Former Michigan and U.S. National team Developmental Program center Frank Nazar scored the first goal of the 2025-26 NHL season on a breakaway Tuesday evening, beating Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the first period after the Florida Panthers raised their second straight Stanley Cup banner.
Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen assisted on the goal. Nazar added an assist, but the Chicago Blackhawks still took a 3-2 road loss.
Michigan led all colleges with the most players on NHL opening day rosters with 23.
FRANK NAZAR 🎯
He has the first goal of the 2025-26 season! #NHLFaceOff
📺: @espn ➡️ https://t.co/m0LyTCHYnH pic.twitter.com/K8YJGFnZmy
Matchups of Ranked Teams Bolded
Thursday’s Games (All Times ET)
Non-Conference
Clarkson at No. 4 Penn State, 6:30 p.m.
Ferris State at No. 1 Western Michigan, 7 p.m.
New Hampshire at No. 2 Michigan State, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Boston College at No. 12 Minnesota, 9 p.m.
Exhibition
Team USA Under 18 at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Atlantic America
Sacred Heart at RIT, 7:05 p.m.
Hockey East
Lowell at Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Ice Breaker (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Alaska Fairbanks at No. 8 Quinnipiac, 5 p.m.
Notre Dame at No. 15 Arizona State, 10 p.m.
Non-Conference
Bowling Green at Niagara, 6 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30 p.m.
LIU at Canisius, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Michigan at No. 7 Providence, 7 p.m.
Union at Mercyhurst, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at No. 6 Maine, 7 p.m.
Army at Northeastern, 7 p.m.
Miami at RPI, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Boston College at No. 12 Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Clarkson at No. 4 Penn State, 7 p.m.
No. 1 Western Michigan at Ferris State, 7 p.m.
Colgate at No. 3 Boston University, 7 p.m.
No. 14 UMass at Stonehill, 7 p.m.
Lindenwood at Lake Superior State, 7 p.m.
St. Lawrence at Vermont, 7:05 p.m.
New Hampshire at No. 2 Michigan State, 7:30 p.m.
No. 20 Minnesota State at Omaha, 8:07 p.m.
No. 19 St. Thomas at No. 10 North Dakota, 8:07 p.m.
St. Cloud State at Bemidji State, 8:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota Duluth, 8:07 p.m.
Bentley at Colorado College, 9 p.m.
No. 5 Denver at Air Force, 9 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Atlantic America
Sacred Heart at RIT, 5:05 p.m.
Ice Breaker (at Mullett Arena, Tempe, Ariz.)
Alaska Fairbanks vs. Notre Dame or No. 15 Arizona State, TBD
No. 8 Quinnipiac vs. Notre Dame or No. 15 Arizona State, TBD
Non-Conference
Union at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m.
Bowling Green at Niagara, 5 p.m.
Miami at RPI, 6 p.m.
Colgate at No. 3 Boston University, 6 p.m.
Lindenwood at Lake Superior State, 6 p.m.
LIU at Canisius, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Michigan at No. 7 Providence, 7 p.m.
Holy Cross at No. 6 Maine, 7 p.m.
Colorado College at Air Force, 7:05 p.m.
No. 20 Minnesota State at Omaha, 7:07 p.m.
Bemidji State at St. Cloud State, 7:07 p.m.
Augustana at Minnesota Duluth, 7:07 p.m.
Bentley at No. 5 Denver, 9 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
Non-Conference
Stonehill at Army, 4 p.m.
Vermont at St. Lawrence, 4 p.m.
No. 19 St. Thomas at No. 10 North Dakota, 6:07 p.m.
Matchups of Ranked Teams Bolded
Friday’s Games (All Times ET)
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin, noon
St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 1 p.m.
Assumption at Post, 1 p.m.
Providence at No. 13 Northeastern, 1:30 p.m.
Saint Anselm at Maine, 2 p.m.
No. 7 Quinnipiac at Syracuse, 5 p.m.
Merrimack at Lindenwood, 5 p.m.
Franklin Pierce at Sacred Heart, 5 p.m.
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State, 6 p.m.
No. 14 Boston University at No. 8 Colgate, 6 p.m.
No. 5 Penn State at Delaware, 6 p.m.
Vermont at No. 12 St. Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross at Boston College, 6 p.m.
New Hampshire at Union, 6:30 p.m.
No. 10 St. Cloud State at No. 3 Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
RIT at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
LIU at Saint Michael’s, 7:10 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Post at Assumption, 1 p.m.
No. 5 Penn State at Delaware, 2 p.m.
RPI at No. 13 Northeastern, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Minnesota at No. 10 St. Cloud State, 2 p.m.
Merrimack at Lindenwood, 2 p.m.
Boston College at Providence 2 p.m.
Franklin Pierce at Sacred Heart, 2 p.m.
Vermont at No. 12 St. Lawrence, 3 p.m.
No. 7 Quinnipiac at Syracuse, 3 p.m.
St. Thomas at Minnesota State, 3 p.m.
Stonehill at Saint Anselm, 3 p.m.
New Hampshire at Union, 3 p.m.
LIU at Saint Michael’s, 3 p.m.
No. 14 Boston University at No. 8 Colgate, 6 p.m.
Bemidji State at No. 2 Ohio State, 6 p.m.
RIT at Robert Morris, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth at No. 1 Wisconsin, 2 p.m.
• Former Providence College center Kevin Rooney was waived by the Utah Mammoth. If he's not picked up by another team by Wednesday he'll be assigned to the AHL. Former Northeastern defenseman Jérémy Davies was waived by the Vegas Golden Knights.
• Former Colorado College Standout Takes Rookie Lap in Rangers Opening Night Loss
• Daughter of Gophers hockey legends commits to Wisconsin
• Check this out, former Michigan State defenseman Brad Fast is one of the three profiled:
ESPN's Mike Farrell produced and directed this amazing piece for our ESPN Triple Header tonight. A brilliant idea and flawless execution. There is nothing like hockey. Find a quiet spot and watch this. Stay present. Stay grateful. Keep doing hard things. Game 1 is here. 🫶🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/WmsMFJWWkQ
October 8, 1946: The Detroit Red Wings signed Gordie Howe to his first contract. He was 18 at the time and ended up playing 25 years for the Red Wings. He eventually retired as a player at age 52.
October 8, 1959: Michigan defenseman John Blum was born in Detroit.
October 8, 1968: Miami center Todd Harkins was born in Cleveland.
October 8, 1971: Former Denver center Craig Patrick became the first third-generation player in in NHL history, following his grandfather Lynn and father Lester, when he played his first game with the California Golden Seals. All three Patricks have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
October 8, 1974: Miami center Kevyn Adams was born in Washington D.C.
October 8, 1982: The New Jersey Devils notched their first win, 3-2 over the New York Rangers. The franchised had previously been known as the Kansas City Scouts.
October 8, 1987: In his debut game with the Vancouver Canucks, former Northern Arizona left wing Greg Adams scored four goals in an 8-2 dismantling of the St. Louis Blues. It was his first NHL hattrick.
October 8, 1990: Minnesota defenseman Seth Helgeson was born Fairbault, Minn.
October 8, 1991: Former Cornell goaltender Brian Hayward made 36 saves to notch the first win in San Jose Sharks history, 4-3 over the Calgary Flames.
October 8, 1992: The Minnesota North Stars defeated the St. Luouis Blues 6-2, in what would be the final season opener at the Met Center.
October 8, 1993: Former Wisconsin defenseman Sean Hill scored the first goal in Mighty Ducks of Anaheim history, but it came in a 7-2 loss ot the Detroit Red Wings.
October 8, 1993: North Dakota defenseman Jordan Schmatyz was born in Madison, Wisc.
October 8, 1995: Former Wisconsin right wing Scott Mellanby killed a ray in the dressing room and proceeded to score two goals in a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. After his Florida Panthers teammates jokingly called it a “Rat Trick” the good-luck “Rat Craze” was on in the Sunshine State.
October 8, 1997: Former RPI center Adam Oates notched his 1,000th career point while recording his seventh career hattrick as the Washington Capitals defeated the New York Islanders, 6-3.
October 8, 2002: Former North Dakota center Greg Johnson was named the captain of the Nashville Predators.
October 8, 2005: Former Colorado College defenseman Tom Preissing and former Maine right wing Nick Dimitrakos scored 27 seconds apart in the third period to lead the come-from-behind 7-6 victory for the San Jose Sharks against the St. Louis Blues.
October 8, 2005: Former Minnesota right wing Ken Gernander has his No. 12 jersey retired by the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack. He was also inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame.
October 8, 2015: Former North Dakota left wing Zach Parise notched a hat trick as the Minnesota Wild came back from a three-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 for a season-opening win.
“The biggest thing I have learned is you can't take anything for granted. You have to work as hard as you can every night, regardless.”
Hockey returns..👍#NHL #NHLFaceOff pic.twitter.com/5ZgESY4vUP
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Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and is also the publisher of the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt sites . He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the author of 27 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.
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