LDN - Sports

NHL roundup: Stars finally start season, wallop Predators

[January 23, 2021] Joe Pavelski and Alexander Radulov each had two goals and combined for seven points, and Anton Khudobin stopped all 34 shots he faced as the Dallas Stars used a five-goal second period to open their season with a 7-0 rout of the visiting Nashville Predators on Friday night.

John Klingberg had three assists, Joel Kiviranta collected a goal and an assist, and Denis Gurianov and Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars, whose four previously scheduled games were postponed due to COVID-19 issues. Dallas matched a franchise record with five power-play goals, on eight chances.

Khudobin was strong while recording his ninth career shutout and 100th victory as the Stars shined despite playing without injured leader Tyler Seguin (hip).

Nashville, which won two of its previous three games, went 0-for-5 on the power play. Juuse Saros, who stopped 71 of 74 shots while winning his first two starts, managed 15 saves on 20 shots before being pulled after two periods. Predators veteran Pekka Rinne stopped six of the eight shots he faced in relief.

Capitals 4, Sabres 3 (SO)

John Carlson scored the lone shootout goal in the fourth round as short-handed Washington won its home opener, defeating Buffalo.

Jakub Vrana had a goal and an assist and Nicklas Backstrom and Nic Dowd also scored the Capitals, who have defeated the Sabres in all three meetings this season. Rookie goalie Vitek Vanecek made 24 saves for Washington.

The Capitals were without forwards Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who were all placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday. Eric Staal, Dylan Cozens and Riley Sheahan scored for the Sabres.

Penguins 4, Rangers 3 (SO)

Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang scored on lofted backhanders during the shootout as Pittsburgh erased a two-goal deficit to top visiting New York.

Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped two of the three skaters he faced in the shootout after making 31 saves through regulation and overtime. Bryan Rust, Jared McCann and Teddy Blueger scored in regulation for Pittsburgh, which won its third straight, all three after regulation ended.

Filip Chytil, Adam Fox and Kaapo Kakko scored and Phillip Di Giuseppe had two assists for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin, in addition to allowing two goals on three shots in the shootout, gave up three goals on 28 shots through regulation and overtime.

Avalanche 3, Ducks 2 (OT)

Gabriel Landeskog scored a wraparound goal 1:38 into overtime as Colorado posted a victory at Anaheim.

Joonas Donskoi and Mikko Rantanen also scored goals for the Avalanche. Nineteen-year-old defenseman Bowen Byram, playing his second NHL game, delivered his first career point with the assist on Rantanen's goal. Landeskog had a two-point night. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 36 saves.

Hampus Lindholm and Adam Henrique scored for the Ducks, who lost in overtime for the second time in their past four games. John Gibson made 29 saves.

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New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) as Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) defends during the third period at the PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh won 4-3 in a shoot-out. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Coyotes 5, Golden Knights 2

Conor Garland had a goal and two assists and Darcy Kuemper finished with 29 saves as Arizona beat Vegas in Glendale, Ariz., handing the Golden Knights their first loss of the season.

It was the third three-plus-point game of Garland's career. Christian Dvorak and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and assist while Derick Brassard and Jordan Oesterle also scored goals for Arizona, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Drake Caggiula added two assists.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Cody Glass also scored a goal for Vegas, which had won a franchise-record four games in a row to begin the season. Robin Lehner made 21 saves while taking his first loss in six regular-season starts with the Golden Knights.

Blackhawks 4, Red Wings 1

Rookie goaltender Kevin Lankinen surrendered only one goal on 31 shots to earn his first career victory in his second start as Chicago won its home opener over Detroit.

Patrick Kane, Calvin de Haan, Andrew Shaw and Mattias Janmark scored one goal apiece for Chicago, which snapped a four-game winless drought to start the season.

Dylan Larkin scored the lone goal for Detroit, which lost its first road game. Thomas Greiss stopped 24 of 27 shots.

Maple Leafs 4, Oilers 2

John Tavares broke a deadlock midway through the third period and Toronto held on for a home victory over Edmonton.

Frederik Andersen made 30 saves for Toronto, which also got goals from Jimmy Vesey, Adam Brooks and Mitch Marner. The Leafs scored twice on the power play despite missing a pair of forwards, Auston Matthews (upper body) and Joe Thornton (rib fracture).

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid posted goals for the Oilers. Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen stopped 25 shots in the loss.

Wild 4, Sharks 1

Minnesota spoiled the return of its former goaltender while also overcoming an injury to its own starter in net during a victory over San Jose in Saint Paul, Minn. Sharks netminder Devan Dubnyk, who played parts of six seasons for the Wild before being traded to San Jose in October, made 25 saves.

Minnesota goalie Cam Talbot (11 saves on 12 shots faced) lasted only one period before being replaced by Kaapo Kahkonen, who stopped all 17 shots he faced in the game's final two periods. The reason for Talbot's departure was not officially announced. Wild coach Dean Evason alluded to an injury after the game, although he indicated it didn't seem serious.

Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway each had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who also got goals from Zach Parise and Kevin Fiala. Minnesota won for the fourth time in five games to begin the season. Matt Nieto scored the lone goal for the Sharks.

--Field Level Media

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