NHL Capsules

BOSTON (AP) - Milan Hejduk scored with 12:03 left in the third period and Semyon Varlamov stopped 30 shots for his fifth NHL shutout, lifting the Colorado Avalanche to a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Monday.

The Stanley Cup champion Bruins have lost two of three to start the season.

Hejduk scored the Avalanche's first goal of the season. They lost 3-0 at home to Detroit in their opener Saturday night. Varlamov had 36 saves in that defeat.

Hejduk collected a loose puck along the boards, cut to the right circle and sent a wrist shot that slipped inside the right post by Tuukka Rask, who appeared to be partially screened by teammate Zdeno Chara.

Rask stopped 35 shots in his first start of the season. Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas played the first two games for Boston.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Ilya Kovalchuk scored the deciding goal and added two assists, and Johan Hedberg made 24 saves in New Jersey's first victory this season.

Zach Parise had two goals, and Mark Fayne another for New Jersey, which beat Carolina for a sixth straight time at home. Hedberg, Martin Brodeur's backup, drew an early start after not making his first start last year until the eighth game. He improved to 4-0 over the last two seasons against the Hurricanes.

Alexei Ponikarovsky and Chad LaRose scored for the Hurricanes (0-2-1). Cam Ward made 22 saves.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) - Andrew MacDonald and Frans Nielsen scored first-period goals and the New York Islanders hung on to beat Minnesota.

Al Montoya made 20 saves in his second straight start over Rick DiPietro. Unlike his outing in the season-opening 2-0 loss to Florida on Saturday, Montoya got some offense and held off the Wild to give the Islanders their first win of the season.

Montoya lost his shutout bid 1:13 into the third period when Matt Cullen scored his second goal in two games. Minnesota lost its first road game of the season after opening with a 4-2 home win over Columbus on Saturday.

New York managed to hold off the Wild despite being outshot 19-5 after their impressive first period.

Minnesota had chances to at least get even, but failed to connect on five power-play opportunities - including a 44-second, two-man advantage in the second period that didn't generate a shot, and a pair of third-period advantages.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and an assist to lead St. Louis to its first win of the season.

Alex Steen, Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jason Arnott also scored, and Andy McDonald added a pair of assists for the Blues, who got 15 saves from Jaroslav Halak.

Curtis Glencross and Jarome Iginla scored for Calgary, which has dropped its first two games of the season. Henrik Karlsson got the start instead of Miikka Kiprusoff and stopped 30 shots.