Finn Ville Koistinen scored the shootout winner and Tomas Vokoun made 52 saves, leading the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the first NHL regular season game played in Finland Friday. Defenseman Koistinen delighted the crowd with a backhand to the top of the net past Chicago goaltender Cristobal Huet, then watched as Patrick Sharp could not beat Vokoun, giving Florida an opening win to the season. “It's a great story for Ville. What a homecoming,” Florida coach Peter DeBoer told reporters. “(Vokoun made) the key saves at the key times.” A visibly overwhelmed Koistinen was more modest about his shootout goal. “It's the only move I have,” he joked. The teams face off again Saturday in Helsinki. Capitals down Bruins Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist, and Jose Theodore stopped 19 shots to lead the Washington Capitals to a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins in Thursday's NHL season-opener. Brooks Laich added two goals and an assist, Nicklas Backstrom had three assists, and Alexander Semin had two for Washington, which had not won in Boston in regulation in 14 attempts since 2000. Only Patrice Bergeron's goal with 12:04 left in the game kept Theodore from his 29th career shutout. Boston's Tim Thomas, the defending Vezina Trophy winner as the league's top goalie, made 30 saves. Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 3, OT: At Toronto, defenseman Josh Gorges scored with only 12.8 seconds left on the overtime clock, and Carey Price made 43 saves in Montreal's season-opening victory over Toronto. The Canadiens were badly outshot and thoroughly outplayed through two periods, but found a way to hang around and win. They got some help from former teammate Mike Komisarek, who was in the penalty box for two Montreal goals. Brian Gionta, Travis Moen and Glen Metropolit also scored for the Canadiens. Matt Stajan had two goals, and Alexei Ponikarovsky added one for Toronto. Avalanche 5, Sharks 2: At Denver, Wojtek Wolski scored two goals and Craig Anderson stopped 38 shots, lifting Colorado to a season-opening win over San Jose after the Avalanche retired Joe Sakic's No. 19. Flames 5, Canucks 3: At Calgary, Alberta, Miikka Kiprusoff made 39 saves to help Calgary opened their regular season by beating Vancouver.
