Maple Leafs 4, CANADIENS 1

Sundin breaks out in first game

Summary

By BILL BEACON -- Canadian Press  MONTREAL -- The Toronto Maple Leafs have not abandoned speed and offence as their recipe for success.
 "I don't see why we'd change it," captain Mats Sundin said after his goal and two assists led the Leafs to a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener for the NHL's two oldest clubs on Saturday night.
 "We had a lot of success with that offensive style last year. It's the type of game we love to play. We have a lot of good skaters and we like to move the puck."
 Sundin scored short-handed at 6:05 of the first period and saw his rebound fired in by former Canadien Jonas Hoglund at 17:13 of the second period.
 Martin Rucinsky put Montreal back in the game with a goal 7:02 into the third period, but Tomas Kaberle's bad-angled shot went in off goaltender Jeff Hackett's arm at 10:23 to end the suspense.
 Sergei Berezin added an insurance goal with 30 seconds left to play.
 "Everybody's psyched," added Sundin, whose club led the NHL with 268 goals last season enroute to a 45-30-7 record. "I could tell in the last few days that everybody's confident."
 Hundreds of Toronto supporters were among the full house of 21,273 at the Molson Centre as the Canadiens opened their 90th season showing the same lack of finish that caused them to miss the playoffs last season.
 The Leafs outshot Montreal 29-26 in an end-to-end match with multiple scoring chances for both teams.
 "We made some mistakes in the defensive zone and every time, they got a goal," said Saku Koivu after his first game since being named as the 27th captain of the Canadiens. "We had great chances in the second period on the power play and didn't score, but then they came right back and got one.
 "That was a tough one for us."
 Sundin poked the puck by defenceman Barry Richter at the blue-line during a fist-period Montreal man-advantage and went in alone to deke goaltender Jeff Hackett to open the scoring.
 In the second, Steve Thomas fed Sundin in front for a quick shot. The rebound went to an uncovered Hoglund, who lifted the puck into an open side.
 Hoglund was let go by Montreal and picked up as a free agent by Toronto during the summer. He started the season on the Leafs' top line despite failing to score in the pre-season.
 "I told him he was saving it for when it counts," Sundin said of his Swedish compatriot. "That should help his confidence."
 "If I'm going to play with these guys, that's the kind of goals I'm going to get," added Hoglund. "I'll go to the net and whack at the rebounds."
 Trevor Linden, in his first game for Montreal, slid a pass across the crease for Rucinsky to push into an open side in the third period but Kaberle got it back on a harmless-looking shot that fooled Hackett.
 "It was a bad goal and I take responsibility for it," said Hackett. "The positive thing is that we had chances. That's just the way the sport is."
 The Leafs dressed seven defencemen, including the newly acquired Cory Cross. The Canadiens were without five injured veterans.
 Notes: -- Sprinter Bruny Surin and world champion paddler Caroline Brunet dropped pucks in the ceremonial face-off and jazz singer Holly Cole sang the national anthem... Derek King was a healthy scratch for Toronto.

Summary

 MONTREAL (CP) -- NHL Saturday night:
 First Period
 1. Toronto, Sundin 1, 6:05 (sh)
 Penalties -- Cross Tor (hooking) 4:19, Perreault Tor (tripping) 8:03.
 Second Period
 2. Toronto, Hoglund 1 (Sundin, Thomas) 17:13
 Penalties -- Thomas Tor (hooking) 0:25, Valk Tor (high-sticking) 1:08, Linden Mtl (hooking) 4:28, Corson Mtl (holding) 10:39, Valk Tor (boarding) 14:09, Berard Tor, Poulin Mtl (fighting) 16:32.
 Third Period
 3. Montreal, Rucinsky 1 (Linden, Lachance) 7:02
 4. Toronto, Kaberle 1 (Sundin) 10:23
 5. Toronto, Berezin 1 (Valk, Korolev) 19:30
 Penalties -- McAllister Tor, Stevenson Mtl (fighting) 20:00.
 Shots on goal by

Toronto	10	8	11--29
Montreal	5	12	9--26

 Goal -- Toronto: Joseph (W,1-0-0); Montreal: Hackett (L,0-1-0).
 Power plays -- Toronto: 0-2; Montreal: 0-5.
 Referees -- Stephen Walkom, Dan O'Halloran. Linesmen -- Pierre Champoux, Gerard Gauthier.
 Attendance -- 21,273.

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