NHL Capsules

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots for his 250th NHL victory and franchise-record 24th shutout, and Sidney Crosby scored in Pittsburgh's two-goal first period to lead the Penguins to a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.

Chuck Kobasew and Craig Adams added goals for the Penguins, who took control early.

Kobasew and Crosby scored less than four minutes apart in the first, and Adams made it 3-0 midway through the third to celebrate his 800th career game in style.

Cory Schneider made 18 saves for the Devils. Schneider's start marked the first time in 19 years Martin Brodeur didn't play in the season opener for New Jersey. Brodeur is expected to start Friday at home against the New York Islanders.

Fleury was stellar from the opening faceoff and even stopped a penalty shot by Adam Henrique late in the third period to preserve the shutout.

BRUINS 3, LIGHTNING 1

BOSTON (AP) — Chris Kelly scored on a penalty shot, and Patrice Bergeron also had a short-handed goal as Boston opened defence of its Eastern Conference championship with a victory over Tampa Bay.

Kelly was hooked from behind about eight minutes in while Boston was killing off a penalty, and he converted the one-on-one with goalie Anders Lindback.

Boston also killed a 5-on-3 power play in the first period and another in the third.

Tuukka Rask made 32 saves for Boston, which reached the Stanley Cup finals last season for the second time in three years.

Lindback stopped 22 shots for the Lightning.

Milan Lucic also scored for Boston. David Krejci, who was a game-time decision with back spasms, had the team's only assist.

CAPITALS 5, FLAMES 4, SO

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist and then scored in the shootout for Washington, which rallied from an early three-goal deficit to beat Calgary in the Flames' season opener.

Washington's Michal Neuvirth, who replaced an ineffective Braden Holtby, made 27 saves and stopped Sven Baertschi and Jiri Hudler in the shootout.

Marcus Johansson assisted on all three second-period goals for the Capitals, who earned their first win after dropping the opener to defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago on Tuesday.

Connor Carrick and Nicklas Backstrom also scored for Washington.

David Jones, Lee Stempniak, Hudler and Lance Bouma had goals for Calgary. Karri Ramo made 35 saves.

KINGS 3, WILD 2, SO

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter scored shootout goals for Los Angeles, which rallied to beat Minnesota in the season opener for both teams.

Carter and Drew Doughty scored regulation goals for Los Angeles, which had just 18 shots. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves for the Kings, including stops against Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu in the shootout.

Matt Cooke and Jonas Brodin scored in regulation for Minnesota, which had never lost a home opener in its first 12 seasons (11-0-1).

With the Kings trailing 2-1, Carter scored on a rebound of a shot by Matt Frattin at 13:14 of the third period to tie it.

BLUES 4, PREDATORS 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — David Backes had a goal and assist in the first period to lead St. Louis over Nashville as each team opened its regular season.

The Blues scored three times in the first 9:45 to jump in front 3-0 and chase goalie Pekka Rinne.

Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves for the Blues and improved to 9-3-3 against the Predators.

Vladimir Sobotka, T.J. Oshie and Alex Steen also scored for St. Louis, which was 2 of 4 on the power play. The Blues have won four of their past five home openers.

Nashville, which missed the playoffs last season, is 7-7-1 in season openers.

PANTHERS 4, STARS 2

DALLAS (AP) — Marcel Goc scored two third-period goals, and Florida spoiled Lindy Ruff's debut as Dallas coach with a season-opening road victory.

The Panthers erased a 2-1 deficit with goals about 4 1/2 minutes apart. Goc's goal followed the tying tally by 18-year-old Aleksander Barkov, the No. 2 pick in this year's draft.

Goc's second goal was an empty-netter. Tim Thomas made 24 saves for Florida.

Dallas' Ryan Garbutt and Florida's Dmitry Kulikov were ejected in the first period when they started fighting a few moments after another fight on the ice.

Scott Gomez, a 14-year veteran in his first season with the Panthers, opened the scoring with a backhand shot from the crease after a pass from behind the net by Scottie Upshall.

COYOTES 4, RANGERS 1

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Radim Vrbata scored three goals, Mike Smith stopped 23 shots, and Phoenix opened its first season with an owner in four years by routing the New York Rangers.

With NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the club's new owners in attendance, the Coyotes turned a tight game into a one-sided contest behind Vrbata's second straight hat trick — dating to last season — and fifth of his career.

Kyle Chipchura also scored, Martin Hanzal had two assists, and Smith made some tough saves on a pair of early penalty kills, including one from his stomach on a shot by Benoit Pouliot.

Marc Staal scored a power-play goal for the short-handed Rangers in their first game under new coach Alain Vigneault. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 28 shots for New York.

SHARKS 4, CANUCKS 1

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Justin Braun scored his first goal in more than 19 months to break a tie late in the second period and San Jose went on to beat Vancouver in the season opener for both teams.

Brent Burns, Patrick Marleau and Tommy Wingels also scored for the Sharks, who have won eight straight against the Canucks including a sweep in the first round of the playoffs last season. Antti Niemi made 21 saves.

Jason Garrison scored a power-play goal and Roberto Luongo made 31 saves for the Canucks, who lost in the debut of new coach John Tortorella.

The Canucks opened this season on the same ice they ended the last one on after the disappointing early playoff exit led to the firing of coach Alain Vigneault.