Last Night in Canadian Hockey – Nov. 26: Leafs, Jets, Habs,

It was a night of highs, lows, and lessons for Canada’s six NHL teams. Some teams relied on their veterans to steady the ship. For others, the young stars stepped up to carry the day. From Toronto to Vancouver, Montreal to Ottawa, the message was clear. Sometimes depth, resilience, and timely scoring are the keys to winning hockey this early during the grind of the regular season.

For fans, it was a rollercoaster of outcomes. The Maple Leafs eked out a road overtime victory, while the Winnipeg Jets fell just short despite a spirited comeback. The Canadiens showed veteran poise, the Flames were blown out early by a hot Lightning team, the Senators gritted out a desert shootout win, and the Canucks rode a rookie goaltender to a gutsy road victory. Each game told a slightly different story about where these teams are in November.

Lightning 5, Flames 1: Lightning Strike Early, Never Look Back

The Tampa Bay Lightning set the tone in the first 90 seconds, scoring twice before Calgary had a chance to blink. Brandon Hagel and Charle-Edouard D’Astous struck, followed by goals from Zemgus Girgensons and Declan Carlile, giving the Flames a nearly insurmountable deficit. Joel Farabee’s short-handed goal was too little, too late, as Nikita Kucherov added the finishing touch. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 stops to seal a dominant Lightning win.

Lightning 5, Flames 1: Lightning Strike Early, Never Look Back

Maple Leafs 2, Blue Jackets 1 (OT): Nylander Steals It Late

Toronto survived a tough road test, hanging in despite being outplayed for much of the night. Joseph Woll’s 35-save game kept the Maple Leafs alive until Easton Cowan tied the game late. William Nylander then scored the overtime winner, continuing his dominance in extra periods. Cowan’s timing and skill were the story of the night for Toronto.

Maple Leafs 2, Blue Jackets 1 (OT): Nylander Steals It Late

Capitals 4, Jets 3: Ovechkin Milestone Steals the Show

Alex Ovechkin’s 908th NHL goal gave Washington a narrow victory over the Jets. Winnipeg battled back twice, with Gabriel Vilardi and the Connor-Vilardi-Scheifele line keeping the game close. Connor McMichael capitalized on a turnover to give Washington some breathing room, and Mark Scheifele’s late goal wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. Eric Comrie faced 30 shots in a gritty showing for the Jets.

Capitals 4, Jets 3: Ovechkin Milestone Steals the Show

Canadiens 4, Mammoth 3: Suzuki Leads the Comeback Charge

Montreal overcame a shaky start to claim a tight road win. Nick Suzuki drove the effort with two goals and an assist, while Zack Bolduc added a three-point night. Ivan Demidov put up the game-winner, and goalie Jakub Dobes made 31 saves to bring home the win. The Canadiens showed their ability to push back, some needed patience, and the ability to weather tough times without folding.

Canadiens 4, Mammoth 3: Suzuki Leads the Comeback Charge

Senators 4, Golden Knights 3 (SO): Ottawa Hangs On in the Desert

Ottawa engaged in a challenging game in Las Vegas, but they prevailed. The Golden Knights had no chance after the extra period thanks to Linus Ullmark’s solid play during the shootout. Jake Sanderson scored a goal and added two helpers. The duo of Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux also helped by putting up solid transition games. Ottawa built a lead, then hung in there to weather a Golden Knights comeback. In the end, the Senators took home two points and showed both maturity and poise on the road.

Senators 4, Golden Knights 3 (SO): Ottawa Hangs On in the Desert

Canucks 5, Ducks 4: Rookie Goalie Steals a Wild One

Vancouver leaned on rookie Nikita Tolopilo in goal and received exactly what they needed: composure amid chaos. Linus Karlsson and Evander Kane scored early, while Max Sasson and Drew O’Connor added late goals to seal the win. The Canucks relied on depth scoring, opportunistic plays, and a steady power play to survive Anaheim’s late surge.

Capitals 4, Jets 3: Ovechkin Milestone Steals the Show