Flyers Fall To 0-3 – NHL News And Notes For January 23rd

UNDATED (AP) — Normally, starting a season 0-3 wouldn't mean that much to an NHL team. But this year, thanks to the lockout-shortened 48-game season, a team with an 0-3 start finds itself in a bit of an early season hole -- and that's exactly where the Philadelphia Flyers are now.

The New Jersey Devils kept the Flyers winless with a thorough 3-0 blanking at Prudential Center. Martin Brodeur (mar-TAN' broh-DYOOR') notched his 120th career regular-season shutout with 24 saves. It's his 10th career shutout against the Flyers.

Travis Zajac and David Clarkson scored first-period goals for the defending Eastern Conference champions, 2-0 in the lockout-shortened season.

In other NHL action:

__ The San Jose Sharks erupted with six goals in the opening period and crushed Edmonton 6-3 to spoil the Oilers' home opener. Patrick Marleau (MAHR'-loh) and Logan Couture (kuh-CHUR') each had two goals and an assist.

__ Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler each provided a goal and an assist and the Winnipeg Jets beat the struggling Capitals 4-2 to end Washington's 10-game winning streak in home openers.

— Michael Ryder scored in the first and third periods, and Kari Lehtonen came within 3.4 seconds of a shutout in the Dallas Stars' 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Lehtonen made 39 saves, but allowed Damien Brunner's first career goal in the final seconds.

— Keith Aulie scored the momentum-shifting goal that propelled the Tampa Bay Lightning past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Tom Pyatt and Cory Conacher scored early goals and Ryan Malone added a power-play tally.

— Andrei Markov scored two goals, his first in two seasons, and Alex Galchenyuk (gahl-CHEN'-yuhk) had the first of his NHL career to help the Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers 4-1.

— Martin Erat (EE'-rat) scored an unassisted goal for Nashville with 8:15 left when Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom couldn't clear the puck cleanly, and the Predators earned their first victory by beating the Wild 3-1.

— Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook and Viktor Stalberg scored to back Corey Crawford, and the Chicago Blackhawks hung on to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2.

— Gabriel Landeskog and David Jones scored 1:35 apart in the final period to help Colorado rally for a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have activated center Anze Kopitar (AHN'-jay KOH'-pih-tar) from the non-roster list after their longtime leading scorer missed the season opener.

Kopitar injured his knee shortly before the lockout ended in a collision while playing in Sweden. He's led the defending Stanley Cup champs in scoring in each of the last five seasons.

In other hockey news:

— Tomas Holmstrom has retired after 15 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings that included more than 1,000 games and four Stanley Cups. Holmstrom, who turns 40 today, says he had the greatest job in the world.