Evander Kane hurt in Sabres’ opener

BUFFALO, N.Y .• Sabres forward Evander Kane has been taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons after slam ming heavily into the end boards late in the second period of Buffalo’s season- opening game against Montreal on Thursday night.

The Sabres did not reveal the nature of Kane’s injury, except to say he was hospitalized for “further evaluation.”

Kane was hurt while racing Canadiens defenceman Alexei Emelin for a loose puck up the left wing in the Montreal zone. Kane reached out for the puck when the two bumped. Kane lost his balance, fell and slid with his left elbow slamming into the boards.

He lay in pain for sev- eral minutes while being attended to by a trainer. After being helped up, Kane was doubled over and slowly made his way off the ice and was led directly into the locker room. Emelin wasn’t penalized. Buffalo was already banged up. Star secondyear centre Jack Eichel is expected to miss at least a month after spraining his left ankle in practice Wednesday.

Brendan Gallagher scored twice, including a tip- in on Shea Weber’s shot, in leading the new-look Canadiens to a 4-1 seasonopening victory.

Al Montoya made 30 saves in place of starter Carey Price, who was sidelined by the flu.

Andrew Shaw, who was acquired in a trade with Chicago in June, and Torrey Mitchell also scored for Montreal.