Montreal @ Toronto 3-1
Max Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk and Carey Price helped the Canadiens spoil former Whitley Warriors Defenseman, Mike Babcock's debut as coach of the Maple Leafs. Pacioretty scored twice, Galchenyuk had the go-ahead goal with 7:58 remaining, and Price made 36 saves to give the Canadiens a 3-1 season-opening victory against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday. The Maple Leafs played sound, puck-possession hockey for most of the night in their first game under Babcock, outshooting the Canadiens 37-30. But that was not enough to please their new coach.
Babcock did win the NHL's first coach's challenge. An apparent goal by Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry 6:36 into the second period was negated when it was ruled Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec interfered with Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Video replay showed Plekanec's stick made incidental contact with Bernier's head before the puck entered the net. Galchenyuk snapped a rebound past Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier to break a 1-1 tie. Pacioretty, who scored 3:09 into the game, hit the empty net with 30.8 seconds remaining.
The Maple Leafs opened the game with a flurry, getting the first five shots on goal. But it was the Canadiens who took a 1-0 lead when Pacioretty, playing his 400th NHL game, took his team's first shot. Bernier got a piece of the puck, but it trickled over the goal line. Brad Boyes had a good opportunity to get the Maple Leafs even when he broke in alone on Price at 15:10, but he failed to connect on his attempted deke as he was being pestered from behind by Montreal defenseman Tom Gilbert.
Toronto controlled most of the action and outshot Montreal 11-7 in the first period. Gallagher was penalized 13 seconds into the second period for bumping into Bernier following a play stoppage, and the Maple Leafs tied the game six seconds later. Center Nazem Kadri directed a slap pass toward the Montreal goal and the puck bounced off left wing James van Riemsdyk's skate and went past Price. Montreal had a good chance to regain the lead midway through the third period when David Desharnais took a shot toward an open net with Bernier down and out, but Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner made a skate save. Bernier finished with 27 saves.
"There's no moral victories in the NHL. You either won or you lost. I didn't challenge nothing. Assistant coach Andrew Brewer] yelled in [assistant coach] Jim Hiller's ear and Jim said, 'We're challenging.' Then they were good enough to put it up on the screen, so I knew by time the ref got over there we'd win it. We had lots of chances to score. In the third period I didn't like that when we started pushing we got a little carried away at times, but I thought we did a lot of good things structurally. We won a lot of battles. In saying all of that, I'd like us to score better. You've got to win games; that's the bottom line. We had good structure and we did a lot of really good things. We played hard enough, but we can still get way better. The part I don't like is when momentum swings are happening in the game and we get carried away one way or the other way. In other words when we turn over one we end up turning over three." said Babcock.
OPENING NIGHT NEWS
* Newly appointed captains Max Pacioretty (Montreal) and Joe Pavelski (San Jose) each recorded multiple points to guide his team to victory.
* The Rangers spoiled the Blackhawks’ banner-raising ceremony, marking the eighth time in the last 10 seasons that the defending Stanley Cup champion lost its first game of the season (Stanley Cup champions.
* Max Pacioretty scored the first goal of the NHL season on Montreal's opening shot of the game, the second consecutive season he has accomplished both feats. He added an empty-net goal to lead the Canadiens past the Maple Leafs in their seventh consecutive season-opening game. Overall, Montreal has won each the last seven meetings between the clubs (dating to March 1, 2014).
* Pacioretty also scored the first goal of the 2014-15 NHL season on Montreal's first shot at 4:42 of the first period at Toronto on Oct. 8, 2014, a 4-3 Canadiens win. He has 13-7—20 in his past 22 games against the Maple Leafs.
* According to the Elias Sports Bureau, P.K. Subban is the first Canadiens defenseman to record three points in a season-opening game since Oct. 9, 1986, when Gaston Gingras went 0-3—3 in a 7-4 loss at the Maple Leafs.
* At 6:35 of the second period in the first game of the season, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock requested the first-ever Coach’s Challenge to review whether Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec interfered with Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier prior to Jeff Petry’s goal. The Referee determined that Plekanec interfered with Bernier before the puck crossed the goal line and, in accordance with Rule 78.7, overturned the original on-ice call. Since the Coach’s Challenge resulted in the original call being overturned, the Maple Leafs retained their time-out.
RANGERS @ BLACKHAWKS' BANNER RAISING
* The Rangers scored three first-period goals, including Derek Stepan's eventual game-winner in the final minute, to spoil the Blackhawks' banner raising and win their third consecutive visit to the United Center (dating to Jan. 8, 2014). The Rangers also improved to 13-2-0 in their past 15 road games against Western Conference opponents since the start of 2014-15. Overall, the Rangers set a franchise record with 28 road wins last season.
* Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves to improve to 6-1-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in nine games against the Blackhawks.
* Lundqvist started his 10th consecutive season-opening game for the Rangers dating to 2006-07 (6-3-1, 2.49 GAA, .916 SV%). Ed Giacomin, who started 11 consecutive Rangers season openers from 1965-66 to 1975-76, is the only other goalie to accomplish the feat with the franchise.
SHARKS ENJOY OPENING NIGHT SUCCESS
* Newly appointed captain Joe Pavelski and offseason acquisition Martin Jones (19 saves) helped San Jose open its 25th anniversary season with a second consecutive season-opening win against the Kings. The Sharks have won six straight season openers, the longest active such winning streak in the NHL, and are 8-1-1 in their past 10 such contests (4-1-1 on the road).
* Pavelski has 79 goals since the start of 2013-14, the second-most in the NHL during that span, behind Alex Ovechkin with 104.
* After landing with the Sharks via a pair of offseason trades, Jones won his regular-season debut against his former club. The 25-year-old played 34 games with the Kings during the past two seasons, going 16-11-2 with a 1.99 GAA, .923 SV%, and seven shutouts.
CANUCKS GAIN REVENGE
* Daniel Sedin, Alexandre Burrows and Brandon Sutter each had multipoint games as the Canucks defeated the Flames in their first meeting since the opening round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a six-game series victory by Calgary. The Canucks are 10-2-0 against the Flames in the regular-season dating to April 6, 2013; that includes a 5-1-0 mark at Scotiabank Saddledome. Vancouver also improved to 6-3-1 in 10 all-time season-opening contests against Calgary.
* Henrik Sedin also found the back of the net for Vancouver. He and brother Daniel each have 15 points in 15 season openers. Daniel also has 28-54—82 in 80 games against the Flames.
* Sutter's goal stood as the game-winner in his Canucks debut; he was acquired from the Penguins on July 25.
2015 MOLSON CANADIAN NHL FACE-OFF
The NHL, in conjunction with the Flames and Tourism Calgary, hosted the 2015 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off at historic Fort Calgary in Alberta. Neo soul/indie pop band Fitz & The Tantrums headlined the free hockey and music festival, which culminated with a live viewing party of the Flames' home opener.
Alternative rock band Reuben and the Dark, Canadian singer/songwriter Jocelyn Alice and Calgary DJ duo Boogie Hill Faders also performed at the event, which featured NHL Alumni appearances, prize giveaways and sponsored hockey activities.
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin (undrafted) and Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi (No. 99 2010, Florida) each scored in their NHL debuts.
* Rangers forward Oscar Lindberg (No. 57, 2010, Phoenix) scored his first NHL goal less than two minutes into his second NHL game.
* Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton (No. 147, 2012) had an assist in his NHL debut. Teammate Jared McCann also played in his first NHL game.
* Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty played in his 400th NHL game.
* Sharks coach Peter DeDoer and Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock each debuted with their new clubs.
LOOSE PUCKS
Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa is 19-29—48 in 48 games vs. the Rangers. … Sharks forward Joe Thornton is 14-52—66 in 71 career games against the Kings. … Marc-Edouard Vlasic played in his 671st NHL game, all with the Sharks, tying Mike Rathje for the most by a defenseman in Sharks history. … The Blues signed forward Scott Gomez to a one-year contract. … The Oilers announced Andrew Ference, Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will serve as alternate captains for the 2015-16 season. … The Hurricanes named defenseman Justin Faulk an alternate captains, joining captain Eric Staal and alternate captain Jordan Staal. … The NHL, led by Commissioner Gary Bettman, will ring the NYSE Opening Bell on Oct. 8 to celebrate the start of the 2015-16 hockey season. … Members of the Toronto Blue Jays received a standing ovation at Air Canada Centre on the eve of their first postseason game in 22 years.
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