MONTREAL (AP) — Sam Montembeault made 48 saves, Cole Caufield scored on a first-period power play and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Caufield scored at 7:48 of the opening period, finishing off a tic-tac-toe play with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach. The Canadiens were 1 for 5 on the power play after going 0 for 30 in the preseason.
Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves for Toronto after expected starter Joseph Woll was held out of the lineup. Coach Craig Berube said Woll had “lower-body tightness.”
RANGERS 6, PENGUINS 0
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and New York opened the season with a victory over Pittsburgh.
Chris Kreider scored twice for the reigning Metropolitan Division champions. Sam Carrick, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Vincent Trocheck also scored for New York, which dominated Pittsburgh while beating the Penguins for the fifth time in their last six meetings.
Chytil’s goal was his first in over 18 months after he missed most of last season due to a concussion. The center’s flick to the far post against Tristan Jarry just before the game’s midway point boosted New York’s lead to 4-0.
Jarry stopped 35 of the 41 shots he faced for Pittsburgh. Penguins star Sidney Crosby was held scoreless in his 20th season opener. Evgeni Malkin was held without a point. The Russian star began his 19th season with 498 career goals and 798 career assists.
JETS 6, OILERS 0
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his 38th career shutout and Winnipeg routed Edmonton in the opener for both teams.
Mason Appleton had a goal and two assists, Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist and Rasmus Kupari, Dylan Samberg and Kyle Connor also scored.
Edmonton outshot Winnipeg 30-20. The Oilers lost to Florida in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final last season.
Oilers starter Stuart Skinner allowed five goals on 13 shots before being pulled midway through the second period. Calvin Pickard gave up a goal on seven shots.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 8, AVALANCHE 4
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ivan Barbashev, Mark Stone and Victor Olofsson each scored two goals and Las Vegas Golden beat Colorado in the teams’ season opener.
Barbashev also had two assists, linemate Jack Eichel had four and defenseman Shea Theodore added three. Adin Hill finished with 28 saves.
Mikko Rantanen had three goals, while Casey Mittelstadt also scored for the Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev made 11 saves. Justus Annunen came in for Georgiev and stopped two of the four shots he faced.
FLAMES 6, CANUCKS 5, OT
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Connor Zary scored 1:33 into overtime and Calgary opened their season with a comeback win over the Vancouver.
Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist to lead Calgary. Rasmus Andersson, Martin Pospisil, MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames, who trailed 3-0 midway through the first period.
Brock Boeser had two goals and J.T. Miller, Daniel Sprong and Conor Garland also scored for the Canucks. Arturs Silovs stopped 20 shots for Vancouver.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault (35) stops a shot by Toronto Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies (23) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 in Montreal. (Christinne Muschi/Canadian Press via AP)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Connor Zary scored 1:33 into overtime and the Calgary Flames opened their season with a 6-5 comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.
Anthony Mantha had a goal and an assist to lead Calgary. Rasmus Andersson, Martin Pospisil, MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames, who trailed 3-0 midway through the first period.
Brock Boeser had two goals and J.T. Miller, Daniel Sprong and Conor Garland also scored for the Canucks. Arturs Silovs stopped 20 shots for Vancouver.
Canucks: Squandered a 4-1 lead after the first period by giving up four unanswered goals to fall behind. Miller then tied it with 1:37 left in the third period.
Flames: Dan Vladar gave up four goals on 15 shots in the first period, but allowed only one more goal and finished with 20 saves for the win.
Huberdeau, under pressure this season to produce more and live up to his $10.5-million salary, scored Calgary’s fifth goal at 10:40 of the third period to give the Flames a 5-4 lead. Stationed in the blue paint, he batted in a rebound off a shot by Brayden Pachal.
Calgary blocked 21 shots to Vancouver’s 12.
The Canucks conclude their season-opening two-game homestand against Philadelphia on Friday night, and the Flames host the Flyers on Saturday night
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser, front right, scores against Calgary Flames goalie Dan Vladar (80) as Rasmus Andersson (4) defends and Nazem Kadri (91) watches during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs (31) stops Calgary Flames' Andrei Kuzmenko (96) as Vancouver's Aatu Raty (54), Tyler Myers (57) defend while Carson Soucy (7) ties up Calgary's Samuel Honzek (29) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Andrei Kuzmenko (96) has the puck knocked off his stick by Vancouver Canucks' Vincent Desharnais (73) as goalie Arturs Silovs (31) and Elias Pettersson, front left, watch during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser (6) celebrates his second goal against the Calgary Flames during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Anthony Mantha (39) and goalie Dan Vladar (80) check on teammate Kevin Rooney as he receives medical attention after being checked into the boards during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Kevin Rooney, second right, is helped off the ice by Jake Bean (24) as Mikael Backlund (11) skates with them after Rooney was checked into the boards during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Connor Zary (47) celebrates his winning goal against Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs, back, while being checked by Filip Hronek (17) during overtime of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks' J.T. Miller, back center, Jake DeBrusk, left, and Filip Hronek celebrate Miller's goal against the Calgary Flames during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Canucks' J.T. Miller (9) and Elias Pettersson (40) celebrate Miller's goal as Calgary Flames' Brayden Pachal (94) skates past during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames goalie Dan Vladar skates to the corner during a stoppage in play during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Connor Zary (47) and Martin Pospisil (76) celebrate Zary's winning goal against Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs, back right, during overtime in an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Connor Zary (47) and Martin Pospisil (76) celebrate Zary's winning goal against Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs, back right, during overtime of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Calgary Flames' Connor Zary (47) scores the winning goal against Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs, left, as Filip Hronek (17) defends during overtime of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
