Top 4: Mike Babcock (Already) Lashes Out at His Players After an Embarrassing Loss

Marc-Olivier Cook
Top 4: Mike Babcock (Already) Lashes Out at His Players After an Embarrassing Loss
Credit: Capture d'écran / X

Let's go!

The 2026–2027 National League season officially kicked off yesterday.

The Canadiens won their game against the Leafs, but there were also four other games played last night. Let's see what happened:

1: Mike Babcock is (already) lashing out at his players after an embarrassing loss

I almost shed a tear last night while watching the start of the Oilers–Canucks game.

And you'll understand why when you see the photo below…

Okay. Let's focus on the hockey…

Last night, the Oilers looked sharp. In fact, Evan Bouchard looked sharp: the defenseman racked up five points, including three goals, in a game that turned out to be a real offensive feast.

Bouchard was involved in ALL of his team's goals… but the Oilers still managed to find a way to lose in overtime.

The team came back from behind in the third period to score three straight goals, but still: the loss stings. Canucks win 6–5…

The loss stings, and Mike Babcock summed it up well after the game.

The Oilers' new coach laid into his players, saying the team will never win the Stanley Cup if they keep playing that way. Reminder: this was the season opener in Edmonton…

Is this what the Oilers' season is going to look like?

Lots of goals scored, lots of goals allowed… and some completely crazy games that are going to drive Mike Babcock crazy too?

2: JJ Peterka… Wow!

The Boston Bruins hosted the New York Rangers at home last night.

And we had to wait until the very end of the game to see a goal scored: Fraser Minten netted his team's first goal of the season with what looked like a perfect shot.

You can't make this stuff up:

But what really caught everyone's attention in that game was the goal scored by JJ Peterka.

The German, who was acquired by the Bruins this summer, may have already scored one of the goals of the season in the National Hockey League. He sure knows how to make new friends:

The Bruins won 3-0 and are off to a strong start to the season.

For the Rangers, it's their first shutout in 26-27… and we're reminded just how often that happened last season.

3: Showtime

It was a great night for Blackhawks fans yesterday.

Fans got to see Patrick Kane make his return to action with the organization that helped him become the player we know today. And…

Fans were treated to a special moment when No. 88 found the back of the net in the third period:

That said, Hawks fans didn't have much to cheer about as the team was routed 5-2.

The Golden Knights dominated the game from start to finish… and kudos to Jack Eichel, who finished the game with three points (one goal and two assists).

A strong start for the Knights.

4: Things are heating up!

The Panthers and the Hurricanes faced off to kick off the season in a game that started earlier than the others.

And I don't know if the guys were nervous… but things quickly got heated between the two teams. The two Quebecers, Bokondji Imama and Nicolas Deslauriers, put on quite a show to kick off the season:

But the Panthers–Hurricanes game was a lot like the Rangers–Bruins matchup.

There were some good scoring chances… but nothing more. Nothing really clear-cut either, so the game went into overtime to determine a winner while the score was still 0-0.

And in overtime, it was Gustav Forsling who played the hero.

The Panthers won 1-0:


Overtime

– Top scorers from last night:

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– Three games tonight.

(Credit: Screenshot / Google)
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