NHL Tonight: Sharks-Stars the highlight of Monday's four-game NHL calendar

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  ESPN staffOct 5, 2026, 08:00 AM ET

Despite the addition of two more games to the NHL regular season for each franchise -- from 82 to 84 -- there will continue to be lighter nights on the league schedule.

Monday is one of those nights, with just four games on the slate. However, each offers some intrigue -- whether it's key early-season divisional matchups, roster question marks or a measuring stick for a rising team that hopes to end a seven-year playoff drought.

Here's what to watch in each contest:

Odds are provided by DraftKings and subject to change.

Philadelphia Flyers at Tampa Bay Lightning

7 p.m. ET (NHL Network) | TB -205, O/U: 5.5

It's still very early, but the Flyers have started the 2026-27 season on a three-game losing streak, hoping to break that trend with a visit to Benchmark International Arena. The hosts are coming off of a 3-1 win over the Capitals in their home opener, led by an empty-net goal and two assists from Jake Guentzel.

Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins

7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | OTT -115, O/U: 5.5

After a season-opening win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Senators head to Boston for another Atlantic Division showdown. These two clubs were the Eastern wild cards last spring, and both are hoping to return to the postseason. Ottawa won three of four against Boston last season, with the Bruins winning the other contest in overtime.

Winnipeg Jets at Pittsburgh Penguins

7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | PIT -170, O/U: 6.5

The usual suspects have been powering the offenses for these two teams, with Kyle Connor leading the way for Winnipeg (one goal, one assist) and Evgeni Malkin on top of the Penguins' stat board with two goals and two assists.

But it's in goal where a lot of attention has been paid to these clubs in the past several weeks. Connor Hellebuyck requested a trade from the Jets this offseason that has yet to be consummated, while the Penguins are moving ahead this season with the relatively inexperienced duo of Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov.

San Jose Sharks at Dallas Stars

8 p.m. ET (ESPN+) | DAL -175, O/U: 6.5

As the impressive young Sharks continue their rise to a potential playoff berth, matchups such as this against a Western powerhouse are an important litmus test of their prowess. Dallas is riding a five-year streak of playoff appearances -- including making the Western Conference finals in 2023, '24 and '25 -- while the Sharks last saw postseason action in 2019, themselves losing in the conference finals to the eventual Cup champ Blues.

Reminder: Fans can catch all of the action in the NHL streaming hub and on the ESPN App.

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Last night's scores
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Today in hockey history

Top stories around the NHL

Here's what you need to know:

• Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has been placed on IR, but his injury is not believed to be season-ending.

• Dylan Larkin's trade request is still active (while he's on IR). Red Wings fans booed him at the season opener.

• Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko's father died in a bear attack last week. He'll wear No. 62 to honor him.

• Igor Shesterkin became the first goalie in Rangers franchise history to score a goal.

• Commissioner Gary Bettman says that no-trade clauses are not being used as "originally intended."

Sunday's scoreboard

Winnipeg Jets 3, Detroit Red Wings 2
New York Rangers 4, Utah Mammoth 2
Anaheim Ducks 3, Florida Panthers 2 (OT)
Seattle Kraken 6, Calgary Flames 1
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 2

play

Mikael Granlund scores in OT to win it for the Ducks

NHL scoring leaders

Click here for full list of stats leaders.

NHL goaltending leaders

Click here for the full list of goaltender stats.

Today in hockey history

Twenty-one years ago, one of the most iconic players in NHL history made his debut.

Oct. 5 was opening night of the 2005-06 season, and all 30 teams played on the same night. That included the first NHL game for the No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft, Alex Ovechkin.

Ovi scored twice in the the Washington Capitals' 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he has scored 1,004 more (regular season and playoffs combined) since. Ovechkin has scored 126 career goals in October in 194 career games, which is tied with Wayne Gretzky for most scored in the month.