NHL ROUNDUP : Visions of Grandeur End Late for Sharks

For a little more than two periods Friday night at Vancouver, the San Jose Sharks looked the part of an expansion team playing its first game in the NHL.

During that time they were outshot, 38-9, and trailed the Canucks, 3-0.

Then, the Sharks rallied for three goals in less than six minutes, only to lose when Trevor Linden scored for Vancouver with 19 seconds left to give the Canucks a 4-3 victory.

Vancouver dominated play until the Sharks came alive with a sensational spurt that began early in the final period.

Former Canuck Craig Coxe scored the first Shark goal four minutes into the final period. Pat MacLeod then scored twice and it was all even, 3-3.

There was still more than half a period remaining, and the Sharks had a couple of chances.

It appeared the game would go into overtime, but Linden, with time running out, put the Canucks’ 52nd shot into the net.

Pittsburgh 5, Buffalo 4--Mario Lemieux is experiencing back spasms to open the season. In the season opener at Buffalo, the high-scoring center was a pain in the neck to the Sabres.

The Penguins, Stanley Cup champions, fell behind, 3-1, halfway through the game but fought back on the playmaking of Jaromir Jagir to pull even early in the third period.

Lemieux, who had to leave practice Wednesday because of back pain, broke the tie with his first goal at 6:18 of the last period.

“I felt pretty good yesterday,” Lemieux said. “All I needed was to go home and sleep in my own bed. I felt pretty good tonight. I wanted to help us get off to a winning start.”

Tom Barrasso, a key factor in the championship last spring, stopped 29 shots for the victory.

It was also the first victory as coach for Scotty Bowman since he coached Buffalo five years ago. He is the temporary replacement for the hospitalized Bob Johnson.

Washington 5, Philadelphia 2--Peter Bondra scored twice at Landover, Md., and reserve Mike Liut stopped 24 shots for the Capitals.

Liut was the starter because No. 1 goalie Don Beaupre is a holdout.

The Capitals are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games against Philadelphia. “They’ve got to do something about the air-conditioning on a warm night,” Liut said. “I lost 11 pounds during the game.”

Calgary 9, Edmonton 2--The Flames continued the demolition of the Oilers that management started in the off-season.

Theoren Fleury scored two goals and assisted on another in the romp at Calgary.