NHL morning recap November 21 2025: Fantilli’s heroics highlight busy night

The NHL served up another thrilling slate of games on November 20, 2025, setting the stage for an action-packed Friday night across the league. Adam Fantilli etched his name into the highlight reels with a spectacular overtime performance, while Alex Ovechkin continued his march toward history with yet another hat trick. As teams jockey for early-season positioning, every point becomes increasingly precious with the playoff picture beginning to take shape.

Last night’s action: November 20, 2025 results

Fantilli’s overtime magic lifts blue jackets past maple leafs

The Columbus Blue Jackets needed extra time to secure two crucial points against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with sophomore sensation Adam Fantilli delivering when it mattered most. The 20-year-old center completed his stellar night by scoring the game-winner just 39 seconds into overtime, capping off a 3-2 victory that improved Columbus to 11-8-2 on the season.

Fantilli’s performance was masterful from start to finish. He opened the scoring in the second period, finishing a beautiful passing play from Dmitri Voronkov and Zach Werenski. His second tally came minutes later, again set up by Voronkov and Werenski, giving the Blue Jackets what appeared to be a comfortable 2-0 lead. But the Maple Leafs roared back behind their captain John Tavares, who scored once and assisted on Dakota Mermis’ goal to even the contest at 2-2 and force the extra session.

In overtime, Fantilli didn’t waste any time. Winning a clean faceoff, he accepted a return feed from Werenski and snapped a wrist shot past Joseph Woll for his second career overtime winner. The goal completed his first career three-goal game and showcased the elite offensive instincts that made him the third overall pick in the 2023 draft.

“Adam’s been building toward a game like this,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said afterward. “His compete level was through the roof tonight, and when your best players perform in clutch moments, that’s how you win hockey games.”

Werenski finished with three assists and a game-high 28:48 of ice time, anchoring a Blue Jackets defense that limited Toronto’s high-powered attack for most of the night. Jet Greaves was solid between the pipes, stopping 27 of 29 shots for a .931 save percentage in the winning effort.

For Toronto, the loss dropped them to 9-9-2, marking their third consecutive defeat. Despite Tavares’ heroic effort, the Maple Leafs struggled to generate consistent offensive zone time and went 0-for-2 on the power play. The defeat highlighted the team’s ongoing search for secondary scoring beyond their top line.

Ovechkin’s hat trick powers capitals past canadiens

Alex Ovechkin continues to defy Father Time, potting three goals in Washington’s 8-4 demolition of the Montreal Canadiens. The legendary sniper reached the 907-goal milestone for his career, inching ever closer to Wayne Gretzky’s hallowed record of 894 regular-season tallies.

The Capitals’ offense was relentless, scoring three times in the first period to chase Montreal starter Cayden Primeau from the net. Ovechkin’s first goal came on the power play, a one-timer from his office in the left circle that beat Primeau cleanly. His second was a vintage Ovechkin rush, splitting the defense before deking to his backhand. The hat trick was completed in the third period with an empty-netter, his 12th career hat trick against the Canadiens.

Washington improved to 10-8-2 with the victory, showing signs of the offensive juggernaut they were built to be this season. The Capitals went 3-for-5 on the power play and outshot Montreal 42-28, controlling play for most of the evening.

Other notable results from Thursday night

The New York Islanders continued their impressive start with a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, improving to 12-7-2. The New Jersey Devils knocked off the Florida Panthers 5-3, extending their lead atop the Metropolitan Division. The St. Louis Blues earned a rare victory, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1 to snap a five-game losing streak.

Friday’s slate: November 21, 2025 schedule

Early action: Blackhawks battle sabres in Buffalo

The Chicago Blackhawks bring their high-octane offense to Buffalo for a 7:00 p.m. ET showdown with the Sabres. Chicago comes in having won four of their last five, led by Connor Bedard’s point-per-game pace. The Sabres, meanwhile, look to build on a solid start that has them firmly in the Atlantic Division playoff picture. With both teams playing an up-tempo style, this matchup promises plenty of scoring chances.

Central clash: wild visit struggling penguins

The Minnesota Wild visit Pittsburgh for another 7:00 p.m. ET contest, facing a Penguins team desperate for points. Minnesota has been one of the league’s most consistent teams, sitting at 13-6-1 behind Kirill Kaprizov’s Hart Trophy-caliber season. Pittsburgh, at 8-10-2, needs a win to avoid falling further behind in the competitive Metropolitan Division. The Penguins’ power play has been clicking at a 28% rate, but their five-on-five play has been concerning.

Jets host hurricanes in key conference matchup

The Winnipeg Jets welcome the Carolina Hurricanes for an 8:00 p.m. ET matchup with serious playoff implications. Both teams enter tied in points, though Winnipeg holds the tiebreaker for second place in the Central Division. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been spectacular, posting a .928 save percentage through 20 starts. Carolina’s Sebastian Aho comes in riding a seven-game point streak, making this a classic strength-on-strength battle.

Late-night showdown: Bruins visit kings

The Boston Bruins close out the night with a 10:30 p.m. ET visit to Los Angeles to face the Kings. Boston’s veteran core has the team at 14-5-1, good for first place in the Atlantic Division. David Pastrnak leads the league with 18 goals, while the Bruins’ defensive system remains one of the NHL’s stingiest. Los Angeles, at 11-7-2, has been solid but unspectacular, riding strong goaltending from Cam Talbot to stay competitive in the Pacific Division race.

Player spotlight: bedard chasing history

Connor Bedard has been worth every bit of the hype, and the 19-year-old phenom enters Friday night’s action with 28 points in 22 games. His 1.27 points-per-game average leads all rookies and has him in the early conversation for the Calder Trophy. More impressively, Bedard’s 14 goals put him on pace for 52 over a full season, which would be the highest total for a rookie since Alex Ovechkin’s 52 in 2005-06.

“Connor’s hockey sense is just different,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said this week. “He sees plays developing two steps ahead of everyone else. The way he’s adapted to NHL speed and physicality has been remarkable.”

What to watch for

The playoff race is already taking shape, with just 10 points separating fourth place from 12th in the Eastern Conference. Every game carries added significance, and Friday’s four-game slate offers teams a chance to separate from the pack before the weekend. Keep an eye on special teams play—eight of the 16 teams currently in playoff position rank in the top 10 in combined power play and penalty kill percentage.

For fans looking to catch all the action, tonight’s games will be broadcast across multiple networks including the Chicago Sports Network, MSG Buffalo, SportsNet Pittsburgh, TSN3, and NESN. Streaming options remain available through ESPN+ and various regional sports network apps.

As the season reaches its quarter pole, the separation between contenders and pretenders becomes more pronounced. Friday night’s results will go a long way toward establishing which teams are serious playoff threats and which are simply playing out the string. The hockey promises to be fast, physical, and entertaining—exactly what makes the NHL must-watch television.