Calgary’s third-period collapse dominates early-season chatter as the Flames drop to 1-3-0 after allowing two quick Vegas goals early in the third, erasing a pair of early leads. The team’s defensive gaps and a struggling finish raise questions about the rotation and goaltending, with Calgary’s stars pushing for answers as they prepare to face a back-to-back slate to start the year.

The Golden Knights capitalized on Calgary’s missteps, while Jack Eichel supplied scoring punch and the Vegas crease benefitted from relief netminder Akira Schmid. Calgary’s top line showed flashes, but the finish and transition game need tightening, or more games like this will pile up early in the season.

With injuries and roster shuffles shaping the early narrative, the Flames must regain footing quickly to avoid repeating last season’s late-period struggles. Vegas’ pace and finish stand out as the blueprint teams will study as Calgary searches for consistency and a solid defensive game in front of its evolving goaltending plan.

Flyers beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 in a strong home opener under Rick Tocchet, grabbing an early foothold in a brick-by-brick rebuild. Sean Couturier erupted for two goals and two assists, including the go-ahead tally with 4:10 left after a behind-the-net setup from Trevor Zegras. Tyson Foerster opened the scoring, and Christian Dvorak iced it with an empty-netter. Dan Vladař was steadier in goal as Philadelphia leaned into depth and a mehr-than-adequate special-teams night.

Emil Andrae debuted after being recalled from Lehigh Valley, Owen Tippett delivered physical presence with several hits, and Matvei Michkov logged time while a few youngsters showed promise. The Flyers’ power play crept toward productivity, and the team held off a Panthers surge to notch their first win of Tocchet’s tenure. Next up: a four-game homestand culminating with Winnipeg.