Ice hockey fans have paid tribute to Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson, who died after sustaining a serious injury during a match watched by thousands.
Many supporters were in tears as they signed books of condolence on the ice at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday evening.
Fans walked past a photo of Johnson and a shirt displaying his name and team number, 47, as they came onto the ice – which had been carpeted – to pay their respects to the American.
Hundreds of floral tributes to Johnson have also been left outside the Motorpoint Arena in Bolero Square.
Nottingham Panthers said the team’s players and staff would spend Saturday afternoon privately reflecting on their memories of Johnson while signing the books of condolence.
Johnson’s funeral will take place on Sunday in the US, according to an obituary posted on the website of Dougherty Funeral Home in Hibbing, Minnesota.
The obituary stated: “Adam had a quiet confidence about him and was never boastful.
“He was never looking to be the centre of attention, but rather he preferred to listen to others and do what he could to make them feel important.”
The 29-year-old American was playing for the Panthers against Sheffield Steelers on October 28 when he was hit in the throat by an opponent’s skate, causing a fatal injury.
About 8,000 fans watched in horror as attempts were made to save Johnson’s life as he lay on the ice at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, shielded by fellow players.
On Friday, Sheffield’s senior coroner Tanyka Rawden opened and adjourned an inquest into Johnson’s death at Sheffield’s Medico-Legal Centre.
The New Jersey Devils lost star center Jack Hughes to an injury and Kevin Hayes scored twice in the St. Louis Blues’ 4-1 victory.
Hughes, who entered with an NHL-leading 15 assists and 20 points, left after awkwardly crashing into the boards following a slight hook by Blues defenseman Torey Krug. No penalty was called on the play.
New Jersey was already playing without center Nico Hischier, who missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury.
Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas had the other goals and Jordan Binnington made 34 saves to prevent the Blues from a third consecutive loss.
Curtis Lazer scored for the Devils, who had won three in a row.
Ersson leads Flyers past Sabres
Samuel Ersson turned away 22 shots and Bobby Brink had a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Scott Laughton, Louie Belpedio, Travis Konecny and Garnet Hathaway also scored for the Flyers, who had allowed 15 goals during the three-game skid, including a 5-2 loss to the Sabres on Wednesday.
Henri Jokiharju had the lone goal for Buffalo, which failed in a bid for a three-game winning streak.
Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.
The Elite Ice Hockey League will not make the use of neck guards mandatory but will “strongly encourage” players and officials to wear them following the death of Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson.
Johnson, who was 29, died on Saturday after suffering a cut to the neck during a game against the Sheffield Steelers.
The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) has since said neck guards will become mandatory from 2024, but the Elite League is not under the governing body’s control.
A spokesperson for Elite Ice Hockey League said: “We are devastated by the loss of Adam’s life, and our thoughts remain with his family, team mates and everyone else affected during this difficult time.
“Player safety and welfare is our top priority and we work with players, officials, clubs, and the relevant authorities to review research and advice to understand how we continually enhance the safety of our sport.
“All clubs continue to follow the existing guidance from the International Ice Hockey Federation, that the use of a BNQ or other ISO Standard neck laceration protector is recommended.
“The Elite Ice Hockey League strongly encourages players and officials to wear one and clubs and the League will continue to support players and officials to do so.”
No games have been played since Johnson’s death, will all fixtures postponed, but the league will return to action this weekend, with all teams except Nottingham and Sheffield due to play on both Saturday and Sunday.
An inquest into Johnson’s death was opened and adjourned in Sheffield on Friday morning.
Sheffield’s senior coroner Tanyka Rawden said that inquiries into the death were continuing, and adjourned the inquest until January 26, while stressing this would be for a review and not for the full hearing.
Mrs Rawden concluded the four-minute-long hearing by saying she wanted to “take this opportunity to offer to his family, his friends and all those who knew him, my sincere condolences at this difficult time.”
None of Johnson’s family were in court for the brief hearing.
South Yorkshire Police has confirmed it is investigating the incident but officers have said the inquiry “will take some time”.
Officers have carried out inquiries at the arena, studied footage of the collision and spoken to experts, aided by Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team.
The force said the investigation would be lengthy.
On Wednesday, the Panthers invited fans of all clubs to attend Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to celebrate the former NHL player on November 4.
This venue has been the focus of fans’ outpouring of shock and emotion since the tragedy at the weekend.
The Panthers have also announced the creation of an official fundraising page to raise money for the Love for Hibbing and Hockey Memorial Fund – established in Johnson’s memory.
A coroner has offered her “sincere condolences” to the family and friends of Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson, who died after sustaining a serious injury during a match watched by thousands.
The 29-year-old American was playing for the Panthers against Sheffield Steelers on Saturday when he was hit in the throat by an opponent’s skate, causing a fatal injury.
About 8,000 fans watched in horror as attempts were made to save Johnson’s life as he lay on the ice at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, shielded by fellow players.
On Friday, Sheffield’s senior coroner Tanyka Rawden opened and adjourned an inquest into Johnson’s death at Sheffield’s Medico-Legal Centre.
Mrs Rawden confirmed personal details about the player, including that he was from Minnesota, in the United States, and gave very brief details of how he died.
She said that initial investigations had found that: “Mr Johnson was seriously injured.”
“He was taken by ambulance to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield where he died later that day as a result of the injuries sustained.
“He was identified by his fiancee, Ryan Wolfe.”
She said inquiries into the death were continuing.
The coroner adjourned the inquest until January 26 but stressed that this would be for a review and not for the full hearing.
Mrs Rawden concluded the four-minute long hearing by saying she wanted to “take this opportunity to offer to his family, his friends and all those who knew him, my sincere condolences at this difficult time.”
Will Cuylle snapped a tie midway through the third period and the New York Rangers edged the Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1 for their sixth consecutive win on Thursday.
Chris Kreider had the other goal and Igor Shesterkin stopped 27 shots to give the Rangers eight wins in their first 10 games for the second time in franchise history. The 8-2-0 mark trails only a 9-1-0 record to open the 1983-84 season.
Seth Jarvis scored for the Hurricanes, who had a three-game winning streak stopped.
New York has won 10 of its last 14 regular-season games against Carolina and is 19-4-0 in the last 23 meetings at home.
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin assisted on Kreider’s goal to extend his season-opening point streak to 10 games with five goals and 11 assists.
New York’s Adam Fox left the game with a lower-body injury after the first period. He appeared to suffer the injury in a leg-on-leg collision with Carolina’s Sebastian Aho.
Bruins top Maple Leafs in shootout
Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle converted in the shootout and the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 to remain without a regulation loss.
DeBrusk and Pavel Zacha scored in regulation and Jeremy Swayman stopped 33 shots to help Boston improve to 9-0-1 and keep pace with Vegas as the only teams yet to fall in regulation.
Toronto’s William Nylander had an assist to extend his season-opening, franchise-record point streak to 10 games.
Mitchell Marner and Auston Matthews had regulation goals for the Leafs, who are winless in their last three (0-1-2).
Golden Knights defeat Jets
The Vegas Golden Knights got a hat trick from Jonathan Marchessault and continued their blazing start with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Winnipeg Jets.
Ivan Barbashev and William Karlsson each had a goal and an assist to help Vegas improve to an NHL-best 10-0-1.
The Golden Knights are the 13th team in NHL history to record a season-opening point streak of at least 11 games.
Logan Thompson turned aside 29 of 31 shots and is 5-0-0 this season.
Nottingham Panthers will hold a gathering on Saturday night following the death of their player Adam Johnson last weekend.
The 29-year-old American was playing for the Panthers in a Challenge Cup match at rivals Sheffield Steelers last Saturday when he was reportedly hit in the throat by an opponent’s skate, causing a fatal injury.
South Yorkshire Police have since conducted inquiries at the arena, studied footage of the collision and spoken to experts, aided by Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team.
The Panthers, who in confirming Johnson’s death referred to the incident as a “freak accident”, have invited fans of all clubs to attend Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to celebrate the former NHL player on November 4.
A statement from the Panthers on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “The Nottingham Panthers will come together on Saturday evening to remember Adam Johnson.
“Supporters of all clubs and the general public are invited to attend the Motorpoint Arena from 5:30pm to pay tribute to our #47.
“The arena bowl will be open and people will be invited onto the ice, which will be carpeted, to sign books of condolence.”
The Panthers have also announced the creation of an official fundraising page to raise money for the ‘Love for Hibbing and Hockey Memorial Fund’ – established in Johnson’s memory.
The Panthers added: “The purpose of this fund is to support local charitable activities in Adam’s hometown area of Hibbing, Minnesota, as selected by the Johnson family.”
On Monday evening, the Elite League confirmed all games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday would be postponed.
Following consultation with the eight teams and their players, a consensus was for games to resume at the weekend when “appropriate and fitting tributes” to Johnson will take place.
Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers, though, will not be involved in any games over the next round of fixtures.
The police inquiry into the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson during a match watched by thousands of fans “will take some time”, the investigating force has said.
The 29-year-old American was playing for Nottingham Panthers at rivals Sheffield Steelers on Saturday when he was reportedly hit in the throat by an opponent’s skate, causing a fatal injury.
About 8,000 fans watched in horror as attempts were made to save Johnson’s life as he lay on the ice, shielded by fellow players.
His team said it was a “freak accident” on Sunday when they confirmed that the popular Minnesota-born player had died.
Since then, South Yorkshire Police have carried out inquiries at the arena, studied footage of the collision and spoken to experts, aided by Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team.
The force said the investigation would be lengthy.
In a statement they said: “Since Saturday, detectives have been carrying out a range of inquiries including reviewing footage, talking to witnesses and seeking the advice and support of highly specialised experts to seek to understand the circumstances surrounding what happened.
“We have also been working closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our investigation.
“As with all unexpected and sudden deaths, it is standard practice for police to investigate the circumstances fully and feed back our findings to HM coroner.
“Our officers have now left the scene, however due to the complex nature of this tragic and unprecedented incident, it is likely the wider investigation will take some time.
“We continue to encourage the public to avoid speculation, including on social media, while we continue our inquiries and will provide updates when appropriate.
“Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of all those affected.”
The English Ice Hockey Association will make it mandatory to wear a neck guard during “all on-ice activities” from the start of 2024 in a change to regulations following the death of Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson.
The 29-year-old American was playing in a Challenge Cup match at the Sheffield Steelers when he reportedly suffered a slashed neck following a collision.
The Panthers described the incident as a “freak accident” when the club confirmed his death on Sunday, and police are investigating.
Under current rules, players in the UK do not have to play with neck guards once they turn 18.
The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) is the sport’s governing body in England and Wales, with almost 400 teams at junior and senior level below the Elite League, who are yet to comment on whether or not they will make neck guards mandatory.
The EIHA says it will also conduct a thorough review of safety equipment in the next 12 months including, but not limited to, the use of helmets, mouthguards/gumshields and facial protection, and the application of International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules.
A statement from the governing body on Monday read: “The EIHA makes a ‘strong recommendation’ that all players at all levels across English ice hockey use an approved ice hockey neck guard/protector whilst participating in all on-ice activities.
“This ‘strong recommendation’ is in place until 31 December 2023, after which it will become a mandatory requirement.
“It is not mandatory with immediate effect due to anticipated supply issues. This will be under constant review between now and mandatory implementation.
“All protective equipment must be worn without alterations and as directed by the manufacturers’ specification.”
NIHL team Oxford City Stars, who have former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech on their roster, have announced their players must wear neck guards at all times on the ice.
Shane Moore, director of hockey operations, said safety must be a priority, adding: “A life has tragically been taken too soon in a freak accident, and if wearing neck guards can prevent another devastating loss, then we want to ensure we have done everything within our power to protect our players.”
Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team are also assisting the police as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, the player’s fiancée Ryan Wolfe paid tribute on Instagram, saying: “My sweet angel, I’ll miss you forever and love you always.”
Fans gathered at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to pay tribute with flowers and cards.
Steelers fan Gary Hibbert was at the game and said: “I have come to pay my respects. It is heart-breaking.
“My kids absolutely love ice hockey and they have both been absolutely heart-broken after Saturday’s game, as we all are.”
Speaking of the incident in which Minnesota-born former NHL player Johnson was injured, he said: “My initial thought was he had a stick to the face, as it happens.
“Within two, three, four seconds we have seen the pool of blood.”
Mr Hibbert said Johnson had skated off for a moment after the collision before he collapsed and said he then shielded his son as best he could from the tragedy unfolding on the ice.
More tributes were left at Sheffield’s arena, with one card saying: “To a young man who came to Sheffield on a Saturday night to do his job and play for his team, left the arena fighting for his life, and didn’t return home with his team mates RIP Adam Johnson #47.”
Ontario Reign paid tribute to their former player before the club’s American Hockey League game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Sunday.
Johnson’s name was announced to the crowd as his number 49 jersey was placed on a chair in the middle of the ice by former Nottingham player Jacob Doty.
Every Ontario player touched the jersey in a moving gesture.
Police are investigating the “freak accident” which killed ice hockey player Adam Johnson.
Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers in a Challenge Cup match at the Sheffield Steelers when he reportedly suffered a slashed neck following a collision.
The crowd of 8,000 spectators watched in horror as desperate attempts were made to save the American’s life.
The Nottingham Panthers described the incident as a “freak accident” when the club confirmed his death on Sunday.
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We were called at 8.25pm on Saturday 28 October to reports that a player had been seriously injured during a Sheffield Steelers versus Nottingham Panthers game at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield.
“Officers attended the scene alongside other emergency services and one man, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
“Sadly, he was later pronounced deceased at hospital.
“Our officers remain at the scene carrying out inquiries and our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remain ongoing.
“We would encourage the public to avoid speculation regarding the incident while we continue our inquiries.”
Sheffield City Council’s health and safety team was assisting the police.
Meanwhile, the player’s fiancee Ryan Wolfe paid tribute on Instagram, saying: “My sweet angel, I’ll miss you forever and love you always.”
NIHL team Oxford City Stars, who have former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech on their roster, have announced their players must wear neck guards at all times on the ice.
Shane Moore, director of hockey operations, said safety must be a priority, adding: “A life has tragically been taken too soon in a freak accident, and if wearing neck guards can prevent another devastating loss, then we want to ensure we have done everything within our power to protect our players.”
Fans gathered at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena to pay tribute with flowers and cards.
Steelers fan Gary Hibbert was at the game and said: “I have come to pay my respects. It is heart-breaking.
“My kids absolutely love ice hockey and they have both been absolutely heart-broken after Saturday’s game, as we all are.”
Speaking of the incident in which Minnesota-born former NHL player Johnson was injured, he said: “My initial thought was he had a stick to the face, as it happens.
“Within two, three, four seconds we have seen the pool of blood.”
Mr Hibbert said Johnson had skated off for a moment after the collision before he collapsed and said he then shielded his son as best he could from the tragedy unfolding on the ice.
More tributes were left at Sheffield’s area, with one card saying: “To a young man who came to Sheffield on a Saturday night to do his job and play for his team, left the arena fighting for his life, and didn’t return home with his team mates RIP Adam Johnson #47.”
Ontario Reign paid tribute to their former player before the club’s American Hockey League game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Sunday.
Johnson’s name was announced to the crowd as his number 49 jersey was placed on a chair in the middle of the ice by former Nottingham player Jacob Doty.
Every Ontario player touched the jersey in a moving gesture.
Ice hockey player Adam Johnson has died after a “freak accident” during Nottingham Panthers’ Challenge Cup match with Sheffield Steelers on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old American reportedly suffered a slashed neck during the second period of the game at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
Nottingham Panthers said on Sunday morning: “The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night.
“The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam’s family, his partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time.
“Everyone at the club including players, staff, management and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam’s passing.
“Our thoughts are also with the fans and staff of both clubs, especially those who attended or were following the game, who will be devastated following today’s news.
“The Panthers would like to thank everyone who rushed to support Adam last night in the most testing of circumstances.
“Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him. The club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him.
“We ask that the privacy of Adam’s family and friends, and everyone at the club is respected at this difficult time as we all seek to come to terms with our grief.”
Minnesota-born Johnson played for Pittsburg Penguins in the National Hockey League before spending the 2020-21 season in Sweden with the Malmo Redhawks.
Johnson went on to play in Canada for the Ontario Reign and in Germany for the Augsburger Panther before agreeing to join Nottingham for the 2023-24 campaign.
Sunday’s three Elite League games in Belfast, Fife and Guildford have been postponed following Johnson’s death.
“The Elite Ice Hockey League is heartbroken to confirm that Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson sadly passed away following a freak accident in Saturday’s game between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers,” read a league statement.
“In light of this deeply upsetting news, the Elite League has postponed all games scheduled to take place on Sunday October 29, 2023.
“The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with the EIHL are with Adam’s family, friends and teammates at this incredibly sad and difficult time.”
Sheffield said in their own statement: “Everyone at the Steelers send their condolences to Adam Johnson’s partner, family & teammates.”
Reilly Smith scored twice in the first period and Tristan Jarry made 31 saves as the Pittsburgh Penguins ended the Colorado Avalanche’s NHL-record 15-game road winning streak, 4-0 on Thursday.
Colorado, which opened this season with six straight wins, hadn’t lost away from Denver during the regular season since a 7-3 defeat to Dallas on March 4.
Lars Eller and Sidney Crosby also scored to help the Penguins snap a three-game losing streak.
Colorado goalie Alexander Georgiev had his personal road winning streak stopped at 12, leaving him in a tie for the longest road win streak by a goalie in NHL history, set by Eddie Johnston with Boston in 1971.
Ducks rally to beat Bruins in OT
Mason MacTavish scored with 2:52 left in overtime and the Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 4-3 victory, sending the Boston Bruins to their first loss of the season.
Anaheim forced overtime with two late goals, the first by rookie Leo Carlsson with 1:55 left in regulation and Troy Terry’s tally with 14.7 seconds remaining in the third period.
David Pastrnak scored one goal and set up another, while Charlie McAvoy had three assists for the Bruins, who opened the season with six consecutive wins for the second time in franchise history.
Tampa Bay's Johansson blanks winless Sharks
Jonas Johansson turned away 23 saves for his second straight shutout and the Tampa Bay Lightning rolled to a 6-0 rout of the winless San Jose Sharks.
Johansson stopped 32 shots in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Carolina and is 3-0-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average in his last four starts.
Steven Stamkos had a goal with an assist for the Lightning, who have points in four straight (3-0-1) following a three-game skid.
San Jose is winless in 13 consecutive games (0-11-2) since a 7-2 win at Arizona last April 1.
Jake Allen made 36 saves and the Montreal Canadiens scored twice in the third period to earn a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
Brendan Gallagher recorded the tie-breaking goal and Tanner Pearson scored on the power play in the third period to help the Canadiens to a second straight win and third in four games. Both also had an assist.
Gallagher gave Montreal a 2-1 lead by poking a loose puck past Buffalo goaltender Eric Comrie 3:31 into the third period, and Pearson made it a two-goal advantage with 3:07 remaining with his third tally in four games.
Justin Barron put the Canadiens ahead 2:56 into the contest, but the Sabres drew even on Jeff Skinner's power-play goal with 7:13 elapsed in the first period.
Allen was impenetrable from there, however, making 17 saves in the second period and 13 more in the third.
Comrie finished with 24 saves for Buffalo, which finished 2-2-0 on a four-game home-stand.
Alex DeBrincat recorded his fifth career hat trick to lead the surging Detroit Red Wings to a 6-2 rout of the Calgary Flames on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win.
DeBrincat scored in all three periods to continue a hot start to his Red Wings tenure. Acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, the 2020-21 All-Star now has a league-leading eight goals - all of which have come in Detroit's three home games this season.
Dylan Larkin added a goal and an assist for Detroit, which also received goals from Joe Veleno and Jake Walman. Lucas Raymond assisted on all three DeBrincat goals, while Justin Holl also finished with three helpers to support 29 saves from James Reimer.
Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich had goals for Calgary, which finished 1-3-1 on a five-game road trip. Dan Vladar stopped just 24 of 30 shots in defeat.
Poitras' first two NHL goals help Bruins move to 5-0-0
Matthew Poitras scored the first two goals of his NHL career in the third period as the Boston Bruins rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks to remain undefeated for the young season.
Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves to help the Bruins move to 5-0-0.
After a scoreless first two periods, Mason McTavish got Anaheim on the board first when he knocked in a rebound 5:05 into the third.
Poitras, playing in his fifth NHL game, tied it just 1:24 later before putting Boston in front midway through the period by beating John Gibson after collecting a rebound of teammate Jake DeBrusk's shot.
Gibson finished with 23 saves in the Ducks' third straight loss.
Auston Matthews notched his second straight hat trick to open the season and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Minnesota Wild 7-4 on Saturday.
Matthews became the fifth player in NHL history to start a season with consecutive hat tricks, joining Alex Ovechkin (2017-18), Cy Denneny (1917-18), Joe Malone (1917-18) and Reg Noble (1917-18).
William Nylander added two goals and an assist for Toronto, which has scored 12 goals in winning its first two games of the season.
Jenner’s 3 goals help Vincent earn first win
Boone Jenner registered his second career hat trick to give Pascal Vincent his first coaching victory with a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers.
Jenner’s first goal of the game forged a 1-1 tie, and his second with 2:15 left in the opening period put the Blue Jackets on top for good.
He completed his natural hat trick with 7 ½ minutes remaining in the second period for a 3-1 lead.
Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves before leaving with flu-like symptoms after the second period. He was replaced by Spencer Martin, who stopped 15 of 17 shots in the third in his Columbus debut.
Golden Knights beat Ducks to stay perfect
Chandler Stephenson, Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel each had a goal and an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights continued their unbeaten start with another 4-1 victory, this one over the Anaheim Ducks.
Jonas Rondjberg had the other goal and Adin Hill stopped 22 shots to help defending champion Vegas begin a season with three straight wins for the second straight year.
The Golden Knights’ three wins have all come by 4-1 scores.
Mason McTavish had the lone goal as Anaheim lost in Greg Cronin’s coaching debut.
Sidney Crosby scored twice on the power play in the second period and Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins earned their first win of the season with a 4-0 victory over the Washington Capitals on Friday.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists and Reilly Smith also scored to help the Penguins rebound from Tuesday’s season-opening loss to Chicago.
Washington lost its debut under new coach Spencer Carbery and was shut out for the first time in 49 season openers.
Backup Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves in place of Darcy Kuemper, who was away while his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child.
Coyotes edge Devils in shootout
Karel Vejmelka was perfect in the shootout and the Arizona Coyotes recovered after giving up a two-goal lead in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz scored in the shootout and Vejmelka turned away attempts by Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt to give Arizona a win in its season opener.
Bratt had two goals and an assist in regulation, and Dougie Hamilton scored one goal and set up another for New Jersey, which was coming off a 4-3 win over Detroit in its season opener.
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