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Highlighting a Week Full of Wild NHL Overtimes

From tight finishes to clutch goals, each day of last week's NHL schedule brought overtime excitement.
Samuel Len|
Nov 10, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) celebrates his game winning goal against the New Jersey Devils during overtime at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) celebrates his game winning goal against the New Jersey Devils during overtime at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Through the opening month and a half of the NHL so far, more than a quarter of all games have gone past regulation, and last week alone we saw 19 games go to overtime with at least one each day. Not only that, but for the first time in league history, every game on a slate of four or more went to overtime, turning a standard week of hockey into a string of heart-stopping finishes.

Three-on-three hockey creates a unique kind of thrill. The ice opens, mistakes snowball, and one play can tilt the entire sheet with a single rush. With overtime showing up on the schedule almost every night, it felt like the right moment to take a closer look. So this article highlights the best extra-session game from each day, and if the trend continues, it might even turn into a regular series.

Islanders 3, Devils 2 (OT)

New Jersey and New York kicked off the week with a game that felt scripted for late drama. The Devils struck first when Timo Meier snapped a power-play shot through traffic just two minutes into the night. That early lead held until Bo Horvat tied the game midway through the second on a slick passing play that started at the point with Matthew Schaefer’s pinpoint setup.

The Devils responded in the third with a long stretch of relentless pressure, but Ilya Sorokin’s positioning and rebound control kept the Islanders afloat. Then Kyle Palmieri appeared to steal the night. When Schaefer’s point shot produced a juicy rebound, Palmieri sifted through the slot and lifted the puck upstairs for a 2–1 lead.

But the Devils weren’t done. With the goalie pulled and the crowd roaring, Simon Nemec fired a clean one-timer with 4.7 seconds remaining to tie the game.

Overtime brought a different pace. More open ice and more space for New York’s most creative player. Mathew Barzal saved a lazy pass from becoming a turnover near the blue line, pushed the tempo instantly, and after a quick give-and-go with Jonathan Drouin beat Linus Ullmark with a wrist shot 1:17 into OT to give the Islanders their first of three straight overtime wins that week.

Stars 3, Senators 2 (OT)

Ottawa controlled the opening forty minutes with a heavy forecheck and smart puck movement. Brady Tkachuk’s net-front tap-in and a Tim Stützle finish off the rush had the Senators up 2–1 entering the third. But Dallas responded with one of its most complete periods this season.

The Stars fired sixteen shots in the final frame, grinding down Ottawa’s defense until Jason Robertson tied the game on a power play with a low laser from the left circle. The equalizer flipped the momentum entirely, and Dallas carried that surge straight into overtime.

The extra period featured three massive saves from Ullmark, including a sprawling stop on Roope Hintz. But Dallas kept pushing. After a broken two-on-one created chaos in front, Hintz collected a loose puck and snapped the winner home at 3:04.

Devils 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Simon Nemec delivered one of the most impressive individual performances of the week. Chicago jumped out to a 2–0 lead behind goals from Connor Bedard and Landon Slaggert, but Nemec dragged the Devils back on his own. He scored once late in the second, once late in the third, and then completed the road hat trick in overtime after grabbing a stretch pass and beating Spencer Knight on a quick drag-and-release.

Knight kept Chicago in it with thirty-three saves, and Sam Lafferty’s third-period goal forced extra time, but this night belonged to Nemec. Every touch had intention, and every moment he stepped on the ice carried danger. It was the cleanest three-goal performance from any defenseman so far this season.

Islanders 4, Golden Knights 3 (OT)

New York’s second overtime victory of the week unfolded like three different games in one. The Islanders raced ahead 2–0 behind goals from Emil Heineman and Schaefer, only for Vegas to punch back with three straight. Brendan Brisson’s tip, Mark Stone’s finish off a turnover, and Jack Eichel’s slick wrister flipped the score and forced the Islanders into chase mode.

Barzal tied the game with six minutes left on a rush where he simply outwaited everyone in the zone. That set up overtime, which brought the unlikeliest finish of the night. With the Islanders killing a penalty, JG Pageau forced a turnover in his own end, burst through the neutral zone, and ripped a shorthanded winner past Akira Schmid. It was a dagger and Pageau had the perfect quote about it after the game.

Predators 2, Penguins 1 (OT)

The first of four games that all went to overtime that day unfolded at Avicii Arena, where the Global Series crowd was treated to a slow build, a strange goal, and a stunning finish. After a tight, careful first period with minimal chances, Evgeni Malkin finally broke through late in the second with one of the oddest goals of his career. He looped behind the net and floated a soft wrist shot toward the crease that pinballed off Michael McCarron’s stick and then off Juuse Saros before rolling over the line.

Pittsburgh locked down most of the third, but the margin vanished with seventy seconds remaining when Filip Forsberg won a clean draw and snapped a shot through traffic to tie it. The entire feel of the game shifted in an instant. Less than a minute into the extra session, Nashville sprinted the other way after a missed Penguins look, and Steven Stamkos buried the winner to snap a lengthy Predators skid.

Oilers 4, Hurricanes 3 (OT)

Edmonton’s win over Carolina was a sprint from start to finish. Connor McDavid scored twice in the opening twenty minutes, including a jaw-dropping cutback finish that left two defenders frozen. Jordan Staal tied the game late in the third after a cluster of rebounds in front of Stuart Skinner, but overtime lasted only nineteen seconds. Leon Draisaitl took the opening rush down the left side, used the defender as a screen, and fired a low shot inside the far post.

Wild 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT)

Minnesota closed the week with its most complete effort of the month. Kirill Kaprizov opened the scoring, Vegas responded with a pair of quick goals, and the Wild slowly clawed back until Matt Boldy tied it early in the third. Overtime became a special-teams showcase. With a late power play, Kaprizov drifted into space at the right circle, settled a cross-ice feed, and hammered a one-timer home with 9.7 seconds remaining.

The entire stretch felt like a showcase of everything the modern NHL wants to be: fast, unpredictable, and loaded with late-game moments. If the pace keeps up, the season could have more overtime drama than any year before it.

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Sam Len
SAMUEL LEN

Sam Len is a content editor, writer, and digital strategist with a lifelong passion for hockey. Growing up just north of Toronto, the game was never just background noise—it was part of everyday life. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the first team that captured his imagination, and he still remembers watching Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics like it was yesterday. Over time, his love for the sport expanded to include the Tampa Bay Lightning, blending his appreciation for classic grit with modern speed and skill. Between 2024 and 2025, Sam worked as a content editor at Covers, where he helped shape sports and gaming content for top-tier brands including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Bet99. He’s also written for Bolts by the Bay and Pro Football Network, covering everything from Tampa Bay Lightning analysis to trending stories across the NHL, NFL, and NBA.

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