UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Rookie Zigmund Palffy scored his first two NHL goals in a 2:04 span of the third period to lead the New York Islanders to a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in the season opener for both teams.


Palffy erased a 1-0 deficit at 9:42, chipping a loose puck on his backhand past goaltender Mark Fitzpatrick. Then at 11:46, Palffy found a loose puck in the high slot, and his slap shot beat a screened Fitzpatrick.


Brian Skrudland scored a first-period goal for the Panthers.


It was the first win ever for the Islanders against Florida. The Panthers won all five meetings between the clubs last season.


Rangers 5, Canadiens 2. In New York, Mark Messier and Alexei Kovalev scored goals a minute apart late in the third period as the Rangers scored four power-play goals to defeat Montreal 5-2.


The Canadiens had two power-play scores themselves as the teams combined to score six of the game's seven goals with the man advantage.


Messier broke a 2-2 tie with 6:27 to play in the third period as he lifted a backhand from the slot past Montreal goaltender Patrick Roy, who made 35 saves in a strong losing effort. Precisely one minute later, Kovalev snapped Petr Nedved's cross-ice pass behind Roy for the Rangers' first even-strength goal of the season.


Nordiques 3, Flyers 1. In Philadelphia, Owen Nolan scored the game-winner in the third period as the Quebec Nordiques beat Philadelphia 3-1 in the season opener for both teams.


Nolan's decisive goal on the power play at 6:26 of the third appeared to have been kicked in, but the goal was allowed to stand after replay review. Quebec got a standout performance in goal from Stephane Fiset, who made 29 saves.


The Flyers, who went 0-for-7 on the power play, tied the score 1-1 with a second-period goal by Rod Brind'Amour.


Whalers 1, Capitals 1. In Hartford, Connecticut, Dmitri Khristich deflected in Calle Johansson's slap shot in the third period as the Washington Capitals tied the Whalers 1-1 in the season opener for both teams.


Washington, which outshot Hartford 17-6 over the last 25 minutes of the game, had its only man advantage of the game when Johansson's shot from the blue line deflected off Khristich's stick for the tie. The goal erased a deficit created by Geoff Sanderson's power-play goal 46 seconds into the final period.


Ducks 4, Jets 3. In Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Anaheim Mighty Ducks got great goaltending from Mikhail Shtalenkov to defeat the Jets 4-3.


Shtalenkov was the difference, particularly in the third period when the Ducks were outshot 17-4. Overall, he made 34 saves as the Ducks were outshot 37-24.


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The New York Rangers raised the Stanley Cup banner for the first time in 54 years in a raucous celebration Friday night, then watched Grant Fuhr and the Buffalo Sabres put a damper on the party with a 2-1 victory in the season opener.


The crowd at Madison Square Garden cheered wildly throughout the 45-minute pregame ceremonies, which included fireworks, a laser show and raising of the championship banner. The Rangers brought the fans out of their seats once again early when Steve Larmer scored in the game's first four minutes but Dale Hawerchuk tied the score about a minute after Larmer's goal.


Donald Audette scored the game-winner at 5:25 of the third period.


(For other results from weekend games see scorecard.)