Oct 13, 2026 2:48 PM

Tim Stützle’s explosive scoring streak anchors a wild Monday slate as Minnesota’s defensive masterclass halts Vegas’s momentum and Buffalo’s top stars finally ignite their fantasy value.

Monday was another smaller slate of NHL action, with just three matchups, but it still featured some marquee clashes. In the West, the Vegas Golden Knights took on fellow Cup contender the Minnesota Wild in a game that produced plenty of excitement. 

In the East, a playoff team met a club trying to get back into the postseason picture as the Buffalo Sabres faced the Florida Panthers. Finally, the Ottawa Senators squared off with the New Jersey Devils in a game where one team played well and the other did not. Here are the biggest fantasy hockey highs and lows from Monday.

Panthers Key Forwards Bounce Back in Loss to Sabres

The Panthers have started the season with several key players going ice cold, including Brady Tkachuk, who finally snapped his point drought with his first assist of the season in his sixth game. He has largely looked like a bust early on. Other Panthers breaking out of slumps Monday were Sam Reinhart, who scored a pair of goals, and Seth Jones, who added two assists.

Buffalo proved hard to slow down, however. The Sabres entered having lost two straight and needed a rebound, and they got it behind several standout performances. Tage Thompson scored his fourth goal of the season and added an assist for two points, while Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs and Owen Power also posted multi-point nights.

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Senators Take Advantage of Struggling Devils

New Jersey is still searching for a solution in net. Twenty-five-year-old Nico Daws, coming off a rough outing in which he allowed six goals to the New York Islanders, was not much of a difference maker in this one either, making 16 saves while allowing three goals.

The difference maker was Ottawa's Tim Stützle, who continued his breakout start with a goal and an assist, bringing his total to 10 points through just six games. Shane Pinto also had a big night, scoring his first goal of the season to give him five points in six games and establishing himself as a surprising bright spot early on.

Wild Stun Golden Knights, Snapping Four-Game Win Streak

Vegas has looked like a Cup contender once again, entering Monday on a four-game win streak, while Minnesota had lost two of its last three. The Wild bounced back in a big way, led by Jesper Wallstedt, who has been solid to start the season and was strong again, stopping 21 shots and allowing just two goals against one of the league's best offenses.

Most of Minnesota's stars had good nights. Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek each found the back of the net, Quinn Hughes finished with two assists, and Kirill Kaprizov added an assist. For Vegas, Jack Eichel went without a point, and Mitch Marner was held to a lone assist.

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