In this edition of The Hockey News Morning Skate, Eric Cruikshank and Michael Traikos break down Igor Shesterkin's incredible goalie goal for the New York Rangers, Matthew Knies' dominant debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and more.
Welcome to The Hockey News Morning Skate, where we give a quick recap of all the action from the NHL every weekday morning so you stay up to date.
The regular season is in full swing and there were eight games on Thursday with a ton of action across all 16 teams that hit the ice.
Let's run through the biggest storylines that emerged from Thursday's slate of action, and make sure to check out the video version of this story above.
Shesterkin Makes Rangers History With Goalie Goal
The New York Rangers finished 23rd in goal-scoring last season and went out to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights to help solve that problem. If they had just asked Igor Shesterkin to start shooting the puck more, they could've easily saved $77 million.
The 30-year-old became the 18th goalie in NHL history and the first in Rangers history to score a goal, sailing a shot over the Tampa Bay Lightning defenders the full length of the ice and into the empty cage to secure a 5-1 win.
Panthers' Barkov Exits With Awkward Injury
Florida Panthers fans collectively held their breath when captain Alexander Barkov went down in the second period with an apparent leg injury. The Finnish center headed directly down the tunnel and threw his gloves in frustration on his way out.
Head coach Paul Maurice indicated that the team will learn more Friday on the status of Barkov's injury, but he clarified that this had nothing to do with the injury that kept him out of the entirety of the 2025-26 season.
Knies Shines In Blue Jackets Debut
Just a few days after being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Matthew Knies was thrusted into the Columbus Blue Jackets' top line and top power-play unit and made an instant impact.
The 23-year-old potted two goals and added an assist, tying the franchise record for most points in a Blue Jackets debut. Artemi Panarin previously held that record, dishing out three assists at the start of the 2017-18 season. Knies is also the first skater to record multiple goals in a Blue Jackets debut.
Oilers Earn First Win In 16-Goal Thriller
The Edmonton Oilers bounced back with a win over the Vancouver Canucks, but they didn't make it easy for themselves. After the Oilers built an 8-2 lead midway through the second period, the Canucks came storming back and made it as close as 8-6, and ultimately 9-7 when the final buzzer sounded.
Additionally, Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard continued his hot start with a three-point effort, setting an NHL record for most points by a defenseman in the first two games of his team's season.
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