Abdelkader hits hat-trick as Red Wings beat Leafs and former coach Babcock 4-0
Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader had a hat-trick and Dylan Larkin scored in his NHL debut to give the Red Wings a 4-0 win against former coach Mike Babcock and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.
Elsewhere, Chicago’s Patrick Kane put aside his off-ice problems to score the overtime winner at the New York Islanders, a third-period scoring surge lifted the New York Rangers to victory at Columbus, and Arizona won at Los Angeles.
Detroit were up against old coach Babcock, who was lured to Toronto on an eight-year US$50 million contract that more than doubled what any other coach is making per season.
Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard stopped 21 shots and Abdelkader scored on Detroit’s first shot, making the most of a power play 1:15min into the game. He had another goal midway through the first period and completed his hat-trick at 3:54min of the second period.
Dylan Larkin scored 20 seconds into the second to chase Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier.
Chicago’s Kane scored on a power play at 1:49min of overtime to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 win against the Islanders, who were playing their first match at their new Brooklyn base.
Kane is the subject of a sexual assault investigation in New York state. He hasn’t been charged, and has said he expects to be exonerated.
Kane also scored in the second period, Artem Anisimov added a goal and Corey Crawford stopped 34 shots.
John Tavares and Marek Zidlicky scored for the Islanders.
The New York Rangers scored three times in a 1:17min spurt to rally past Columbus and win 4-2.
Brandon Saad, the Blue Jackets’ blockbuster acquisition, scored on a power play at 16:10min of the third to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead in their season opener.
But after a Columbus turnover, Oscar Lindberg netted a low shot to tie it 2-2. Just 17 seconds later, Kevin Hayes made it 3-2 with a shot from the right corner along the end line that found its way past Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Mats Zuccarello capped the scoring a minute later with his second goal.
Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets.
Arizona’s Max Domi had a goal and an assist in his NHL debut to help the Coyotes beat Los Angeles 4-1.
Domi became the first player to score multiple points in his debut with the franchise since current captain Shane Doan had two assists for the original Winnipeg Jets in 1995.
Mike Smith made 40 saves for the Coyotes in their opener after a summer spent battling over the terms their arena lease.
Zbynek Michalek, Oliver EkmanLarsson and Tobias Rieder also scored for Arizona.
Tyler Toffoli has a short-handed goal for the Kings, who have conceded nine goals in their first two home games.
Winninpeg’s Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler each had a goal and an assist in a big second period that lifted the Jets to a 3-1 win against New Jersey.