NHL review: Last three unbeaten teams go down

The opening weeks of the new NHL season threw up some interesting results, and that pattern continued last week.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights suffered their first defeat in an OT loss to Chicago on Friday, but they top the standings ahead of the only team without a regulation loss, the Boston Bruins.

Last three unbeaten teams go down

Vegas, Boston and Colorado went into the week protecting unbeaten streaks, but all three would go before the weekend.

The Bruins, who are +1000 to win the Stanley Cup this season, held a 3-1 lead with two minutes remaining in Tuesday's home tilt against Anaheim, but with their goalie pulled the Ducks levelled the scores through Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry before Mason McTavish earned the extra point for Anaheim in OT.

Colorado outshot Pittsburgh 31-29 the same night, but couldn't find a way past Tristan Jarry as the Penguins earned a 4-0 victory. Reilly Smith netted the first two goals in the opening 20 period.

Vegas took their start to 7-0 and scored twice in the opening four minutes in Friday's home game against Chicago, but found themselves trailing 3-2 early in the third.

Shea Theodore evened matters midway through the period but the Golden Knights' golden start was halted by Philipp Kurashev in overtime in a game that saw number one draft pick Connor Bedard score his third NHL goal.

Oilers all at sea

Edmonton had begun the season as one of the favorites to lift the Stanley Cup but have suffered a horrendous opening to the campaign.

The Oilers lost both their games last week, a 7-4 humbling by Minnesota on Tuesday and a 3-0 defeat to the Rangers on Thursday, to fall to 1-5-1 for the season.

Edmonton's cause was not helped by the fact superstar forward Connor McDavid missed both games with an upper body injury, though the five-time Art Ross trophy winner is expected to return for Sunday's Heritage Classic.

Sharks still hunting first win

While Edmonton's woeful start has been a surprise, their Pacific Division mates San Jose had been expected to struggle early on with a radically changed line-up, and so it has proved.

The Sharks lost their three games week while scoring just a single goal, in a 3-1 defeat to Florida on Tuesday. They were subsequently shutout 6-0 by Tampa and 3-0 by Carloina and have now lost six straight games in regulation.

Things looking up for Lightning

Tampa Bay had a difficult start to the season, which was exacerbated by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy going down injured, but they have earned at least a point in five games straight, while Jonas Johansson has earned back-to-back shutouts.

After beating Carolina 3-0 on Tuesday they thumped the Sharks 6-0 on Thursday with the goals coming from six different scorers.

Those results moved the 4-2-2 Lightning up to fifth in the Atlantic Division, but only a point behind Toronto, Montreal and Detroit.

Rangers riding high

New York Rangers are the team on the hottest streak in the NHL after going unbeaten through the first four legs of their northwestern tour.

After kicking off with a 4-1 win in Seattle last week, the Rangers continued by beating Calgary 3-1 and Edmonton 3-0 before grinding out an overtime win in Vancouver on Saturday night.

With a 6-2-0 record, the Rangers top the Metropolitan Division by two points from Carolina.

The Hurricanes ended a three-game losing streak by passing both of their tests this week, albeit those were against strugglers Seattle and San Jose. The 3-0 win against the Sharks saw Teuvo Terravainen earn his third career NHL hat-trick.

Hischier injury a blow for Devils

New Jersey's exciting young team have made a mixed start to the season and they were dealt a blow on Friday when captain Nico Hischier was injured during their 5-4 win over Buffalo.

Hischier took a hit to the head from Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton, who was handed a two-game suspension.

Swiss forward Hischier will miss Sunday's home game against Minnesota and it is unclear whether he will be fit to join the Devils' four-game road trip starting in Minnesota on Thursday.

Buffalo lost goalie Eric Comrie in the game after he was injured making a save in the second period, and is expected to miss a few weeks.

Meanwhile Boston's fourth line has a new look to it, following injuries to Milan Lucic and Jakub Lauko.

Lauko will miss at least a week but was lucky to escape with a facial fracture after taking a skate blade near the eye during the Bruins' 3-0 win over Chicago on Tuesday.

Fan favorite Lucic has been placed on long-term injured reserve having not played since taking a puck to the leg against Los Angeles last week.