THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — Ales Hemsky scored the shootout winner as the Edmonton Oilers started off the season with a bang, coming from behind to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Sunday night.
Rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the tying goal in regulation for the Oilers, who are hoping for much better this year after finishing last in the NHL the past two seasons.
Kris Letang replied for the Penguins, who are now 2-0-1 on the season.
The Penguins were without centre Evgeni Malkin who left the ice after the pre-game skate with what appeared to be a lower body injury.
Trailing 1-0 with five minutes left in the game, Nugent-Hopkins, the first overall pick in this past summer’s NHL draft, got his first NHL goal as he pounced on a loose puck in front of the Penguins net and slid a backhand shot past Penguins starter Brent Johnson.
Oiler Ryan Smyth took an elbowing major soon afterwards, but Edmonton’s penalty killers came up huge to force the game into overtime.
Both teams hit posts in the overtime session, taking the match to the shootout.
Pittsburgh got on the board early in the game with the Oilers short handed for too many men as a point shot by Letang seemed to go right through Edmonton starter Devan Dubnyk.
Johnson made a couple of good saves on Oiler power plays to keep it a one-goal game after the first period, particularly when he stoned Nugent-Hopkins in tight after a nice backhand pass from Hemsky.
It remained 1-0 past the middle of the second period as Dubnyk made a great play diving across the crease to take away an opportunity at an open net from Mark Letestu.
The Penguins will have their home-opener on Tuesday against Florida. The Oilers are off until Thursday when they play in Minnesota.
.Notes: With Malkin out, former Oilers enforcer Steve MacIntyre came in as his replacement… Edmonton head coach Tom Renney is a perfect 8-0 in home openers over his career… The Penguins entered the contest with four consecutive wins over the Oilers… It was the third game in four nights for the Penguins and third straight game as the opposition for a Western Canadian team’s home opener… Penguins star Sydney Crosby practised with the team on Sunday but has still not been cleared to play… Pittsburgh forward Jordan Staal recorded his 200th career point on Saturday against Calgary. Also skating with the Pens but not ready to play is defenceman Brooks Orpik… Among the Oilers unable to start the season due to injury were Ryan Whitney, Sam Gagner and Ben Eager… As expected, the largest crowd response during the player introductions went to veteran forward Ryan Smyth, returning to the team four years after an unpopular trade sent him to the Islanders… With the evening start, Edmonton became the last NHL team this season to start the regular season.
