TAMPA — Jason Garrison usually plays in the shadow of the Tampa Bay Lightning's star performers, but on Thursday the defensive defenseman made NHL history with an overtime goal. Garrison not only gave his team a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers with his overtime tally in the Lightning's season opener, but it also marked the first goal in the new three-on-three extra session format. “It's hectic, it's fun, you got a taste of it. Kind of up and down, chance after chance,” said Garrison, who also scored in regulation, giving him two goals on the night. The 30-year-old Canadian scored just four goals in 70 games last season. The Lightning raised the banner for their Eastern Conference championship, then watched as goalie Ben Bishop stopped two penalty shots, including one in overtime just before Garrison's game-winner. “That's another new one for me — a bunch of firsts tonight,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I don't think I can remember a game where we stopped two penalty shots, one in overtime. We don't even get to talk about Garrison unless Bish comes through the way he did.” The new three-on-three overtime format drew mixed reviews. Cooper called it “lunacy” for its sheer chaos, and Bishop called it a “gong show,” saying he prefers the shootout as a fairer way to determine a winner in a tied game after regulation time. Jets 6, Bruins 2 The Winnipeg Jets ended the franchise's 13-game losing streak in Boston with a 6-2 victory over the Bruins. The Jets, who last won in Boston as the Atlanta Thrashers on March 31, 2007, scored three goals in the second period and three in the third to clear out the sellout crowd. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec stopped 29 shots in the win. Senators 3, Sabres 1 Center Kyle Turris scored twice to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the season opener for both teams. Right winger Curtis Lazar added an empty-net goal late in the third period for Ottawa. Senators' goalie Craig Anderson made 26 saves, while second overall pick Jack Eichel scored in his first game with Buffalo. Predators 2, Hurricanes 1 Center Craig Smith scored his team's first goal for the second consecutive home opener to help Nashville to a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Blues 3, Oilers 1 Right winger Robby Fabbri celebrated his first game in the NHL by scoring in the third period to help the St. Louis Blues to a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Stars 3, Penguins 0 Ales Hemsky had a goal and an assist and Antti Niemi stopped all 37 shots he faced as Dallas defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 in the season opener for both teams. Wild 5, Avalanche 4 Zach Parise scored three goals, two of them in a furious third-period comeback, as the Minnesota Wild rallied for a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. — Agencies
