Sept. 24: NHL Preseason Roundup

Nikolaj Ehlers made his debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old, who signed a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) as a free agent on July 3, was minus-3 and had four shots in 17:00 of ice time.

Daniil Tarasov made 47 saves for the Panthers (1-2-0). Ben Harpur and Mike Benning, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with Florida on Aug. 14, each had a goal and an assist.

Ryan Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored for the Hurricanes (0-2-0). Frederik Andersen stopped all eight shots he faced before being replaced by Amir Miftakhov, who allowed three goals on seven shots in the third period.

Suzuki gave Carolina a 1-0 lead at 10:07 of the first period, redirecting Mike Reilly's shot from the left point.

Kotkaniemi made it 2-0 at 16:20. Following a turnover by Florida below its own goal line, Kotkaniemi took a short pass from Andrei Svechnikov and scored under the glove of Tarasov from the right hash marks.

Harpur, who is attending camp on a professional tryout agreement, cut it to 2-1 at 3:56 of the third period. He scored through a screen with a shot from the right point.

Noah Gregor, who is also attending camp on a PTO, tied it 2-2 at 16:02. He poked the puck away from Miftakhov behind the net, skated out front, and took a pass from Gracyn Sawchyn before quickly scoring into the open cage.

Benning then gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead at 17:19, and Jack Studnicka shot into an empty net at 19:22 for the 4-2 final.

Blue Jackets 4, Penguins 1: Yegor Chinakhov and Dante Fabbro each had a goal and an assist, and the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Jake Christiansen and Kent Johnson also scored, and Zach Werenski had two assists for the Blue Jackets (2-2-0). Jet Greaves made 24 saves.

Zach Gallant scored for the Penguins (0-1-1). Arturs Silovs stopped 12 of 14 shots before being replaced midway through the second period by Filip Larsson, who made eight saves.

Gallant put the Penguins up 1-0 at 9:45 of the first period with a wrist shot from the right circle.

Chinakhov tied it 1-1 at 17:24. He took a feed from Werenski and scored with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.

Christiansen gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 4:53 of the second period with a power-play goal.

Johnson made it 3-1 during a 5-on-3 power play at 11:12 of the third period. With Boone Jenner providing a screen in front, Johnson beat Larsson with a wrist shot from just above the top of the left circle.

Fabbro scored a short-handed empty-net goal at 16:56 for the 4-1 final.

Kraken 4, Oilers 1: Joey Daccord stopped all 16 shots he faced for the Seattle Kraken against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Ben Meyers and Logan Morrison each had a goal and an assist for the Kraken (2-1-0). Nikke Kokko allowed one goal on nine shots after replacing Daccord at the start of the third period.

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were each held without a point in their first game this preseason for the Oilers (2-1-1). Stuart Skinner gave up three goals on 18 shots in his first game of the preseason.

Jagger Firkus scored on the power play at 19:30 of the first period to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.

Morrison made it 2-0 at 15:02 of the second period, sliding a shot five-hole on Skinner from in front.

Andrew Mangiapane cut it to 2-1 at 9:03 of the third period. He was making his preseason debut with the Oilers after signing a two-year, $7.2 million contract ($3.6 million average annual value) on July 1.

Meyers responded at 12:13 to push the lead to 3-1. He one-timed a backhand pass from Jaden Schwartz, who was behind the net.

Jani Nyman scored into an empty net at 19:23 for the 4-1 final.

Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin did not play after taking a leave of absence to return to his native Russia following the death of his father, Alexander, on Tuesday.

Kings 3, Ducks 0: Darcy Kuemper stopped all 14 shots he faced in his first game this preseason for the Los Angeles Kings, who shut out the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim.

Jeff Malott had a goal and an assist, and Kevin Fiala and Martin Chromiak also scored for the Kings (3-0-0).

Lukas Dostal stopped 17 of 18 shots for the Ducks (1-2-0) before being replaced midway through the second period by Calle Clang, who allowed two goals on 12 shots.

Chromiak gave the Kings a 1-0 lead at 18:26 of the first period, finishing on a rush with a wrist shot from the right circle.

Malott extended it to 2-0 at 7:42 of the third period, redirecting Kyle Burroughs’ point shot from the slot.

Fiala made it 3-0 at 12:23 when he knocked in Alex Laferriere’s backhand pass from behind the net.

Canucks 3, Flames 1: Tom Willander, who was selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had two assists for the Vancouver Canucks in their win against the Calgary Flames at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Thatcher Demko stopped 11 of 12 shots for the Canucks (1-1-0) before being replaced by Nikita Tolopilo at the start of the third period. Tolopilo made seven saves.

Ivan Prosvetov made 28 saves for the Flames (2-2-0).

Nils Hoglander gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 5:02 of the first period, putting in the rebound of Willander’s shot off the right post.

However, Hoglander left in the second period with a lower-body injury.

Victor Mancini made it 2-0 at 7:16 of the first period, burying a centering feed out of the left corner from Linus Karlsson.

Filip Chytil pushed it to 3-0 at 12:56 of the second period, scoring a power-play goal on a wrist shot from the left circle. Willander had the secondary assist on the play.

Connor Zary pulled Calgary to within 3-1 at 14:24, scoring his own power-play goal after Martin Pospisil redirected the puck to him at the right of the net.