Much like the majority of his Vegas Golden Knights teammates, James Neal knows what it's like to be counted out.Despite being a perennial 20-plus goal threat, Neal has been pegged as an expendable, one-dimensional player by the three previous NHL clubs he's suited up for in Dallas, Pittsburgh, and most recently, Nashville.While Neal, like a lot of other Knights, was deemed dispensable by the Predators after a season in which he registered only 41 points in 70 regular season contests, the Whitby, Ontario native as been a revelation in two games so far in Vegas.Three goals, two wins, and a change of scenery have a resurgent Neal and the Knights turning heads around the league.

NEWARK, N.J. - The Nico Hischier era in New Jersey began Saturday with a game in which the No. 1 pick in this year's draft had only the third-most notable debut among Devils rookies in a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.Jesper Bratt, the Devils' sixth-round pick in 2016, had a goal and an assist, while Will Butcher, a free-agent signee out of the University of Denver, tallied three assists. That's not to say it wasn't a memorable day for Hischier, as the 18-year-old from Switzerland was plenty impressive as he registered six shots on goal in 15:44 of ice time."He's well aware of expectations," Devils coach John Hynes said. "He has an innate ability to be able to concentrate on what matters most, which is his preparation for his performance, and I think he really focuses. One of the things it really seems like with him is he's focused on the team more than himself. It seems like that deflects some of the pressure that feels like could be put on him from outside the locker room."Hischier came over the boards for his first action 38 seconds into the game, and Devils fans showered him with chants of "Nico! Nico!" The shift lasted 25 seconds until there was a stoppage, and was uneventful, but with it, Hischier was officially an NHL player."I was too much focused, so I didn't hear that," Hischier said. "It's exciting, and I'm really happy to play this game here, in front of these fans. ... It was really special, and the fans made it special. It was just a great game, and I'm really happy that we got the win."Hischier looked dangerous on the Devils' second power play of the game, setting up along the half-boards on the right side. On one play, he got the puck as it popped free from a corner scrum, zagged his way toward the net for his first bona fide scoring chance, and forced Jonathan Bernier to make a close-range save. He then scooped up the loose puck and retained possession on the other side.Later in the shift, Hischier spotted Drew Stafford open in the slot and fired a laser pass at the veteran winger, just missing the connection as the puck skittered through after a deflection. He was dangerous on the power play all day with the extra space afforded, and so were the Devils as a team, as they went 3-for-4 with the man advantage."I think I had some chances to score my first goal," Hischier said. "But what's even more important is, we got the win, and that's what makes me happy."When Erik Johnson put a knee-to-knee hit on Kyle Palmieri with 2:16 left in the second period, earning a two-minute penalty and forcing Palmieri to the locker room with an injury, it was Hischier who was first on the scene to confront the Colorado defenseman, who was coincidentally a No. 1 pick himself back in 2006.At 6-1 and 175 pounds, Hischier is hardly the enforcer type, but he got a couple of shoves in before the cavalry arrived from both sides."That's huge," Devils center Adam Henrique said. "That's something we've talked about, guys jumping in and stepping up for their guy when they're unable to defend themselves. It was great to see him get over there and not shy away at all. Obviously, drafting him first overall, that's not what everyone expected, but that's awesome to see."With 14:45 left in the third period, Hischier came blazing into the offensive zone, took a cross-ice pass from Marcus Johansson, and fired a slap shot from the left circle that made the crowd gasp. Bernier, in the midst of an outstanding third-period performance that was highlighted by his Save of the Year candidate to rob Damon Severson, got enough of the shot to deflect it wide.Hischier didn't find the back of the net Saturday, but the goals are sure to come, and his ability to avoid even the appearance of nerves while launching 10 shot attempts proved the Devils knew what they were doing when they picked him first overall.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The start of the 2017-18 campaign hasn't exactly gone according to plan for Henrik Lundqvist.That's because the New York Rangers netminder has now allowed eight goals in two games, after getting shellacked with five in only 20 minutes at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night."First period was just embarrassing," Lundqvist said, according to The Canadian Press, as reported by Sportsnet."Obviously not what you’re looking for in your second game. I need to be better. Just a period where they were just all over us. No structure really in our own end and I wasn’t able to come up with enough saves."Looking to rebound after a rough 2016-17 season where he posted a career-worst goals-against average (2.74) and save percentage (.910), Lundqvist is off to a terrible start, and knows he needs to be more consistent."Personally I have to look at this one quickly and move on," said Lundqvist."As a goalie it’s definitely easier when you have structure in front, but you have to step up as a goalie and find a way and I wasn’t able to do it. Just have to look in the mirror and be better."The Rangers will look to to bounce back Sunday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning. Post contains graphic images.

J.T. Brown has no regrets about making a silent statement during the national anthem Saturday night."I know there's going to be negative backlash," Brown told reporters postgame, according the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith. "But, in my heart, I know I did what was right."The Tampa Bay Lightning forward further explained his decision to raise his fist while standing on the bench during the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Sunrise, Fla., before playing against the Florida Panthers."I wanted to do something to show my support, and there are some issues that we have to talk about," Brown said. "In my mind, I'm just trying to bring a little more awareness, and any type of conversation that we can get started would be great."He added that his teammates understand why he chose to join the numerous NFL players and other athletes making a point about racial injustice and police bruality."We've talked about it," Brown said. "They've made their statements as well. They support it. I'm not sure whether or not everyone fully agrees with it or not, but at the same time, they still support my decision, so it's good."The winger became the first NHL player to protest during the anthem this season when he did so Saturday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In case you haven't heard, Alex Ovechkin has set fire to the NHL to begin his 2017-18 campaign, potting seven goals in two games.Ovi started with a natural hat-trick Wednesday, then followed up with a four goal performance Saturday night, marking a historic start for one of the most prolific goal scorers in NHL history.Here's a look at some of the best stats and facts from Ovechkin's blistering start:Rarefied air

TORONTO (AP) Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov and Nazem Kadri scored third-period goals and the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the New York Rangers 8-5 on Saturday night in their wild home opener.It was an adventure in defending for both teams at times, with Toronto pulling ahead 5-1 in the first period and chasing Henrik Lundqvist before the Rangers scored four straight to quieten the Air Canada Centre crowd.Bozak ended the Maple Leafs' slide to make it 6-5 at 7:17 of third, redirecting a pass from the corner from Jake Gardiner over Ondrej Pavelec's glove. The Rangers lost a challenge that the play was offside, earning a minor penalty in the process.Kevin Hayes took a slashing penalty for New York, and Komarov made it 7-5 at 9:52, tapping in the rebound after William Nylander roofed a backhand off the crossbar.The Rangers pulled their goalie with some 3 minutes remaining only to see Ryan McDonagh take a hooking penalty. Kadri took advantage with a low shot with 1:30 to go.Zach Hyman scored twice, and Dominic Moore, Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev added goals for Toronto.J.T. Miller, Kevin Shattenkirk, Mika Zibanejad, Marc Staal and Mats Zuccarello scored for the Rangers. Zuccarello also had three assists.Toronto won its opener 7-2 on Wednesday night in Winnipeg, and ran circles around the Rangers in the early going.NOTES: The Rangers were coming off an opening 4-2 home loss to Colorado on Thursday night. ... Moore, who played parts of five seasons with the Rangers, replaced Eric Fehr while defenseman Calle Rosen came in for Andreas Borgman.UP NEXTRangers: Host Montreal on Sunday night.Maple Leafs: Host Chicago on Monday night.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PITTSBURGH (AP) Evgeni Malkin scored, Matt Murray stopped 26 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 4-0 on Saturday night in a Stanley Cup Final rematch.Olli Maatta, Ryan Reaves and Jake Guentzel also scored in Pittsburgh's first win in its third game of the season. The two-time defending champion Penguins were coming off an ugly 10-1 loss at Chicago at Thursday night.Reaves, acquired in a June trade with St. Louis, also fought Austin Watson and Cody McLeod, finishing with 24 penalty minutes. He skated on a line with Sidney Crosby when the game turned chippy in the third period.Murray, who allowed 11 goals on 65 shots in his first two games, posted his sixth career shutout. He also shut out Nashville in the final two games of the Stanley Cup Final in June.The Predators went with Juuse Saros instead of Pekka Rinne, the franchise's winningest goaltender. Saros, who earned his first NHL win last October against Pittsburgh, stopped 30 shots. Rinne was 0-3 on the road during the Stanley Cup and is 0-6-0 with an .822 save percentage lifetime in Pittsburgh.Nashville forward Nick Bonino faced his former team for the first time since signing a four-year, $16.4 million contract with the Predators in July. Bonino, who received his Stanley Cup ring from Pittsburgh on Saturday, scored in the first two games of the Final before a broken tibia in his left leg sidelined him for the rest of the playoffs.Malkin put the Penguins in front 66 seconds into the game with a slap shot from the high slot that beat Saros to the blocker side. He has points in all three of Pittsburgh's games this season.Murray denied Pontus Aberg on a breakaway later in the period. It was significant because Guentzel made it a 2-0 game less than a minute later, crashing the net and converting a rebound from the slot.Nashville carried the play early in the second period with six of the first seven shots, but Pittsburgh scored the next goal. Reaves scored his first for Pittsburgh when he tipped a Maatta point shot between Saros' pads.Maatta scored the Penguins' fourth goal 33 seconds into the third period.NOTES: Penguins D Ian Cole took a one-time slap shot to the face from Predators D Roman Josi during a first-period power play. Cole, who did not return, quickly went down, but eventually got up on his own and immediately skated to the dressing room while crews cleaned blood from the ice. ... Predators C Calle Jarnkrok played in his 250th NHL game. ... Nashville F Kevin Fiala is day to day with an upper-body injury.UP NEXTPredators: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday.Penguins: Visit Washington on Wednesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Post contains coarse languageJ.T. Brown's team says it doesn't have a problem with the silent protest he made during the national anthem."The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate the moment before every game when we can unite as a community, paying homage to a flag that is representative of our nation and those who have sacrificed," the club said in a statement Saturday night, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times."At the same time, we respect our players and individual choices they may make on social and political issues."Brown raised his fist while standing with his teammates as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was performed Saturday night before the Lightning faced the Florida Panthers.He became the first NHL player to protest police brutality and racial injustice during the anthem this season, joining countless NFL players and other athletes who've followed Colin Kaepernick's lead.Several black NHLers, including P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Joel Ward, and Ryan Reaves, have weighed in on the protests as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins' decision to visit the White House and President Donald Trump, who referred to any player who protests during the anthem as a "son of a bitch."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

To declare Alexander Ovechkin scorching hot would be an understatement.After netting a natural hat trick in the third period of his season debut versus the Ottawa Senators, the Washington Capitals captain scored three more in the first period Saturday with the Montreal Canadiens in town.Remarkably, it's only taken Ovechkin 12:13 of ice-time to score all six goals.Just for good measure Ovechkin would later get credit for his fourth of the game in the second period.Let's see what else he can do.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

J.T. Brown is the first NHL player to make a statement during "The Star-Spangled Banner" this season.The Tampa Bay Lightning forward raised his fist while standing for the U.S. national anthem Saturday night before playing the Florida Panthers.Brown joins a growing list of athletes across several sports to protest police brutality and racial injustice, a movement initially led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick that drew incendiary comments from U.S. President Donald Trump.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Michael Matheson to an eight-year contract extension worth $39 million, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Matheson will play out the final season of his entry-level contract in 2017-18 before the extension kicks in.The 23-year-old blue liner only has one full season under his belt, but it's quite clear the Panthers are willing to commit long-term to his upside. In 81 games last season, Matheson notched 17 points and ranked third on Florida's roster in ice time, averaging 21:03 per night.With Matheson signed, the Panthers now have five players 25-years-old or younger under contract until 2022, per Cap Friendly.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Bernier couldn't lift his Colorado Avalanche to a victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon, but that doesn't mean his efforts weren't admirable.The veteran goaltender made a spectacular stop on Devils defenseman Damon Severson early in the third period, recovering after being caught out of position and lunging across the crease to deny him with the trapper.Here's another look at how much net Severson had to shoot at when he received the pass from Adam Henrique.(Image courtesy: YouTube/Sportsnet/MSG+)The play was briefly reviewed to determine if the puck crossed the line in Bernier's glove, but the save was ultimately upheld.He made several more slick saves later in the period, finishing with 35 on 39 shots in the 4-1 defeat.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Will Butcher's first regular-season game was a memorable one to say the least.The New Jersey Devils rookie tallied three assists in the Devils' 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche setting a new franchise mark for most points by a player making their NHL debut.He also became just the fifth defenseman in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to record three points in his first NHL contest.In case all of that wasn't enough for the 22-year-old, Butcher accomplished the feat against the club that originally drafted him in the fifth round back in 2013 out of the U.S. National Development Team - before he elected to become a free agent and sign with the Devils this offseason.

Erik Karlsson says he's getting closer to playing in a game, but it doesn't sound like that will happen anytime soon.The Ottawa Senators superstar confirmed he will not suit up against the Detroit Red Wings as his club had hoped he might, while providing some further details about how his recovery is going."We're still fairly early in the process (and) I don't know if I've skated even 10 times yet," Karlsson told reporters Saturday afternoon, via TSN. "Once we get moving forward here, I think it's going to move along fairly fast, but ... there are still some small issues that (are) probably going to bother me (when) playing a game and playing against opponents (when I'm) going to be checked all the time."The all-world defenseman had offseason surgery to repair tendons in his foot following the Senators' run to the Eastern Conference Final. He's made it clear he won't return until he's 100 percent healthy, a goal he doesn't appear close to reaching yet."I still haven't taken contact," Karlsson said Saturday. "I haven't (yet) done the things I need to do to put myself in (a) game situation."However, he clarified that it might not be necessary for him to absorb contact in practice before appearing in a game."I think it's going to go straight from no contact to pretty much playing a game," Karlsson said. "When that is? We're not really sure yet, (but) we're not too far away."After Saturday's contest, the Senators embark on a three-game Western Canadian road trip, but the dynamic blue-liner didn't seem certain he'd be able to join them."We're not sure yet," he said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace. "We haven't really thought that far (ahead), and ... that's something we'll (evaluate) probably (Sunday) when we leave. So, as of right now, it's still going to be day to day, and it's always fun to go out west, so we will see."Karlsson added he hasn't ruled out joining the club mid-trip if he doesn't fly out with them initially.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames appear to be asking for the moon.In a Feb. 21 proposal leaked to The Globe and Mail, the Flames' ownership group of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. requested that the city of Calgary grant it several revenue streams as part of an agreement to fund a new arena.The proposal outlined a number of terms, including an option for the group to purchase and develop the surrounding land of the proposed facility.The Flames would also receive a percentage of the revenues generated by the Calgary Stampede's Cowboys Casino and all of the arena parking fees, while the team also requested the city waive transit fees for those traveling to an arena event via public transportation.Furthermore, the proposal asked for the team to be reimbursed for provincial taxes paid on the arena, and for the city to cover the cost of arena flood insurance."Our proposals in the enclosed term sheet outline the minimum requirements for a robust competitive sports environment and the infrastructure needed to compete on the world stage from an entertainment perspective," Flames president and CEO Ken King wrote to the city, per The Globe and Mail.In a statement, King declared the leaked proposal "inappropriate," telling The Globe and Mail, "Somebody was playing fast and loose with their ethics and I think that's a damn shame."With a deal appearing uncertain, King indicated last month that the Flames are no longer pursuing a new arena in Calgary. Both the team and city have since released their competing proposals for public consumption.Whether the two sides will return to the negotiation table is unknown. However, talks could be revisited following the city's upcoming municipal vote, when incumbent mayor Naheed Nenshi, who opposed the Flames' proposal, is up for re-election.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward Noel Acciari will be sidelined for approximately six weeks following surgery on his left index finger, the team announced Saturday.Acciari suffered the injury in Thursday's season-opening game against the Nashville Predators, leaving early in the second period.He was projected to fill a role on the team's fourth line this season. The 25-year-old split last season between the Bruins and the club's minor-league affiliate in Providence.Acciari has tallied two goals and four assists in 49 NHL games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Amid an ongoing contract dispute, Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou is jetting for Europe.On Friday, it was reported the pivot would begin skating with Lugano of the Swiss-based National League, which was later confirmed by Red Wings general manager Ken Holland."He called me today just to say that he is going to Europe," Holland told Greg Kruppa of The Detroit News. "Double-A’s going to Europe."The highly publicized stalemate between the two sides has always had a European connection, with Athanasiou reportedly considering a lucrative one-year deal with a KHL-based club.Since negotiations have dragged into the regular season, and with Detroit having minimal salary cap space for the 2017-18 campaign, it seems increasingly likely that Athanasiou will be spending more time in European rinks than on NHL ice surfaces.Athanasiou has no commitment with any club overseas, but is weighing all his options.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is off to a roaring start, but it's about to be cranked up to another level.Take a quick gander at the schedule and you'll see 15 games on tap for Saturday, with the Boston Bruins being the lone team with the night off.Anytime 30 teams are in action in a single day, plenty of narratives abound, and that's certainly the case here.Here are a half-dozen storylines worth monitoring on the busiest day of the NHL calendar to date:Stanley Cup Final rematchThe Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators meet Saturday for the first time since their thrilling matchup in the championship round back in June.The clubs remain largely intact, with the exception of a few offseason tweaks, and it will be interesting to see if there is any lingering hostility between Sidney Crosby and P.K. Subban.Nick Bonino will also be especially motivated for the tilt, considering he joined the Predators as a free agent in the offseason after winning back-to-back titles with the Penguins.Hitchcock battles BluesA matchup between the always competitive St. Louis Blues and a revamped Dallas Stars squad might be compelling enough on its own, but it's even more interesting given Ken Hitchcock will face the club that fired him back in February.Hitchcock and the Stars met the Blues twice in the preseason, with the Stars winning both contests by a combined 9-3 margin, but it's going to be for real this time.It's obviously not Hitchcock's first go-round with Dallas, but he'd surely like to make a statement against St. Louis early in his second Stars tenure, and in the regular season.Panarin vs. SaadThe Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets pulled off one of the most unexpected moves of the summer, and the two principal figures of the trade will have their first opportunity to determine who won it Saturday.Artemi Panarin scored 61 goals combined in his two seasons with the Blackhawks, and he'll look to prove they made a mistake by dealing him away for Brandon Saad.Saad notched a hat trick in Chicago's 10-1 destruction of the Penguins on Thursday night, and he looks more than comfortable back in his familiar spot alongside Jonathan Toews.The Blue Jackets and Blackhawks split their two preseason meetings, but now they'll square off with points in the standings at stake.Welcome back, KarlOver in D.C., another reunion will take place when Karl Alzner plays his first game in the U.S. capital as a member of the opposition.The new Montreal Canadiens defenseman inked a five-year deal worth more than $23 million on July 1.He spent parts of nine seasons with the Capitals, so he'll likely get a warm reception from the fans before attempting to prove Washington erred by letting him walk over the summer.This could be awkwardWill Butcher won't have to wait long to get his first crack at the club he wasn't interested in playing for.Back in August, Butcher chose not to sign with the Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted him back in 2013, instead becoming a free agent and joining the New Jersey Devils.Those two clubs get the 15-game slate started with the lone matinee Saturday, and the early game will also be worth watching to see how Nico Hischier fares in his NHL debut.Rivalry renewed The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are both arguably fading from deep postseason contention, but they always bring it when they play each other.Saturday's nightcap pits the Pacific Division foes against each other in what could be another spirited contest.If their playoff meetings and countless regular-season battles of the past were any indication, it should be.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DALLAS (AP) James Neal scored twice in the third period Friday night, rallying the Golden Knights to a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in the debut of the first major pro sports franchise in Las Vegas.The expansion team was playing five days after the shooting that killed 58 people in Las Vegas, and the Dallas players honored the desert city by forming a line next to their Vegas counterparts before the national anthem.With the video board reading ''Viva Las Vegas'' above the players, the public address announcer said ''Dallas stands with Vegas and those affected by the horrifying tragedy.''Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 45 of 46 shots to help the Golden Knights become the first expansion to open with a victory since the Ottawa Senators in 1992. They also spoiled coach Ken Hitchcock's return to Dallas 18 years after he directed the franchise's only Stanley Cup title.Both of Neal's goals came against Kari Lehtonen after Ben Bishop left with an apparent facial injury after taking a puck to the mask. Bishop had stopped all 19 shots in his Dallas debut after coming over in a trade with Los Angeles and signing a long-term contract with the Stars.A former Dallas player and expected to be a top offensive threat for the Golden Knights, Neal beat a screened Lehtonen between the legs midway through the third period for the tying goal.The go-ahead goal came in transition when Neal got the puck past Lehtonen from his knees with 2:44 remaining. Lehtonen shared the job with Antti Niemi the past two seasons, and the Stars made it clear in the offseason they were going a new direction at goalie.Tyler Seguin opened the scoring late in the second period when he redirected a pass from Devin Shore past Marc-Andre Fleury, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with Pittsburgh before being unprotected in the expansion draft.The Stars had plenty to celebrate as well, marking 25 seasons since moving from Minnesota with plenty of highlights while three-time golf major winner Jordan Spieth and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback-turned-broadcaster Tony Romo watched from a suite.The biggest pregame roar came when Hitchcock was introduced, right after a highlight reel that included Brett Hull's Stanley Cup-winning goal when Hitchcock was behind the bench in 1999.Technically, it's the 24th season for the Dallas Stars because of the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. They moved from Minnesota for the 1993-94 season.UP NEXTGolden Knights: At Arizona on Saturday night.Stars: Hitchcock's return to St. Louis on Saturday night.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

James Neal will now forever be the answer to the trivia question: Who scored the first goal in the history of the Vegas Golden Knights?Neal's tally on Kari Lehtonen, who took over for an injured Ben Bishop, evened things at one goal apiece in the club's inaugural game against the Dallas Stars on Friday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Pierre-Luc Dubois scored in his NHL debut and Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.Rookie Sonny Milano scored 1:07 into the game, and the 19-year-old Dubois made it 5-0 midway through the second period. Arena. Cam Atkinson, Ryan Murray and Zach Werenski also scored, newcomer Artemi Panarin had three assists, and Alexander Wennberg added two assists.Islanders starter Thomas Greiss made 21 saves before being pulled after giving up Dubois' goal. Jaroslav Halak stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief.With all of the offensive opportunities created by the Blue Jackets, it could have been worse.Columbus scored on its first shot of the season when Oliver Bjorkstrand shoveled the puck out from the back wall to Milano for a 10-footer that he snapped past Greiss.Midway through the first period, Panarin circled in and teed up a pass that grazed Greiss' stick and was redirected into the net off Atkinson's skate. The whole sequence midway came about after Atkinson picked off a pass in the neutral zone and fed Panarin, who flashed some of the speed and offensive skill that led Columbus to acquire him from Chicago.Murray scored from the left circle 6:57 into the second period after getting a pass from Panarin, who had carried the puck around the back of the net. Later on a power play, Werenski grabbed a sharp rebound and slammed it past Greiss from about 60 feet.Dubois - the third overall pick in 2016 - got his first NHL goal, a wrister from the slot, 1:25 later.NOTES: Atkinson has scored in four straight season openers. ... Panarin was the first player in Columbus franchise history to get three points in his club debut. ... The Blue Jackets loaned RW Josh Anderson to Cleveland of the American Hockey League for conditioning. He didn't participate in training camp because of a contract dispute. The team also sent D Markus Nutivaara to Cleveland. ... Columbus is the youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 25. .... D Ryan Pulock, D Scott Mayfield and C Joshua Ho-Sang were healthy scratches for New York. D Scott Harrington was scratched for Columbus. ... Shane Prince and Alan Quine are out with injuries for New York. ... Boone Jenner, who is out with an injury for Columbus, saw his consecutive-game streak stopped at 175.UP NEXT:New York: Hosts Buffalo on Saturday night.Columbus: At Chicago on Saturday night.---More AP NHL hockey at https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have Vegas' back.Prior to the playing of the national anthem at the Stars' home opener and the Golden Knights' inaugural game, the entire Stars team made their way over to Vegas' blue line, and stood behind them in a show of support for the recent shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people and more than 500 wounded.

With his contract negotiations stuck in neutral, Andreas Athanasiou is reportedly headed to Switzerland.The restricted free agent is flying to the European nation Friday night and will start skating with Lugano of the Swiss-based National League, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports.Athanasiou hasn't signed a contract or made any commitments in Switzerland, and the forward will evaluate his options once he begins skating there, adds McKenzie.The Detroit Red Wings reportedly offered the 23-year-old a two-year, $3.8-million contract last month.There was thought to have been some progress made in talks in September, but the Red Wings opened training camp, then the preseason, and then the regular season Thursday night without him.Athanasiou has 27 goals and 43 points in 101 games over his first two campaigns with Detroit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have supplemented their goaltending depth by acquiring Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward prospect Tobias Lindberg and a sixth-round draft pick in 2018, the team announced Friday.Pickard, 25, was acquired by Vegas in the expansion draft from the Colorado Avalanche, but was made expendable when the club decided to claim Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Boston Bruins.With the Avs last year, Pickard posted a record of 15-31-2 with a .904 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average.With a superior team in front of him, Pickard upped his game while competing for Team Canada at the 2017 World Championship, recording a .938 save percentage and a 1.49 goals-against average in seven games, backstopping Canada to a silver medal.Pickard will start in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, but he will provide internal competition to the Leafs' current backup, veteran Curtis McElhinney.As for Lindberg, the 22-year-old was acquired by the Leafs from the Ottawa Senators in the Dion Phaneuf trade. In 44 games with the Marlies last season, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound winger tallied six goals and 10 assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Saturday nights are for hockey and grilling shrimp on the barbie.That will be the case for Washington Capitals prospect Nathan Walker, the U.K.-born and Australia-raised winger who will make his NHL debut Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.Walker - who will become the first Aussie to play in the NHL - spent last season with the AHL's Hershey Bears, where he posted 23 points in 58 games. He last played in Australia in 2010-11, when he spent three games with the Sydney Ice Dogs of the Australian Ice Hockey League.Walker, 23, joins a growing list of NHLers who hail from non-traditional markets, including Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, a product of Scottsdale, Ariz.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The pieces aren't quite in place just yet.Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant led his team through the morning skate in advance of their inaugural game Friday in Dallas against the Stars, but with an interesting balance of players at his disposal.Of the 23 players currently on the roster, nine are defensemen, while the forward lines are missing a few preseason standouts, namely Vadim Shipachyov, Tomas Hyka, and Alex Tuch.

The New Jersey Devils have unveiled the world's largest, in-arena, center-hung scoreboard, which now resides in the Prudential Center.The scoreboard weighs 88,401 pounds, takes up 9,584.9 square feet, stands almost four stories tall, and contains 29,610,024 SMD pixels.Needless to say, it catches the eye.

The Detroit Red Wings opened the regular season with a win over the Minnesota Wild inside the friendly confines of the brand new Little Caesars Arena.Here's a look at some memorable moments from the rink's in-season debut, beginning with some neat views from above:Henrik Zetterberg and Mikko Koivu participated in the ceremonial puck drop by Red Wings President Christopher Ilitch, former captain Nicklas Lidstrom, and TV announcer Mickey Redmond.Moments later, the two captains met again to begin the game.PETA made an attempt to curb Detroit's infamous octopus toss, but four hit the ice prior to puck drop.

The Chicago Blackhawks had themselves a night.With an impressive 10-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, the Blackhawks stormed into the new season looking like a team that can still compete for a title.While the double-digit win may have been the most impressive number of the night, here are five other stats that stood out:1. Hartman's 5-point nightIt was a record-setting night for forward Ryan Hartman, whose goal and four assists marked the most points ever recorded by a Blackhawk in a season opener. Hartman found quick chemistry with linemates Patrick Kane and Nick Schmaltz, as the trio combined for 12 points.2. Niemi: 9 minutes, 13 shots, 4 goalsMany pundits questioned Pittsburgh's signing of Antti Niemi - fresh off his disastrous campaign with the Dallas Stars - and his first game as a Penguin did little to quell those concerns. The veteran netminder was torched for four goals on just 13 shots, including a stretch where he allowed three in 1:13. In all, Niemi lasted just over nine minutes into Thursday's contest before coach Mike Sullivan had seen enough.3. Saad's record-tying hat trickThe NHL season is just two days old, and yet the record books have already gotten a workout - there have been four hat tricks in season debuts across the league, the first such occurrence in a century. Blackhawks winger Brandon Saad contributed to that feat on Thursday, notching three tallies against the Penguins.4. 16 Blackhawks get on the boardIt was a balanced attacked for the Blackhawks on Thursday, with the team receiving scoring from all avenues. In all, 17 of 20 skaters finished the night with at least one point. Forwards Lance Bouma and Tanner Kero, and defenseman Connor Murphy were the lone three who failed to find the scoresheet.5. 10 goals at even strengthEven more impressive? While the Blackhawks' power play failed to capitalize on any of its six opportunities, the team was firing on all cylinders at even strength. All 10 of Chicago's tallies came at five-on-five.Here's a quick video recap of all 10 goals:

We've been pretty spoiled through the first two nights of the 2017-18 NHL season.There's been goals up the wazoo, and with that we've been blessed with four hat tricks. Each has been impressive in its own way, but lets be honest, some goals are prettier than others and some performances rank higher - in our minds, anyways.Here is how the first four hat tricks of the season stack up against one another:1. Ovechkin's three 3rd-period daggersAlex Ovechkin is No. 1.Things were looking so good for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night before the six-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner realized he'd had enough.With the Senators up 3-1 over the Capitals, Ovechkin scored twice to knot the game at 3-3. After Mark Stone gave the Senators the lead again, Ovi shut it down, completing the hat trick to send the game to overtime.The Capitals would ultimately reign victorious in the shootout, where for good measure Ovechkin would score once more.2. McDavid does it all for Oilers

There is a lot of blame to go around in the Pittsburgh Penguins' dressing room after the club dropped a 10-1 decision to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.Following the whipping, defenseman Kris Letang took some personal responsibility for the loss, offering his apologies to goaltenders Antti Niemi and Matt Murray."I would say I'm sorry." Letang said, according to Sam Kasan of the team's website. "They deserve better than that."Meanwhile, head coach Mike Sullivan, who was undoubtedly embarrassed by the loss, also shouldered a lot of the blame."Everything went wrong. We just didn’t play the game the right way," Sullivan said. "It’s disturbing. We have to do some soul searching."The responsibility falls on me," he added.After also giving up five goals on Wednesday night to the St. Louis Blues, it's evident the reigning Cup champs are not playing like themselves to open the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHICAGO (AP) Brandon Saad scored three times in his return to Chicago and Ryan Hartman had a goal and four assists, helping the Blackhawks pound the Pittsburgh Penguins 10-1 on Thursday night.Nick Schmaltz added two goals and an assist as Chicago kicked off its season in style with a runaway victory against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Patrick Kane also had a goal and three assists in the Blackhawks' highest scoring game since a 10-1 win against Winnipeg on Oct. 12, 1988.Pittsburgh was coming off a 5-4 overtime loss to St. Louis in its season opener on Wednesday, and it looked every bit like a team on the second half of back-to-back nights. Antti Niemi was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots in his Penguins debut, forcing Matt Murray to come in after he took the loss against the Blues.Sidney Crosby found Phil Kessel for a power-play goal at 2:05 of the second period, but Chicago already had a 5-0 lead at that point. It was the most goals allowed by Pittsburgh since a 10-8 loss to San Jose on Jan. 13, 1996.The Blackhawks won the Central Division last season and finished with the most points in the Western Conference. But they were swept by Nashville in their second consecutive first-round loss, leading to a flurry of moves by admittedly angry general manager Stan Bowman.Chicago, which won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015, scored three goals in 13 periods in the series against Nashville. It got four in the first 9:16 against Pittsburgh.Ryan Hartman scored off a slick pass from Kane at 6:21. After Saad got his first off a rush with Richard Panik, Kane made another great pass to set up Schmaltz's backhander at 7:34. Saad then beat Niemi with a well-placed shot through a crowd in front, and the rout was on.The 24-year-old Saad began his career with Chicago and helped the Blackhawks win two Stanley Cups before he was traded to Columbus after the 2015 season. Bowman got him back in a blockbuster trade with the Blue Jackets in June, parting with dynamic winger Artemi Panarin in a multiplayer deal.For one night at least, it looked like a smart move. Saad finished off his hat trick at 5:21 of the third, and Brent Seabrook made it 10-1 with a rebound goal with 6:15 remaining.Hartman set a career high for points and assists in a game in Chicago's highest-scoring opener, topping an 8-6 victory at Nashville on Oct. 5, 2006. Patrick Sharp also scored in his return to Chicago after signing a team-friendly, one-year deal with the Blackhawks in the offseason.The one downer for the Blackhawks was an injury for Schmaltz in the third. He skated off gingerly at 7:49 and was helped to the locker room.NOTES: Sharp's first-period goal was his 600th career point. ... Blackhawks F Marian Hossa was greeted with a huge roar when he was introduced with the team before the game. Hossa has been ruled out for the season due to a progressive skin disorder, and it's unclear if he will be able to play again. ... Former Blackhawks F Bryan Bickell received a standing ovation when he took one more skate with the team during the pregame festivities. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last November and signed a one-day contract Wednesday to retire with the Blackhawks.UP NEXTPenguins: Host Nashville on Saturday night.Blackhawks: Host Columbus on Saturday night.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenapCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hat trick is en vogue on opening nights around the NHL, and some history has been made in the process.Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Simmonds, and Brandon Saad all scored three times in their first games of the campaign, marking the first time since 1917-18 that four hat tricks were registered in season-opening contests.McDavid and Simmonds both capped three-goal nights with empty-netters Wednesday, while Ovechkin and Saad pulled off the feat Thursday in their respective openers.The last time four hat tricks were notched in each of the players' opening games in the same season, it was accomplished by Harry Hyland of the Montreal Wanderers, Joe Malone of the Montreal Canadiens, Cy Denneny of the Ottawa Senators, and Reg Noble of the Toronto Arenas back in that 1917-18 campaign.More hat tricks could be in store Friday night, when six other clubs play their first games of 2017-18.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin doesn't need much time to beat you.The Washington Capitals captain scored three third-period goals against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday to record his 18th career hat trick.With the trick, Ovechkin is now up to 561 tallies for his career, passing Guy Lafleur and tying Mike Modano for 24th on the all-time goals list.He also becomes the second Capitals player in history to score a hat trick in a season-opening game, joining Mikhail Grabovski, according to NHL Public Relations.Ovechkin would cap off the night with another goal in the shootout.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seeing where you're passing is overrated for Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane.The slick playmaker delivered two uncanny no-look passes Thursday night that led directly to goals.

Even former NHL tough guys can get emotional when the moment calls for it.Louie DeBrusk, father of Boston Bruins rookie Jake and a veteran of more than 400 NHL games himself, teared up when his son notched the first goal of his career Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.It was a big night for Bruins rookies and their parents, as defenseman Charlie McAvoy buried his first NHL goal to the delight of his mom and dad about 10 minutes later.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's what you get for $80 million.Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel gave a quick reminder just why he deserves to be paid top dollar in this league, setting up Jason Pominville with a sweet saucer pass for an easy one-timer goal.The assist was Eichel's first point of the 2017-18 season. Meanwhile, Pominville's goal was his second of the night coming in his first regular season game with the Sabres since 2013.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward David Backes is expected to miss three to four weeks with diverticulitis, the team announced Thursday.Backes will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks, but the ailment is expected to keep him out longer.The 33-year-old is entering the second year of a five-year, $30-million contract and is coming off his first season with the Bruins in which he scored 17 goals and 38 points in 74 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One day after Connor McDavid made franchise history with an opening-night hat trick against the Calgary Flames, one of the all-time greats said he believes the Edmonton Oilers superstar can break Wayne Gretzky's record for goals in a season."McDavid is just too good, man," Flames forward Jaromir Jagr told reporters Thursday, via TSN. "If he would learn how to score on breakaways a little more, I think he would score 150 (goals) a season. To score 100 for him, it's possible. He scored three and had another three breakaways (Wednesday night), so I've never seen anything like that in my life, somebody dominating like that."Jagr believes the modern game and its emphasis on quickness is ideal for McDavid and his uncanny wheels."With his speed, in this game right now when you can't hold anyone up, it's very dangerous," Jagr said. "Probably Wayne and Mario (Lemieux) were the same way, but you could grab them (and) hold them with the stick. Right now, (these) rules are just perfect (for) him, so I wouldn't be surprised if some day he scored 100 goals and (broke) the record. It is possible."Gretzky holds the all-time record with 92 goals in a single season, a feat he accomplished back in 1981-82.McDavid potted 30 goals in his first full campaign in 2016-17, adding 70 assists to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top point producer, and later winning the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player.The 20-year-old notched 44 goals and 120 points in his final season with the OHL's Erie Otters in 2014-15.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks are starting 2017-18 with their wings clipped.Head coach Randy Carlyle announced Ryan Getzlaf will not be able to suit up for Thursday's season opener against the Arizona Coyotes as a result of a lower-body injury.As such, Anaheim takes an early lead in a dubious category:

The Carolina Hurricanes have settled on a pair of captains for 2017-18: forward Jordan Staal and defenseman Justin Faulk.