Now I have enough information to write the comprehensive blog post. Let me create the article with all the details from the games played on October 30/31, 2025.

NHL morning recap October 31 2025: Overtime thrillers and clutch performances highlight Halloween hockey

Halloween brought plenty of tricks and treats across the NHL on October 30, with multiple overtime thrillers, a hat trick performance, and dramatic comebacks keeping fans on the edge of their seats. From coast to coast, the action showcased exactly why hockey remains one of the most unpredictable sports in professional athletics.

The evening featured several marquee matchups that went down to the wire, with four games requiring extra time to determine winners. Road teams found success, streaks were extended and snapped, and individual performances reminded everyone that on any given night, a single player can take over a game.

Rangers complete dramatic comeback in Edmonton to secure overtime victory

The New York Rangers erased a two-goal deficit to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in overtime at Rogers Place, with J.T. Miller playing hero just 2:49 into the extra frame. The victory improved the Rangers’ impressive road record to 5-1-1 this season, demonstrating their ability to win in hostile environments.

Johnny Brodzinski, Braden Schneider, and Taylor Raddysh also found the back of the net for New York, while Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves despite historically struggling against Edmonton. Coming into the contest, Shesterkin had posted just a 1-3 record with an .886 save percentage and 3.00 goals-against average versus the Oilers, numbers that stood in stark contrast to his .918 save percentage and 2.47 GAA against the rest of the league.

The Oilers received a pair of goals from defenseman Darnell Nurse, including a bizarre marker midway through the second period that gave Edmonton a 3-1 lead. The goal initially went unnoticed until a review determined the puck was sitting on top of Shesterkin’s pads as he backed into the net. Matt Savoie also notched his first career NHL goal for the Oilers, though it wasn’t enough to prevent Edmonton from losing their third game in the last four.

Stuart Skinner made 30 stops for Edmonton in the losing effort. The game featured a pre-game ceremony honoring Adam Henrique, who received his silver stick for playing 1,000 regular-season NHL games, becoming the 409th player in NHL history to reach that milestone. The Rangers will look to complete their four-game trip in Seattle, while the Oilers host Chicago on Saturday.

Lightning extend winning streak with Cirelli’s overtime heroics against Stars

Anthony Cirelli’s overtime goal lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning to their fourth consecutive victory, a 2-1 triumph over the Dallas Stars at Amalie Arena. Cirelli skated in alone on Jake Oettinger just 2:36 into overtime, pulled the puck to his backhand, and pushed it past the Dallas goaltender for his sixth goal of the season.

Brandon Hagel scored his first power-play goal in nearly 18 months for Tampa Bay, a milestone that carried extra significance given he set an NHL record last season by scoring 35 goals without a single power-play tally. The goal came at 15:02 of the second period when Hagel attempted to feed a pass across the crease that caromed off Miro Heiskanen’s stick and trickled across the line. Initially waved off on the ice, video review confirmed the puck had crossed the goal line, giving Hagel his first power-play marker since March 9, 2024.

Similar to the intensity seen in recent games, the contest remained tight throughout regulation. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots for Tampa Bay, which had managed just one win in their first seven games before their current surge. Adam Erne tied the game early in the third period, tipping in a shot from Alex Petrovic for his first NHL goal since December 21, 2023.

Dallas had a golden opportunity late in the third when they received 61 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play after Erik Cernak was called for high sticking with Dominic James already in the box. However, the Stars managed just one shot during the two-man advantage. Tyler Seguin played in his 1,000th career game for Dallas, becoming the 406th player in NHL history to reach that milestone. Despite the loss, the Stars still have points in five straight games.

Sherwood’s hat trick powers Canucks past struggling Blues in shootout

Kiefer Sherwood delivered his second career hat trick, scoring in all three periods to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 shootout victory over the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Sherwood, who now has five goals in two games against St. Louis this season, is tied for the league lead with nine goals on the campaign.

“I just take it one game at a time,” Sherwood said after the game. “The games come fast and furious. Just rinse and repeat and we’ve got to try and build something here. We grinded it out, we mucked it out. We’ve been saying all along just pull the rope as a team. Just keep mucking along.”

Canucks coach Adam Foote praised his winger’s work ethic and emotional maturity: “He’s a motor. He loves the game. What I love about him is, early in the season, he was good, and then got off real quick and his emotions were in play, and our four coaches did a good job just talking to him, going, ‘You have some fun here.’ And you see, he’s on fire right now. How he plays with that fire and now when they’re under control, he’s been very effective out there with his speed and his resilience.”

Jake DeBrusk scored the lone goal in the third round of the shootout, while Kevin Lankinen made 36 saves for Vancouver (6-6-0), which had lost four of five entering the contest. The Canucks played without forward Brock Boeser, who left just 33 seconds into the first period after taking a shot from teammate Elias Pettersson to the midsection. However, Foote indicated after the game that he believes Boeser will play Saturday against Minnesota.

Pius Suter had a goal and an assist for St. Louis, while Dylan Holloway and rookie Jimmy Snuggerud also scored for the Blues (3-6-2), whose losing skid extended to six games. Jordan Binnington made 15 saves in the losing effort. The Blues had a potential game-winning goal by Evander Kane with 2:42 remaining overturned after a successful goaltender interference challenge, keeping the game tied and sending it to overtime.

Penguins extend point streak to eight with dominant win over struggling Wild

Bryan Rust scored a go-ahead goal and added an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1 at Xcel Energy Center, handing the hosts their fifth consecutive loss. Rust’s tip-in of Ryan Shea’s long pass from the point broke a 1-1 tie just 6:29 into the third period, sparking a three-goal frame that put the game away.

Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for Pittsburgh, improving to an impressive 13-5-2 since returning from an AHL stint late last season. The 30-year-old netminder’s most significant contribution came on special teams, where he held Minnesota scoreless on four power-play opportunities despite the Wild entering the game leading the Western Conference with 14 goals with the man advantage.

Shea also scored for the Penguins, tying the game with a slap shot off a loose puck outside the left faceoff circle at 2:18 of the second period. Ben Kindel added an insurance goal just a minute after Rust’s go-ahead marker, and Anthony Mantha sealed it with an empty-net goal. Pittsburgh improved to 5-1-1 on the road this season, continuing their excellent play away from home.

The intensity of games across the league has been remarkable, and this contest was no exception. Kirill Kaprizov scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season for Minnesota, tapping in a cross-ice pass from Marcus Johansson with 9:44 left in the first period. It marked the first time in six games the Wild had opened the scoring, though they’t couldn’t capitalize on the early momentum.

Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for Minnesota, which has now lost eight of nine games and faces a crucial stretch with four straight losses to start a six-game homestand. Evgeni Malkin appeared to tie the game for Pittsburgh late in the first period, but the goal was waved off for goaltender interference, a call that stood after an unsuccessful challenge from Penguins coach Dan Muse.

What these results mean for the NHL landscape

October 30’s slate of games demonstrated several emerging trends that could shape the remainder of the season. Road teams continued to thrive, with the Rangers and Penguins both improving their away records to 5-1-1, suggesting that home-ice advantage may not carry the same weight it has in previous seasons. Teams that can win consistently on the road often find themselves in strong playoff positions come April.

The Lightning’s resurgence after a 1-6 start provides hope for other slow starters that early-season struggles don’t define a campaign. Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak has them back in the playoff conversation, and their experience in high-pressure situations—three Stanley Cup Finals appearances in the last six years—means they should never be counted out.

Minnesota’s struggles present a concerning trend for a team with playoff aspirations. Losing eight of nine games, including five straight, suggests deeper issues than simple bad luck. With Kaprizov producing at his usual elite level, the problems likely stem from defensive breakdowns and goaltending inconsistency, areas that must be addressed quickly to salvage the season.

Individual performances like Sherwood’s hat trick highlight how depth scoring can be the difference between contenders and pretenders. Vancouver’s ability to get production from unexpected sources beyond their stars could make them a dangerous team moving forward. The Canucks demonstrated the resilience championship teams need, grinding out a victory despite losing a key player early and trailing multiple times.

Looking ahead, teams will need to build on these performances as the season enters November. The Rangers face a challenging back-to-back in Seattle, while the Penguins travel to face a red-hot Winnipeg Jets squad. For Minnesota, Saturday’s home game against Vancouver represents a critical opportunity to snap their losing streak before it spirals further out of control. The intensity shown across Thursday’s games suggests this season will be as competitive as any in recent memory.