline and puck management mattered more than pace. One penalty at the wrong time, one failed clear, one soft recovery on a second chance, and the game tilts. For the teams that won, the pattern was simple: protect the middle, keep stick detail on the backcheck, and finish the defensive shift with a hard clear, not a hopeful chip.
From a coaching lens, I also like how the stat boxes tell the story in seconds. Shot volume is useful, but the real signal is the combination of shooting percentage, saves, and blocks. When you see high blocks and strong save percentage together, you are often looking at a team that defended in layers and survived the push. When you see high shooting percentage on modest shots, that is usually a team that created cleaner looks and attacked off broken structure.
Q&A
Why can a team outshoot an opponent and still lose?
Shot volume does not guarantee quality. If most attempts come from the perimeter or through traffic, shooting percentage usually drops, and the opponent’s goalie sees the puck earlier and cleaner.
What does shooting percentage tell us in a single game?
It is a snapshot of finishing and chance quality. A high number can reflect elite execution, high-danger looks, or a hot night. A low number can indicate poor lanes, low-quality attempts, or strong goaltending.
Why do blocked shots matter in a recap?
Blocks often reflect defensive structure and commitment. A high block total can mean the defending team protected the slot and forced attempts into bodies instead of into clean shooting lanes.
How should fans interpret save percentage in the stat box?
It shows how well the goalie performed against shots on goal, but it does not tell the full story of shot quality. Still, it is one of the fastest indicators of whether goaltending swung the game.
What is the simplest coaching takeaway from a night like this?
Create cleaner looks, not just more looks. Win the inside lane, move the puck laterally before the shot, and defend the slot with layers. That combination drives results over time.