Oct 4, 2008 - 5:56 PM
0 shoutsBy PA SportsTicker
PITTSBURGH 4, OTTAWA 3 (OT) ---------------------------
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Ticker) -- Tyler Kennedy scored his second goal of the game with 25 seconds remaining in overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins opened the regular season with a 4-3 triumph over the Ottawa Senators.
Evgeni Malkin added a shorthanded tally and defenseman Rob Scuderi scored for the first time in 96 contests for Pittsburgh, which will look to complete a two-game sweep when the teams meet again Sunday at the Globe Arena as part of NHL Premiere 2008.
Jason Spezza had a goal and an assist and Shean Donovan and Dany Heatley also tallied for Ottawa, which is looking to rebound after being swept by the Penguins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals last season.
In overtime, Kennedy stripped Spezza of the puck at center ice, raced up the left wing and - using defenseman Jason Smith as a screen - unleashed a shot which sailed past goaltender Martin Gerber for the game-winner.
Kennedy opened the scoring 40 seconds into the contest after skating out from behind the net and quickly wristing a sharp-angle shot which sailed past Gerber and under the crossbar.
While Kennedy tallied twice in one game, Scuderi found the back of the net for the first time since February 16, 2007 in a 5-4 triumph over the New Jersey Devils.
With Ottawa clinging to a 3-2 lead just 3:57 into the third period, Scuderi took a brilliant cross-ice feed from captain Sidney Crosby. The blue-liner quickly unleashed a shot which sailed past an out-of-position Gerber to level the contest.
Defenseman Filip Kuba had two assists and Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson had a team-high six shots in his return to his native Sweden.
NY RANGERS 2, TAMPA BAY 1 -------------------------
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (Ticker) -- Brandon Dubinsky scored a power-play goal to snap a tie with 5:44 remaining in the third period as the New York Rangers opened the regular season with a 2-1 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Free-agent acquisition Markus Naslund also tallied and Henrik Lundqvist made 20 saves for New York, which will look to complete a two-game sweep when the teams meet again Sunday at the O2 Arena as part of NHL Premiere 2008.
Martin St. Louis scored and goaltender Mike Smith finished with 39 saves for Tampa Bay, which finished the 2007-08 season with an NHL-worst 31 wins.
With the Rangers on the power play late in the third period, Dubinsky skated in from the right faceoff circle and wristed a shot which sailed past a thoroughly screened Smith and just inside the left goalpost for the game-winner.
The Rangers enjoyed a 41-21 advantage in shots, which is a promising sign considering the team will be looking for offense following the departure of future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr to Avangard Omsk in Russia.
A five-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer, Jagr led the Rangers with both 25 goals and 71 points last season.
After the Rangers dominated the majority of the second period, Naslund opened the scoring with 1:52 remaining in the session.
Scott Gomez skated into the offensive zone before lifting a pass to Naslund in the right circle. The 35-year-old Swede quickly unleashed a wrist shot which caromed of Smith's blocker and into the net.
St. Louis leveled the contest 3:57 into the third period after skating into the zone and backhanding a shot which sailed past Lundqvist and under the crossbar.
Credited with an assist was Vincent Lecavalier, who signed an 11-year contract extension in the offseason with the Lightning, keeping him with the team through the 2019-20 season.
