SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Oct. 11
N.Y. Islanders at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EDT). Jason Blake led the Islanders with 40 goals last season before signing with the Maple Leafs as a free agent during the summer.
STARS
Wednesday
-Mike Richards, Flyers, had two goals and two assists in an 8-2 victory over Vancouver.
-Pascal Leclaire, Blue Jackets, made 32 saves for his second straight shutout in a 2-0 victory over Phoenix.
-Chris Gratton, Lightning, reacquired from Florida in June, scored twice in a 2-1 victory over the winless Panthers.
-Niklas Backstrom, Wild, stopped 21 shots for his second shutout of the season in unbeaten Minnesota’s 2-0 victory over Edmonton.
-Milan Michalek, Sharks, scored his second power-play goal with 3:31 left, lifting San Jose to a 2-1 victory over Chicago.
-Niklas Hagman, Stars, matched his career high with two goals, including one short-handed, as Dallas beat Los Angeles for the ninth straight time, 5-1.
STARTS
Brian Elliott won his NHL debut in goal, stopping 27 shots as Ottawa beat winless Atlanta 3-1 Wednesday night, improving to 5-0 – one short of the franchise record to start a season. … Carey Price made 26 saves in his NHL debut and Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Markov each had a goal and an assist to lead Montreal to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.
ROOKIES
Chicago rookie Jonathan Toews, drafted third overall in 2006, scored on his first shot in his first NHL game, assisted by Patrick Kane, 2007’s first overall pick. However, San Jose beat Chicago 2-1 Wednesday night.
PAYBACK
Paul Kariya helped beat his old team in St. Louis’ home opener, assisting on two first-period goals by Brad Boyes in a 4-1 victory over Nashville on Wednesday night. The Blues were 1-11-4 the last two seasons against the Predators. Kariya, Nashville’s leading scorer the last two seasons before signing a three-year, $18 million free-agent deal in St. Louis, has five assists in three games.
SNAPPED
iling on a silver tray.
STREAKS
Boston C Marc Savard sat out Wednesday night’s game in Anaheim because of a groin strain sustained Saturday in Phoenix, ending his consecutive games played streak at 166 since April 3, 2004. … Philadelphia improved to 9-0-4 in Vancouver since 1989 with an 8-2 victory.
CONSISTENT
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has given up two goals in each of the first three games, but New York lost its second straight Wednesday night, 2-1 to the rival Islanders. The Rangers went 0-for-6 on the power play and have failed to score in 15 man-advantage chances this season.
GUILTY
Former NHL player Rob Ramage was found guilty Wednesday of impaired driving causing death and four other charges in connection with a wreck that killed former Chicago Blackhawks star Keith Magnuson. Magnuson, 56, died Dec. 15, 2003, when a rental car driven by Ramage, 48, slammed head-on into another vehicle in Woodbridge. Ramage, who lives in St. Louis, is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 17.
SITTING OUT
Atlanta was without RW Marian Hossa, who was scratched after injuring his groin in practice Monday, in its 3-1 loss to Ottawa on Wednesday night.
SPEAKING
“I read it in the game notes. It’s kind of weird that’s how that worked out.” – Montreal goalie Carey Price, who made his NHL debut against Pittsburgh on Wednesday night just like Canadiens Hall of Famers Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy. The Canadiens won 3-2.