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Tag: NHL hockey

  • Goaltender Hart leaves Flyers game early with “mid-body” injury

    Goaltender Hart leaves Flyers game early with “mid-body” injury

    Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart left Wednesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres midway through the first period with what the club called a “mid-body injury.”

    ByThe Associated Press

    November 1, 2023, 7:50 PM

    Buffalo Sabres’ Brandon Biro, bottom, collides with Philadelphia Flyers’ Carter Hart, left, and Cam Atkinson after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

    The Associated Press

    PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart left Wednesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres midway through the first period with what the club called a “mid-body injury.”

    Hart — who was 4-3 with a 2.30 goals against average in seven previous starts as Philadelphia’s primary goaltender — appeared to be in discomfort after a scramble in front of the net seven minutes into a tie game with Sabres forward Kyle Okposo. More than two minutes later, after Brandon Biro scored Buffalo’s second goal on a sliding puck in the crease, a member of the Flyers’ training staff came out and escorted Hart off the ice under his own power.

    Sam Ersson replaced Hart in net for the Flyers.

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  • Talbot leads Kings to a win; Nylander sets Toronto record with season-opening 9-game point streak

    Talbot leads Kings to a win; Nylander sets Toronto record with season-opening 9-game point streak

    TORONTO — Cam Talbot made 30 saves as the Los Angeles Kings beat Toronto 4-1 on Tuesday night in a game in which Maple Leafs winger William Nylander extended his season-opening point streak to a franchise record nine games.

    Talbot improved to 4-2-1 in his first season with the Kings after signing a one-year $2 million contract as a free agent after an injury-plagued season with the Ottawa Senators limited the 36-yeaer-old to 36 games last season.

    “I never take a day for granted here,” Talbot said. “At this point in my career, all I wanted to do was get an opportunity to show that I can still play and still battle for starts.

    “When I’m healthy, I feel like I’m gonna be at the top of my game like that.”

    Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault, Arthur Kaliyev and Andreas Englund scored for the Kings. Quinton Byfield added two assists.

    Joining the Kings, Talbot was reunited with head coach Todd McLellan, who was behind the bench for all four of his seasons with the Edmonton Oilers from 2015-16 through 2018-19.

    “Very competitive,” McLellan said of his netminder. “He’s a little longer in the tooth like some of us, but he takes care of himself so well that he can play — and play a lot. He’s hungry.”

    John Tavares scored for Toronto, which was coming off a 3-1-1 road trip that finished with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Joseph Woll stopped 23 shots.

    With an assist on Tavares’ goal, Nylander passed former Maple Leafs Frank Mahovlich (1961-62), Lanny McDonald (1976-77) and John Anderson (1982-83) who had eight-game point streaks.

    “Every team goes through times during the year where you have a difficult schedule,” Tavares said. “With the type of team that we have, we have to recognize and understand how you have to fight through that.”

    The Kings, who entered averaging an NHL-leading 4.38 goals, opened the scoring at 6:38 of the first period when Englund’s shot went in off the stick of Toronto defenseman Mark Giordano. It was the journeyman’s first goal in his 89th career game.

    Los Angeles doubled its lead at 11:40 when former Maple Leafs winger Trevor Moore spun away from Timothy Liljegren down low and found Danault near the net for his second goal of the season.

    Woll robbed Kaliyev five minutes into the second, but the Kings forward scored on a power play at 9:46 when he settled a bouncing puck and scored his second.

    Kevin Fiala fed Kaliyev to become the third Kings player in the last 25 years to register an assist streak of at least eight games.

    The Maple Leafs scored on a power play when Tavares ended Talbot’s shutout bid with his fifth at 8:25 of the third.

    Later in the third, Toronto defenseman John Klingberg turned the puck over on a sequence and Kempe scored his third at 12:13.

    Next up for Talbot and the Kings is a Thursday game at Ottawa.

    “Being injured three separate times, and out of training camp … it was tough to jell with the new team,” Talbot said of the Senators. “But that’s a great group over there. You meet a lot of guys throughout your career that you’re going to be friends with, and that group is no different.

    “Look back on it fondly, but obviously I’m here now and looking forward to playing them.”

    UP NEXT

    Kings: At Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

    Maple Leafs: At Boston Bruins on Thursday.

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  • Kane has goal and 2 assists as Oilers beat Flames 5-2 in Heritage Classic outdoor game

    Kane has goal and 2 assists as Oilers beat Flames 5-2 in Heritage Classic outdoor game

    EDMONTON, Alberta — Evander Kane had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers beat the rival Calgary Flames 5-2 in the Heritage Classic outdoor game on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.

    Brett Kulak, Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard and Vincent Desharnais also scored for the Oilers, who snapped a four-game skid (0-3-1). Leon Draisaitl had two assists and Stuart Skinner stopped 24 shots.

    “I thought we got back to our foundation of how we like to play and how we need to play,” Kane said. “I thought we skated really well. We were physical and if you look at the goals we scored, every single one of them was around their blue paint or creating havoc around their blue paint. That is a recipe for success for our group.”

    Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft said he is not surprised his team stepped up for this game.

    “We have a lot of proud people in our organization … and no one’s been happy with the way we started the season. I just think we’ve got to playing a certain way,” he said. “It was a big night for our city and for our organization.”

    A.J. Greer and Nazem Kadri had goals for the Flames in their fifth straight loss. Jacob Markstrom had 29 saves.

    “We gotta keep believing,” Flames forward Mikael Backlund said. “We have a really good team here. I believe in the guys. We have to stick with it. Play with the effort we had tonight and clean some things up, we’re going to win games eventually.”

    It was much warmer (about 37 degrees at puck drop) than at the original Heritage Classic 20 years ago which reached minus-22 with the wind chill in 2003.

    The Oilers started as Markstrom allowed a big rebound on an opportunity by Kane and defender Kulak was down deep to sweep in a backhand shot 4:19 into the game.

    Edmonton made it 2-0 midway through the first period right after killing a two-man disadvantage as Leon Draisaitl came out of the box and waited for Hyman to catch up on a 2-on-1 before passing it to him for his third goal of the season at 9:38.

    Calgary got one back with 5:05 remaining in the period and just 1 second remaining on yet another two-man advantage as Kadri’s high shot deflected off Skinner’s blocker and into the net. It was Kadri’s first goal of the season.

    Edmonton regained its two-goal cushion 1:11 later as Bouchard scored on a long slap shot through traffic. Oilers captain Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his home scoring streak to 24 games.

    Calgary got another power-play goal with 8 1/2 minutes left in the second period as Greer knocked in the rebound of Mackenzie Weegar’s point-blank shot to make it 3-2.

    Edmonton got a big goal at 6:16 of the third as Desharnais’ point shot took a high bounce off of the ice and past Markstrom.

    The Oilers put the game away for good in the final minute on an empty-netter by Kane, his second of the season.

    “This was a big game for either side, with the teams not off to a great start,” Draisaitl said. “It could be a little bit of a kick-starter. It is only one game, but it is definitely nice to do it in front of all these fans at home here and get the two points.”

    Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson missed the game as he finished serving his four-game suspension.

    UP NEXT

    Flames: Host Dallas on Wednesday night.

    Oilers: Host Dallas on Thursday night.

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  • Sabres’ Connor Clifton suspended by NHL for two games for head shot to Devils’ Nico Hischier

    Sabres’ Connor Clifton suspended by NHL for two games for head shot to Devils’ Nico Hischier

    The NHL has suspended Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton for two games without pay for what it determined was an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier on Friday night

    ByThe Associated Press

    October 28, 2023, 3:30 PM

    Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton (75) and New Jersey Devils left wing Ondrej Palat (18) fight during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

    The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — The NHL suspended Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton for two games without pay for what it determined was an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier on Friday night.

    Clifton will lose nearly $35,000 in pay, and that money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund, the league’s Department of Player Safety announced Saturday.

    In a video explaining the reasoning behind the suspension, the NHL said Clifton made Hischier’s head the primary target and that the hit was avoidable. It was the first such offense in Clifton’s 240-game NHL career, the league said.

    Clifton was ejected for the hit to the Devils captain, which happened at the 16-minute mark of the first period of Sabres’ 5-4 loss. Hischier played in the second period but did not return for the third.

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  • Blackhawks hand Vegas first loss of season with 4-3 win in overtime

    Blackhawks hand Vegas first loss of season with 4-3 win in overtime

    LAS VEGAS — Phillipp Kurashev scored on a power play 2:50 into overtime, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat Vegas 4-3 on Friday to hand the Golden Knights their first loss of the season.

    With William Karlsson in the penalty box for tripping Connor Bedard, Kurashev skated to the top of the slot and ripped the winner past Vegas goalie Adin Hill. It was Kurashev’s first goal of the season.

    The Blackhawks improved to 2 for 22 on road power plays this season. It was the first time Vegas allowed a power-play goal at home this season.

    “It was just a long shift too, we stayed out there for a while,” Kurashev said. “I just saw the opportunity to shoot it, took it and it went in.”

    Bedard, Ryan Donato and Taylor Raddysh also scored for Chicago, which had dropped three in a row and five of six overall. Petr Mrazek stopped 18 shots.

    Vegas opened the season with seven consecutive victories for the best start for a defending Stanley Cup champion in NHL history. The Golden Knights beat the Blackhawks 5-3 in Chicago last week.

    “We’re a young team and we beat the defending champs so it’s a great confidence boost for us,” Kurashev said. “I think we can learn a lot from it and take good things from it, and hopefully we can build on something.”

    Karlsson, Pavel Dorofeyev and Shea Theodore scored for Vegas. Hill made 20 saves.

    Vegas and Chicago combined for four goals during a back-and-forth first period.

    The Golden Knights jumped in front on Dorofeyev’s first of the season at 1:35. Dorofeyev took a pass from Michael Amadio and redirected it past Mrazek.

    Karlsson made it 2-0 at 3:52 when he tipped in Theodore’s blast from the blue line.

    After looking stagnant early, the Blackhawks began to find their form midway through the first. Donato grabbed a pass from Corey Perry and snuck a shot past Hill for his second goal at 13:20.

    Moments later, Nick Foligno nudged the puck to the slot for a streaking Bedard, who one-timed a wrist shot under Hill’s glove at 14:39.

    It was the third goal of the season for the No. 1 overall overall draft pick, and his second against Vegas. Bedard, 18, became the youngest player in league history to score in each of his first two games against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

    Chicago went in front for the first time in the third. Theodore whiffed on a clearing attempt in the defensive zone, and Raddysh skated in and beat Hill 1:11 into the period.

    Theodore then atoned for the mistake with his third goal at 11:28.

    After finishing with 11 shots on goal in the first period, the Golden Knights combined for 10 the rest of the way.

    “Obviously they were playing hard and stepping up, but I thought we weren’t really making the plays we normally make,” Vegas center Brett Howden said. “I thought it was good for us to get a goal back and at least get a point out of it. But it’s not up to our standard.”

    Added Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy: “I just thought we mishandled pucks all night. We did not execute at an NHL level.”

    UP NEXT

    Blackhawks: Visit Arizona on Monday

    Golden Knights: Visit Los Angeles on Saturday

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  • Bo Horvat, Noah Dobson lead Islanders to 3-2 win over Senators

    Bo Horvat, Noah Dobson lead Islanders to 3-2 win over Senators

    Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist, and the New York Islanders held on for a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, who lost defenseman Erik Brannstrom to a scary injury

    BySCOTT CHARLES Associated Press

    October 26, 2023, 10:26 PM

    Ottawa Senators’ Erik Brannstrom is carted off the ice after he was injured during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

    The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist, and the New York Islanders held on Thursday night for a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, who lost defenseman Erik Brannstrom to a scary injury.

    Brannstrom was stretchered off the ice after a check along the boards from Cal Clutterbuck at 8:43 of the middle period. The team announced that Brannstrom was alert, had use of his extremities and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

    Clutterbuck also scored for New York. Ilya Sorokin made 46 saves, including one in the final seconds, as the Islanders snapped a three-game skid.

    Claude Giroux and Jacob Chychrun scored for Ottawa, which lost its third straight. Joonas Korpisalo finished with 35 saves.

    Dobson blasted a one-timer from the high slot at 6:45 of the third to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead. Horvat led the breakout and Mathew Barzal entered the offensive zone with speed before leaving a drop pass for Dobson.

    New York’s penalty kill limited the Senators to one power-play goal on eight opportunities.

    Horvat opened the scoring on the power play at 2:41 of the first period. Dobson recorded the primary assist and extended his point streak to five games.

    The Islanders extended their first-period lead to 2-0 when Clutterbuck buried a feed from Casey Cizikas at 13:05.

    The Senators scored twice within 5:33 in the middle of the second period.

    Chychrun evened the score as his shot sailed past the glove of Sorokin at 12:25. The 25-year-old defenseman made a move at the blue line to avoid Islanders forward Anders Lee and registered his fourth goal of the season.

    Giroux notched Ottawa’s first goal when he converted on a 4-on-3 power play at 6:52, firing a wrist shot through traffic past the blocker of Sorokin.

    The Senators outshot the Islanders 17-10 in the second period.

    UP NEXT

    Senators: At Pittsburgh on Saturday.

    Islanders: At Columbus on Saturday.

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  • Ottawa’s Shane Pinto suspended 41 games, becomes the 1st modern NHL player banned for gambling

    Ottawa’s Shane Pinto suspended 41 games, becomes the 1st modern NHL player banned for gambling

    Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto has been suspended 41 games for violating the NHL’s gambling policy

    BySTEPHEN WHYNO AP hockey writer

    October 26, 2023, 12:19 PM

    FILE – Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto (57) celebrates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. Senators forward Shane Pinto has been suspended 41 games for violating the NHL’s gambling policy. The 22-year-old is the first modern-day NHL player to be suspended for sports wagering. The league announced the half-season ban for “activities relating to sports wagering” Thursday, Oct, 26, 2023, saying Pinto did not bet on NHL games.(Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

    The Associated Press

    The NHL suspended Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto for 41 games on Thursday, making the 22-year-old American the first modern-day player banned for sports gambling.

    The league said the half-season ban was for “activities relating to sports wagering” and that its investigation found no evidence Pinto bet on NHL games.

    “I want to apologize to the National Hockey League, the Ottawa Senators, my teammates, the fans and city of Ottawa and most importantly my family,” Pinto said in a statement released by the team. “I take full responsibility for my actions and look forward to getting back on the ice with my team.”

    The NHL Players’ Association did not immediately respond to a message asking if the union would appeal the suspension.

    The league said it considers the matter closed and would have no further comment. Coach D.J. Smith told reporters at the team’s morning skate in New York that the Senators would help Pinto and welcome him back with open arms when he’s eligible to return.

    That would be the middle of this season, once Pinto signs a contract. He is currently an unsigned restricted free agent.

    “Shane is a valued member of our hockey club; an engaging, intelligent young man who made poor decisions that have resulted in a suspension by the National Hockey League,” the Senators said in a statement. “We know he is remorseful for his mistakes. The Ottawa Senators fully support the NHL’s rules on gambling.”

    Pinto is the latest professional athlete suspended since the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for legalized sports wagering in 2018. Ten NFL players have been banned for gambling, most notably receiver Calvin Ridley missing the entire 2022 season for betting on games in the league. The NBA and Major League Baseball have not announced any recent gambling punishments, though the topic is a growing concern across college sports.

    According to industry estimates, Americans have wagered over $220 billion on sports in the first five years since the Supreme Court decision.

    The NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement says that “gambling on any NHL game is prohibited.” NHL teams can go as far as prohibiting employees from hockey operations to the business side from even joining fantasy leagues for money.

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  • Bruins beat the winless Sharks 3-1 for their 3rd straight win to open the season

    Bruins beat the winless Sharks 3-1 for their 3rd straight win to open the season

    SAN JOSE, Calif. — Brad Marchand and James van Riemsdyk scored 21 seconds apart late in the first period and the Boston Bruins won their third straight game to open the season, beating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Thursday night.

    David Pastrnak scored for the fourth time this season and Linus Ullmark made 26 saves to get the Bruins off to a good start on their four-game trip.

    “I think it’s a good opportunity to get on a little bit of a roll,” van Riemsdyk said. “We have a lot of kind of games in a short span and I think that’s good this time of year to kind of get in the rhythm of our playing games and going from there.”

    The Sharks wrapped up a season-opening, four-game homestand with another loss. San Jose earned only one point in the four games against reigning division champions, losing in a shootout to Colorado on Saturday night.

    The Sharks became the third team ever to go winless when opening the season with four straight games at home. The California Golden Seals had two losses and two ties in 1971-72 and Calgary had three losses and a tie in 1997-98.

    Anthony Duclair scored the lone goal for San Jose. Kaapo Kahkonen made 34 saves.

    “We made a step forward with the things we touched on after our last game,” coach David Quinn said. “I thought we spent more time in the o-zone and there was definitely more possession and forechecking. But, we’ve got a long way to go to where we want to get to, and you’re not going to get from A to Z without going through the alphabet.”

    The Sharks have lost 12 straight against Boston for their longest losing streak ever against an opponent.

    San Jose got some decent opportunities early but the Bruins took control of the game in the final two minutes of the opening period. Marchand beat Kahkonen with a wrist shot from the circle for his first goal of the season.

    On the next shift, van Riemsdyk jammed a puck under Kahkonen’s pad during a scramble in front of the net to make it 2-0.

    “I thought the first five minutes were good,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I thought the the next 10 kind of blah and then the last five were really good.”

    Pastrnak got a bit of luck to score in his third straight game late in the second period. He was on a 2-on-1 rush when a back-checking Marc Edouard-Vlasic poked the puck away but it deflected off Pastrnak’s skate and went into the net.

    ROUGH SCHEDULE

    The Sharks were dealt a rough opening to the schedule with games against the four division winners from last season: Vegas, Colorado, Carolina and Boston.

    This is the first time since the realignment to four divisions in 2013 that a team opened the season by playing all four defending division champs.

    ROSTER SHUFFLE

    Forward Kevin Labanc made his season debut for San Jose after being scratched the first four games. The Sharks placed D Radim Simek on waivers with the intent to send him back to the AHL.

    UP NEXT

    Bruins: At Los Angeles on Saturday night.

    Sharks: At Nashville on Saturday night.

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  • Josh Norris scores twice in return from injury, Senators beat Capitals 6-1

    Josh Norris scores twice in return from injury, Senators beat Capitals 6-1

    OTTAWA, Ontario — Josh Norris scored a pair of goals in his season debut Wednesday night, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 6-1 win over the Washington Capitals.

    Norris had missed the first three games of the regular season and didn’t play in the preseason, but looked solid in his return.

    The road back to the game has been a difficult one for the 24-year-old Norris. He played just eight games last season because of shoulder problems that started early in the season and eventually underwent surgery in January.

    “Obviously, it’s been a long road and some long days and we’re finally here now,” said Norris. “So, I think it’s kind of one of those moments. It’s weird, like, I think God’s pretty amazing and I don’t want to get like too philosophical here, but yeah, it’s just a great night and happy we won.”

    As excited as Norris was to be back, his teammates were equally thrilled.

    “He did what he gets paid for and put it right in the back of the net,” said linemate Drake Batherson, who set Norris up for both goals. “Super pumped for him and his family. For him to get back out there tonight, I know how excited he was. He was just happy to play, let alone get two.”

    Vladimir Tarasenko, Artem Zub, Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson also scored for the Senators (3-1-0), who picked up their third straight win. Anton Forsberg made 23 saves.

    The Capitals (1-2-0), playing their first road game of the season, started off strong in the first period, but some poor defensive coverage in the remaining 40 minutes proved too much to overcome.

    “In the first period, I liked our game a lot,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “I thought it was probably our best 20 minutes of the season thus far. We’re down 2-1, but I didn’t think that was an issue from a score standpoint, being able to come back in the game.

    “Then the second period, sort of a microcosm of how the year is going for this group right now. Every mistake we make is ending up in the back of the net.”

    John Carlson scored the Capitals’ lone goal. Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots.

    Trailing 5-1 in the third, the Capitals managed just three shots on goal while Ottawa extended its lead on a laser of a shot from Sanderson.

    Tarasenko opened the scoring four minutes in after taking a pass from Ridly Greig to beat Kuemper, but it was Norris’ power-play goal midway through the period that brought the crowd to its feet.

    “He went through a lot and, you know, a lot of bad days,” said Senators coach D.J. Smith. “I know how emotional he was when he got hurt. To get to this point and get a couple goals here tonight, he just wanted to contribute. It was great.”

    MILESTONE FOR BACKSTROM

    Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom skated in his 1,100th career NHL game Wednesday. Backstrom made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2007, against the Thrashers in Atlanta. Backstrom scored his first NHL goal against the Senators that season, beating the late Ray Emery for what would prove to be the game-winning goal in a 4-1 Caps victory.

    UP NEXT

    Capitals: At the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

    Senators: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

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  • Andrew Copp, Alex DeBrincat each score twice, Red Wings beat Penguins 6-3

    Andrew Copp, Alex DeBrincat each score twice, Red Wings beat Penguins 6-3

    Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat each scored twice, Ville Husso made 30 saves and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Wednesday night

    ByLARRY LAGE AP hockey writer

    October 18, 2023, 10:24 PM

    Detroit Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso (35) stops a Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter (77) shot in the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

    The Associated Press

    DETROIT — Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat each scored twice, Ville Husso made 30 saves and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 on Wednesday night.

    Copp scored in a three-goal second period to give Detroit a 4-1 lead, but Pittsburgh pulled within a goal midway through the third.

    Copp sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 1:32 to go. DeBrincat also took advantage of the Penguins pulling their goaltender to add an extra skater, restoring the Red Wings’ three-goal lead 21 seconds later.

    Ben Chiarot, David Perron and Copp scored in the second period.

    Evgeni Malkin gave the Penguins their only lead in the opening minute, when he extended his goals streak to three games. Tristan Jarry stopped 23 shots.

    Erik Karlsson cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to two goals early in the third period. Shortly thereafter, Copp was given a penalty shot and he couldn’t get it past Jarry.

    Husso kept the two-goal lead midway through the third by stopping shots by Rickard Rakell and Karlsson.

    The Red Wings needed the cushion because Bryan Rust redirected a shot to make it 4-3 with 6:57 left.

    Detroit has won three in a row since losing the opener by a goal at New Jersey. Pittsburgh had won two straight games since dropping its opening game by two goals against Chicago.

    MALKIN MOVES UP

    Malkin scored his 474th goal, breaking a third-place tie with Alexander Mogilny for the most NHL goals by Russian-born players. The 37-year-old center trails Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin (822) and former Red Wings great Sergei Fedorov (483) on the list.

    THAT’S A FIRST

    Jeff Petry had his first point with his hometown Red Wings, assisting on Copp’s first goal. The 35-year-old defenseman had 31 points in 66 games with the Penguins last season.

    UP NEXT

    Penguins: At St. Louis on Saturday night.

    Red Wings: At Ottawa on Saturday night.

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  • Marchessault breaks tie in shootout, unbeaten Golden Knights beat Stars 3-2

    Marchessault breaks tie in shootout, unbeaten Golden Knights beat Stars 3-2

    LAS VEGAS — Jonathan Marchessault broke a shootout tie in the Vegas Golden Knights’ 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night in a Western Conference final rematch.

    Marchessault gave Vegas (4-0) a 2-1 edge in the shootout after teammate Shea Theodore and Dallas’ Matt Duchene traded goals. Dallas had a chance to extend the shootout, but Roope Hintz’s shot hit the crossbar.

    “I don’t know that I’ve ever won a shootout without making a save,” Knights goalie Adin Hill said.

    Kaedan Korczak and William Karlsson each had a goal and an assist for the Knights, and Hill stopped 24 shots. Craig Smith and Joe Pavelski scored for Dallas, and Jake Oettinger made 32 savess.

    This was the first meeting since the Knights eliminated Dallas in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where Vegas won the championship.

    They traded goals and plenty of punches in the second period in which each team received two fighting majors. It was the first time since March 2018 against the Montreal Canadiens that Dallas had two fighting majors in a game.

    “There’s some animosity that’s left over from last year, and it looks like we’re going to build some more,” Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It’s actually good that each team got a point out of it when you put that much on the table, and we were able to get the extra one in an entertaining overtime.”

    Tyler Seguin’s rebound and pass to Smith put the Stars on top at 5:52 of the second period, and the Knights’ answered with the equalizer with 6:57 left when Korczak shot from the right point for his first career goal.

    Vegas had a chance to add to the lead with a 5-on-3 power play late in the period, but failed to get the puck in the net despite quality looks from Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore and Chandler Stephenson. The penalties carried over to the third period, but the Knights didn’t capitalize.

    Dallas didn’t miss when given the opportunity. Pavelski scored off a faceoff from the left circle at 2:50 of the third to put the Stars back in front 2-1. But the Knights tied the game when Karlsson redirected Korczak’s shot from the right point with 2:59 left in regulation.

    “You hate losing a 2-1 lead with five minutes left in the game, but good learning opportunities early in the season,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ll move forward and try to get better.”

    NOTES

    Dallas ended the Knights’ scoring streak at nine periods by shutting out Vegas in the first. Michael Amadio came close, missing an open net from the left side 5:54 into the period. The Knights had scored in every period this season until then. … Vegas has not allowed a power-play goal over its last 12 games and 27 chances. … Two Knights players returned after missing the two previous games — William Carrier (upper-body injury) and Brett Howden (suspension). … Amadio played in his 300th career game, and Vegas teammate Keegan Kolesar appeared in his 200th.

    UP NEXT

    Stars: At Anaheim on Thursday night.

    Golden Knights: At Winnipeg on Thursday night.

    ___

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  • Joel Eriksson Ek scores twice on power play, adds assist in Wild’s 5-2 victory over Canadiens

    Joel Eriksson Ek scores twice on power play, adds assist in Wild’s 5-2 victory over Canadiens

    Joel Eriksson Ek had two power-play goals and added an assist to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Tuesday night

    ByThe Associated Press

    October 17, 2023, 9:49 PM

    Montreal Canadiens’ Tanner Pearson (70) scores on Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

    The Associated Press

    MONTREAL — Joel Eriksson Ek had two power-play goals and added an assist to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Tuesday night.

    Kirill Kaprizov added a goal and assisted on both of Eriksson Ek’s goals, while Brandon Duhaime and Connor Dewar staked the Wild to a 2-0 lead with short-handed goals 25 seconds apart in the first period.

    Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves for the victory in his hometown in his first start of the season. Mats Zuccarello had three assists.

    Tanner Pearson and Alex Newhook scored for Montreal, and Sam Montembeault made 30 saves.

    After Pearson cut it to 3-1 midway through the second period, Kaprizov restored the three-goal lead with 2:38 left in the period. Eriksson Ek made it 5-1 at 5:20 of the third with his second goal of the night.

    The Wild went 3 for 8 on the power play, while the Canadiens were 0 for 4.

    The matchup between Fleury and Montembeault marked the first time two Quebec-born goalies faced off in Montreal since Jan. 3, 2006.

    UP NEXT

    Wild: Host Los Angeles on Thursday night.

    Canadiens: Host Washington on Saturday night.

    ___

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  • Brady Tkachuk scores 2 again as Senators beat Lightning 5-2

    Brady Tkachuk scores 2 again as Senators beat Lightning 5-2

    OTTAWA, Ontario — Brady Tkachuk had his second two-goal game as the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night.

    Mathieu Joseph, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tim Stützle also scored, while Joonas Korpisalo stopped 22 shots to get his first win with the Senators, who won got their second victory in two nights.

    “Two games of playing our type of hockey,” Tkachuk said. “That’s just been our goal. We don’t care about wins or losses, it’s just how quickly we get to our game. I think we’ve shown that we’re starting to find it now, and I think we’re going to keep building on it.”

    Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot each scored for the Lightning, and Matt Tomkins had 33 saves in his NHL debut.

    Both teams had played Saturday with the Senators beating Philadelphia 5-2, while Tampa Bay fell 6-4 to Detroit.

    Leading 3-2, Tkachuk was able to give the Senators some breathing room midway through the third period when he beat Darren Raddysh in a race and scored five-hole on Tomkins. Stützle added an empty-net goal, with Korpisalo picking up the secondary assist.

    “Winning is exciting,” Tarasenko said. “We had a lot of talks before the season. When you win, everything is different. Like, the mood is different, you know, the atmosphere and confidence level.”

    Ottawa outshot Tampa Bay 17-3 in the first period, scoring the opening goal for the third straight game when Tarasenko got a backhanded pass from Ridly Greig and beat Tomkins from down low 7:02 into the game.

    “People are going to sit there and look at the first period and say oh my god, they just have 17- 3 or whatever it was,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, “but we’re looking at chances that actually have a chance of going into the net and pucks I guess directed at the net that have a chance, but we didn’t feel like we gave them a whole lot.”

    Tomkins weathered the early onslaught and looked solid.

    “(Tomkins) was unbelievable,” Cirelli said. “You know from the first puck drop he made huge saves and kept us in that game the whole game. Huge credit to him the way he came in here and he made saves and played really well.”

    The Lightning tied it in the opening minute of the second as Cirelli crossed to the front of the net uncontested and roofed a shot over Korpisalo.

    Midway through the period, Raddysh blocked Tkachuk’s shot and dropped allowing the Senators’ captain to grab the loose puck and make it 2-1 at 8:48.

    Tampa Bay tied it again with 7 minutes left in the middle period when Jeannot capitalized on the rebound of a shot by Victor Hedman.

    “The two goals they score, we give them tap-ins there,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. “And that’s hard for a goalie sometimes, but give our guys credit, give the (defense) credit, we came out ready to play, we held the chances down, but certainly we have to manage those big-time breakdowns.”

    With just under a minute to play in the second, Tarasenko picked off a drop pass by Tampa Bay’s Nick Perbix and passed it to Joseph, fired it into the top corner to put Ottawa ahead again.

    “It was just a tough goal to give up with a minute left and we had tired D out there and again, they catch a break,” Cooper said. “You know, they try and force the puck in, we got a stick on it and it goes right to Joseph and it’s in the net.

    “Tkachuk’s goal (Raddysh) blocks it and it goes right on his stick, but we put ourselves in those situations and they capitalized so you know good on them for that.”

    MILESTONES

    Cooper coached his 800th NHL game Sunday. He has a 481-252-67 record. … Ottawa’s Parker Kelly played in his 100th NHL game Sunday.

    SIDELINED

    Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos did not play. He is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

    SEEING FAMILIAR FACES

    Austin Watson returned to Ottawa to face his former team after signing a one-year deal with the Lightning in the offseason.

    UP NEXT

    Lightning: At Buffalo on Tuesday night.

    Senators: Host Washington on Wednesday night.

    ___

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  • Canucks maintain their early season dominance over the Oilers with 4-3 win

    Canucks maintain their early season dominance over the Oilers with 4-3 win

    EDMONTON, Alberta — Nils Hoglander had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks continued their early season dominance over the Edmonton Oilers, emerging with a 4-3 victory on Saturday night.

    Andrei Kuzmenko, Jack Studnicka and Sam Lafferty also scored for the Canucks, who beat the same Oilers 8-1 in their season opener on Wednesday. Vancouver was winless in its first seven games last season.

    Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists, and Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid also had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who outshot the visitors 41-16.

    Edmonton came out looking for retribution for Wednesday’s loss and found it just 42 seconds into the opening period after a flurry of shots on Canucks goaltender Casey DeSmith paid off with Draisaitl poking it in from under his pads in the crease for his second goal of the young season.

    The Canucks tied it midway through the first on the power play as a long shot by Quinn Hughes was tipped past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner by Kuzmenko.

    Vancouver took a 2-1 lead with two minutes to play in the first as Brock Boeser hustled to keep a puck onside and launched a long shot on net that was tipped past Skinner by Hoglander in tight.

    Edmonton knotted the game back up two minutes into the second period on the power play as the puck came loose to McDavid during a mad scramble in front and he scored his first of the season.

    However, the Canucks regained the lead less than a minute later when a giveaway allowed a two-on-none break with Elias Pettersson sending it to Studnicka, who sniped a shot through Skinner’s legs. Studnicka is currently with the Canucks as an emergency call-up.

    The Oilers rallied back again with another power-play goal midway through the middle frame as Nugent-Hopkins walked in from the point and elected to shoot himself, beating DeSmith glove-side with a heavy wrist shot.

    Vancouver once again surged in front three minutes into the third period as Lafferty cut in hard on net and managed to chip the puck past Skinner.

    Edmonton almost tied it again on a two-man advantage nine minutes into the third, but a Draisaitl bullet went off the post.

    NOTES

    Edmonton came into the game with a 24-14-5 record in home openers. … Vancouver forward Boeser played in his 400th career NHL game. Boeser was the star in Wednesday’s win over the Oilers with four goals. He became the 10th player in NHL history to score four goals in a season opener. … Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm played in his first game after missing the entire training camp with an injury. … Making his debut as an Oiler was forward Adam Erne, who attended camp on a professional tryout and earned a two-way contract. Erne spent the past four seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, dressing in 241 games while recording 27 goals and 35 assists. … Nugent-Hopkins picked up his 400th career assist in the contest.

    UP NEXT

    Canucks: Vancouver plays the second of a five-game road trip against the Flyers on Tuesday.

    Oilers: Edmonton plays the Predators on Tuesday.

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  • Crosby and Malkin lead the way as the Penguins beat the Capitals for their first win of the season

    Crosby and Malkin lead the way as the Penguins beat the Capitals for their first win of the season

    WASHINGTON — Eighteen years running, the Sid and Geno Show is still rolling along and capable of being a hit performance.

    Sidney Crosby scored twice on the power play, Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the rival Washington Capitals 4-0 Friday night for their first win of the season.

    “When they’re at their best, I think they’re still elite players,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “They just control everything within their power to set themselves up for success and we get the privilege to watch it every day.”

    Crosby’s first goal came while he was falling in front of the net, and his second was a one-timer off a pass from Malkin, who opened the scoring with a shot past Charlie Lindgren. Offseason acquisition Erik Karlsson made the play to keep the puck in at the blue line to set up Malkin’s goal.

    At the other end of the ice later in the second period, Tristan Jarry stopped Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway, one of his 19 saves for the shutout.

    “He had a zone and a half between him and our player, so it was just getting out, challenging and making sure I was at a good spot, and if he were to deke or shoot I was prepared for it,” said Jarry, who has stopped 51 of the 54 shots he has faced through two starts. “It is two games in, so I just want to keep improving every game, making sure I’m getting better in practice, making sure I’m focusing on the details and I think that’s going to help my game throughout the year.”

    Malkin also assisted on Reilly Smith’s goal in the third that made it 4-0 and gave him a four-point night.

    “He was just all over the ice,” Crosby said of Malkin. “Nights like this where he’s feeling it, he’s going to set up guys or create chances himself. He was just all over the puck.”

    The play of their longtime franchise cornerstones, newest addition and No. 1 goaltender helped the Penguins bounce back from a season-opening 4-2 loss to Chicago earlier in the week.

    They also spoiled the debut of new Capitals coach Spencer Carbery, behind the bench for Washington’s first game of the season. Lindgren, starting because Darcy Kuemper’s wife gave birth to the couple’s first child, was sharp throughout and wasn’t to blame for the four goals he allowed on 35 shots.

    “The was great and made a lot of good saves,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “We all know what he’s capable of. He’s very calm back there, very cool.”

    It’s the first time the Capitals have been shut out in 49 season openers.

    “Just move on,” Ovechkin said. “We didn’t get the results, you know? Boys was ready, but we gonna watch the video and gonna play better the next game.”

    NOTES: Clay Stevenson backed up Lindgren for Washington in Kuemper’s absence. Aliaksei Protas was sent to Hershey of the American Hockey League to clear the salary cap space for Stevenson, paving the way for 5-foot-7 training camp standout Matthew Phillips to play his first game in a Capitals uniform. … Former Capitals center Lars Eller got a video tribute and standing ovation in his first game back as a visitor since being traded to Colorado and signing with Pittsburgh on July 1. Eller played six-plus seasons with Washington and scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2018.

    UP NEXT

    Penguins: Host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

    Capitals: Host the Flames on Monday night.

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  • Bjugstad and Schmaltz score in shootout as Coyotes beat Devils 4-3

    Bjugstad and Schmaltz score in shootout as Coyotes beat Devils 4-3

    NEWARK, N.J. — Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz scored in the shootout, and the Arizona Coyotes recovered after giving up a two-goal lead and rallied to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Friday night.

    Schmaltz also had a goal and an assist in regulation, and Matt Dumba and Sean Durzi also scored for the Coyotes in their regular season opener. Rookie forward Logan Cooley had two assists in his NHL debut and Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves.

    “We played an elite team. We knew what to expect,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “We had urgency. We had pace.”

    Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist, Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist, and Jack Hughes had three assists for New Jersey, which lost one night after beating Detroit at home 4-3 in its opener. Akira Schmid finished with 30 saves.

    Bjugstad and Schmaltz scored on Arizona’s two attempts in the shootout, and Vejmelka stopped New Jersey’s Timo Meier and Bratt to secure the win.

    “Everybody came to play. We have a lot of new guys and there was a lot of excitement in the room,” said Schmaltz, who is in his sixth season with the Coyotes. “We did a really good job and we were hard on them.”

    Dumba opened the scoring at 6:22 of the first, rifling a shot past Schmid. Dumba made his Coyotes debut after signing as a free agent following 10 seasons with Minnesota.

    Durzi made it 2-0 on the power-play at 4:23 of the second, but the Devils then scored three goals in an 11-minute span to take the lead.

    “It was a disappointing start to the game; first period again,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said of his team’s slow start. “I thought they looked fresher, ready to play in their first game. We know there’s no easy game so if you don’t have your ‘A’ game right off the bat, the other team could take it to you.”

    Bratt got New Jersey on the scoreboard at 8:09 of the second, sending a pass from Hughes past Vejmelka, and Hamilton tied it with his second goal in two nights with 7:31 left in the middle period.

    Bratt got his second goal of the game with 1:07 remaining in the second to put New Jersey ahead 3-2.

    Schmaltz converted on the power-play with 6:05 left in the third to tie it again off a pass from Cooley.

    “I just whacked it and it went in,” Schmaltz said.

    Hughes, who led the Devils with 43 goals and 99 points last season, now has five points in two games after scoring twice the previous night.

    NICE DEBUT

    For the 19-year-old Cooley, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft who played for the University of Minnesota last year, the evening was special following his customary rookie lap in warmups.

    “I thought I did a good job of staying focused. I just wanted to have fun,” he said. “I was a little nervous at the start but once you get going, it’s just another hockey game.”

    NEW FACES

    The Coyotes added six free agents during the offseason including forwards Dumba, Bjugstad, Jason Zucker, and Alex Kerfoot, and defensemen Travis Dermott and Troy Stecher. Arizona acquired Durzi with a trade with the Los Angeles Kings.

    NOTES: The teams meet again March 16 in Arizona. … New Jersey scratched D Chris Tierney, D Colin Miller and F Curtis Lazar. … Arizona scratched F Travis Boyd and Stecher.

    UP NEXT

    Devils: Host Florida on Monday night.

    Coyotes: At the New York Rangers on Monday night.

    ___

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  • Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski is expected to miss one to two weeks after a knee-on-knee hit

    Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski is expected to miss one to two weeks after a knee-on-knee hit

    The Columbus Blue Jackets say Zach Werenski is expected to miss one to two weeks with a right leg injury

    ByThe Associated Press

    October 13, 2023, 2:16 PM

    Columbus Blue Jackets’ Jack Roslovic, left, and Sean Kuraly, right, help Zach Werenski off the ice after Werenski during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

    The Associated Press

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets put Zach Werenski on injured reserve Friday and expect the defenseman to miss one to two weeks with a bruised quadriceps muscle.

    Werenski took a knee-on-knee hit from Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway in a season-opening loss to the Flyers on Thursday night. The NHL’s department of player safety fined Hathaway $5,000 for kneeing, the maximum amount allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

    Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said after the game that Werenski was dealing with a charley horse and that the injury was “not long term.”

    Werenski, 26, was playing his first game since tearing the labrum in his right shoulder Nov. 10, also against Philadelphia, and undergoing season-ending surgery. Columbus recalled 19-year-old rookie David Jiricek to take Werenski’s spot on the roster.

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  • Brock Boeser scores 4 goals, Canucks rout Oilers 8-1 to start a home-and-home opening set

    Brock Boeser scores 4 goals, Canucks rout Oilers 8-1 to start a home-and-home opening set

    Brock Boeser scored four goals and the Vancouver Canucks routed the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 on Wednesday night to start a home-and-home opening set

    ByThe Associated Press

    October 12, 2023, 1:05 AM

    Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) comes into the game as starting goalie Jack Campbell (36) is pulled during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

    The Associated Press

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Brock Boeser scored four goals and the Vancouver Canucks routed the Edmonton Oilers 8-1 on Wednesday night to start a home-and-home opening set.

    The teams will meet again Saturday night in Edmonton.

    Conor Garland, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Dakota Joshua also scored for the Canucks, with Miller adding four assists and Pettersson three. Quinn Hughes also had three assists.

    Thatcher Demko started in goal for Vancouver and stopped 21 of 22 shots in 48 minutes. Casey DeSmith made five saves the rest of the way.

    Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton, with Connor McDavid assisting. Oilers starter Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner each allowed four goals.

    After Garland opened the scoring, Boeser scored three straight goals for a natural hat trick and 4-0 lead. He made it 6-1 early in the third period. The Minnesotan had 18 goals in 74 games last season.

    UP NEXT

    Oilers: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

    Canucks: At Edmonton on Saturday night.

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  • Golden Knights raise Stanley Cup banner, beat Kraken 4-1 in opener

    Golden Knights raise Stanley Cup banner, beat Kraken 4-1 in opener

    LAS VEGAS — Jonathan Marchessault scored, Adin Hill made 23 saves and the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights beat the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Tuesday night after a banner-raising ceremony.

    Conn Smythe winner Marchessault scored in the first game of the season for the fourth straight year and the fifth time in seven seasons with Vegas.

    Chandler Stephenson, Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel also scored for the Golden Knights.

    The Golden Knights improved to 6-1-0 in home openers, their only loss coming in 2018 to Philadelphia. Vegas has outscored their visitors 26-14 in those games.

    Jared McCann scored Seattle’s lone goal. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves.

    Vegas got the scoring going early in the first period when Mark Stone, Brett Howden and Stephenson played tic-tac-toe in the offensive zone. As they crossed the blue line, Stone went cross-ice with a pass to Howden, who sent the puck to the crease where Stephenson was there for the finish.

    The Golden Knights made it 2-0 when Seattle’s Brandon Tanev went to clear the puck past the goal, but Marchessault nicked it off course and past Grubauer.

    Barbashev connected on a breakaway snapper 1:20 into the second period to make it 3-0. Seattle answered midway through the period when McCann’s wrist shot from the slot sailed past Hill.

    The Kraken had an ample opportunity midway into the third, when Howden was called for a match penalty when he delivered a shot to Tanev’s head. But just as he did in standing tall during the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run, Hill was outstanding in making six saves during the penalty kill.

    “I thought our penalty kill did an excellent job,” Hill said. “It was kind of an area of emphasis during camp, just trying to work on it and kind of be aggressive and err on the side of aggression. I thought we did that tonight and I thought our penalty kill was outstanding. Of course they’re going to get a couple looks, but yeah, we did a good job limiting it.”

    Eichel scored into an empty net with a little more than a minute remaining.

    “We had enough scoring chances,” Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. “Early in the hockey game, we could execute a little bit better on a couple of them, we had a couple of missed nets on a couple of real good opportunities that we executed the play really well, we didn’t finish. All of a sudden in a (first) period where we’ve done a lot of pretty good things, we’re down 2-0. Now you’re now you’re digging out of a deep hole. Ultimately, we didn’t capitalize when we had the good opportunities, whether it be 5 on 5, or on the power play.”

    INJURY UPDATE

    Golden Knights forward William Carrier left during the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. … Seattle forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also left the bench in the second period after blocking a shot with his left hand. He returned for the third period.

    UP NEXT

    Kraken: At Nashville on Thursday night.

    Golden Knights: At San Jose on Thursday night.

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  • Golden Knights raise Stanley Cup championship banner before season opener

    Golden Knights raise Stanley Cup championship banner before season opener

    The Golden Knights raised their Stanley Cup championship banner in the most Las Vegas way possible

    ByMARK ANDERSON AP sports writer

    October 10, 2023, 11:31 PM

    Members of the Vegas Golden Knights watch as a Stanley Cup championship banner is raised during a ceremony before an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

    The Associated Press

    LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights raised their Stanley Cup championship banner in the most Las Vegas way possible.

    Captain Mark Stone placed the Stanley Cup next to an oversized slot machine on the ice Tuesday night before the season opener against the Seattle Kraken and pulled the lever. Three Cups representing the jackpot came up, and then the banner began to emerge from the slot machine as the capacity crowd roared and players looked on.

    Before the players came on the ice, a video played in T-Mobile Arena going through the team’s short history from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announcing Las Vegas was awarded an expansion team to the expansion draft to Deryk Engelland’s emotional speech following the Route 91 Harvest festival mass shooting.

    Highlights were then shown, ending with the Knights winning their first championship in June.

    Raising the banner capped a three-day celebration for the Knights. They received 12-carat white and yellow diamond championship rings in a private ceremony Sunday. Then Monday night, the players lit the Al Davis memorial torch at Allegiant Stadium before the Las Vegas Raiders’ game against the Green Bay Packers.

    Not only did the Knights raise their banner to the rafters, Tuesday marked six years since Engelland delivered his “Vegas Strong” speech, nine days after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Vegas’ championship banner resides next to one that memorializes the victims of the Route 91 Harvest festival shooting with 60 stars representing each victim who died from that tragedy.

    The Knights fulfilled owner Bill Foley’s pledge to win the Cup in six years, a statement that seemed at best optimistic when uttered. But Vegas was competitive from the beginning, making the Stanley Cup Final in its first season before losing to Washington in five games, the Capitals celebrating on the Knights’ ice after the clincher.

    When given another shot at the Cup, the Knights didn’t let the opportunity go to waste. This time, they won it in five games, routing the Florida Panthers 9-3 in front of a raucous home crowd.

    The Knights have decided to try to run it back, returning all but one skater who competed in the Final. Reilly Smith, one of the six remaining original Knights, was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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