NHL Roundup : Oilers’ Opener Is Spoiled by Detroit’s Fast Start, 4-1

The Detroit Red Wings scored three times in the first period and rode the solid goaltending of Greg Stefan and a tough defense to a 4-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers Friday night at Edmonton, Canada.

Petr Klima, Steve Martinson and Steve Yzerman scored Detroit’s first-period goals as the Red Wings rebounded from a 5-1 opening loss to Calgary Thursday night and spoiled Edmonton’s season opener.

Mark Messier, the Oilers’ All-Star center who earlier in the day ended his contract holdout and signed a six-year deal, scored for Edmonton in the first period.

“I want to stay in Edmonton for the rest of my career,” said Messier, the Oilers’ No. 2 center behind Wayne Gretzky. “And the best way to do that is to sign a contract that will take me into my 30s.”

Messier was earning an estimated $320,000 a year, and Oiler President Glen Sather, while not announcing terms of the new deal, said it may make Messier one of the five top-paid players in hockey.

New Jersey 6, Pittsburgh 3--Rookie right wing Doug Brown scored his first National Hockey League goal and added an assist to lead the Devils at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Devils took a 2-0 lead with goals 46 seconds apart in the first period. Paul MacLean tipped in Jack O’Callahan’s shot from the right point over goaltender Pat Riggin’s left shoulder for a power-play goal at 2:30. Claude Loiselle deflected a pass from Brown over Riggin at 3:16.

With the Devils leading, 4-2, with 16:54 left in the game, Mark Johnson of the Devils was awarded a penalty shot after he was pulled down on a breakaway by Moe Mantha. Johnson fired a high wrist shot that Riggin stopped with his right shoulder.

Later in the period, the Devils got a goal from Jim Korn, who deflected Bruce Driver’s shot from the point past Riggin on a power play, and another from Pat Verbeek.