Month: October 2009

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks had little trouble getting on track against the Anaheim Ducks this time.With Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton each scoring first period goals, Dany Heatley adding two assists and Evgeni Nabokov making 24 saves the Sharks quickly spoiled the Ducks season opener with a dominating 4-1 victory on Saturday night

WINNIPEG – Pete Zingoni scored twice as the Houston Aeros beat the Manitoba Moose 4-2 in American Hockey League action Satruday.Justin Falk and Clayton Stoner, into an empty net, also scored for the Aeros (1-1-0)

DALLAS – Jason Arnott had an early goal, Michael Santorelli scored the winner in a shootout and the Nashville Predators handed the Stars their first season-opening loss in Dallas with a 3-2 victory Saturday night

Just when it seemed John Tavares’ NHL debut would be perfect, Sidney Crosby wrecked the ending for the prized rookie and the New York Islanders

NEW YORK – The sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden came to cheer Marian Gaborik, the New York Rangers’ major free-agent signing over the summer, only to see him upstaged by linemates Brandon Dubinsky and Vinny Prospal

BOSTON – The Bruins came out with a lot to prove Saturday night after flaming out in their opener.Mission accomplished.”Night and day,” goalie Tim Thomas said after Boston beat Carolina 7-2 to rebound from a 4-1 loss in Washington on Thursday night

BUFFALO, N.Y. – It hasn’t taken long for Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez to rediscover their chemistry now that they’ve been reunited in Montreal

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Winning games like this was a big reason Rostislav Klesla wanted to stay with the Columbus Blue Jackets.Klesla celebrated a new four-year contract extension by scoring a goal midway through the third period Saturday night to push the Blue Jackets past the Minnesota Wild, 2-1, in the season opener for both teams

The Philadelphia Flyers are off to a great start, and no one deserves more credit than goaltender Ray Emery.Emery made 24 saves and came within roughly 10 minutes of becoming the Flyers’ first goalie to open the season with consecutive shutouts since Hall of Famer Bernie Parent in 1973, leading Philadelphia to a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night

WASHINGTON – By the time the game was 77 seconds old, Alex Ovechkin scored the first time his stick touched the puck, earning “MVP!” chants from all those red-clad fans

ATLANTA – Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrashers know better than to put too much stock in a season-opening win.”Last year we won the first game, too,” said Kovalchuk after he scored two goals in Atlanta’s 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Montreal Canadiens lost centre Glen Metropolit and defenceman Ryan O’Byrne to injuries in the second period against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday

The New York Islanders are becoming the NHL’s biggest free agent.Frustrated with a lack of a decision by local government to approve or reject a major developmental plan that would provide the Islanders with a new, refurbished arena, club owner Charles Wang said Saturday he will explore all other options – including relocation

TORONTO – CBC personality Don Cherry blasted the NHL Players Association’s firing of former union boss Paul Kelly on his “Coach’s Corner” segment on Saturday’s “Hockey Night in Canada

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Just before the start of their ninth season opener, the Columbus Blue Jackets locked up the only player who has been with them from the beginning

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Keith Tkachuk had two power-play goals and an assist and the St. Louis Blues overcame a two-goal deficit for the second straight night, beating the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 on Saturday to sweep the two-game series

DENVER – Craig Anderson always felt he could be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL. After two games he certainly has performed like one for the Colorado Avalanche

HELSINKI, Finland – Antti Niemi made 23 saves and the Chicago Blackhawks used three power-play goals to rout the Florida Panthers 4-0 Saturday and split the season-opening double header in Finland

WINNIPEG – Mike Keane had a goal and an assist for Manitoba as the Moose held on for a 4-3 win over the Houston Aeros in the American Hockey League opener for both clubs Friday