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Chicago • Brandon Saad, Johnny Oduya and Marian Hossa scored in the third period, and the Chicago Blackhawks kicked off their Stanley Cup title defense with a 6-4 victory over Mikhail Grabovsky and the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook and Brandon Bollig also scored for Chicago, which won its first game for the second straight season. Corey Crawford made 28 saves, including a couple of huge stops when the Blackhawks killed off a late 5-on-3 power play.
Chicago ruined Los Angeles' title celebration with a 5-2 victory in last season's opener, and then set an NHL record by recording at least one point in its first 24 games. The fast start played a key role in the Blackhawks' run to the Stanley Cup title, and coach Joel Quenneville made it clear in training camp that another opening surge is a priority.
Grabovsky had three goals and an assist in his first game since he signed with Washington in August. Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist, but the Capitals dropped their opener for the second straight season.
Grabovsky had consecutive power-play goals in the third, lifting Washington to a 3-2 lead with 14:44 left. But Saad finished a beautiful give-and-go with Michal Handzus, and Oduya converted a long slap shot at 13:53 to put the Blackhawks ahead to stay.
Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 3 • Tyler Bozak scored a short-handed goal and Mason Raymond netted the winner in his first game with the Maple Leafs as Toronto beat host Montreal.
James van Riemsdyk and Dion Phaneuf also scored in a fight-filled game in which Montreal's new enforcer, George Parros, was carried off on a stretcher following a bout. Toronto's Colton Orr pulled Parros down during the fight, and the Canadiens forward's face crashed into the ice. —
Standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
Toronto 1 1 0 0 2 4 3
Boston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Detroit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Florida 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ottawa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tampa Bay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Montreal 1 0 1 0 0 3 4
Metropolitan Division
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Columbus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
New Jersey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N.Y. Islanders 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
N.Y. Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Philadelphia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pittsburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Washington 1 0 1 0 0 4 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
Chicago 1 1 0 0 2 6 4
Winnipeg 1 1 0 0 2 5 4
Colorado 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dallas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Minnesota 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nashville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
St. Louis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pacific Division
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
Anaheim 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Calgary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Los Angeles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Phoenix 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Jose 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Vancouver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Edmonton 1 0 1 0 0 4 5
NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.
Tuesday's Games
Toronto 4, Montreal 3
Chicago 6, Washington 4
Winnipeg 5, Edmonton 4
Wednesday's Games
Toronto at Philadelphia, 5:30 p.m.
Buffalo at Detroit, 6 p.m.
Anaheim at Colorado, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday's Games
Tampa Bay at Boston, 5 p.m.
New Jersey at Pittsburgh, 5 p.m.
Calgary at Washington, 5 p.m.
Nashville at St. Louis, 6 p.m.
Los Angeles at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
Florida at Dallas, 6:30 p.m.
N.Y. Rangers at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
Vancouver at San Jose, 8 p.m.