NHL : Kamensky, Avalanche Overpower Red Wings

A small fireworks display celebrated hockey’s return to Denver, and Valeri Kamensky closed it with some fireworks of his own.

Kamensky scored two goals, including the winner with less than four minutes left, to give the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 victory Friday night over the Detroit Red Wings in the first regular-season NHL game in Denver in 13 years.

With the game tied 2-2, Kamensky took a pass from Claude Lemieux up the middle and beat Detroit goaltender Mike Vernon at 16:07. Kamensky scored the first goal in Avalanche history at the 10-minute mark in the first period.

“You saw what the new rules will do for Kamensky,” Colorado Coach Mark Crawford said of the NHL’s crackdown on defensive holding and obstruction. “Without people being able to hold and grab him, he is a world-class skater who can flat-out fly.”

Despite the rule change, only six obstruction calls were made Friday in a game dominated by the goaltenders.

Colorado goalie Stephane Fiset gave up a power-play goal less than two minutes into the game, but was nearly flawless after that, stopping 30 shots. Vernon turned away 20 shots as the Red Wings failed to win their season opener for the 13th time in 14 seasons.

The Avalanche tied the score 2-2 when defenseman Craig Wolanin rifled a shot from the blue line past Vernon for a short-handed goal.

Lemieux committed the first penalty in Avalanche history with a high stick 42 seconds into the game, and Detroit scored a power-play goal a little more than a minute later when Dino Ciccarelli squeezed a shot past Fiset as the two collided in front of the net.

The Avalanche countered at the 10-minute mark when Kamensky put home a crossing pass from Uwe Krupp past Vernon to tie the game, 1-1.

Nicklas Lidstrom’s close-in goal at 11:02 gave Detroit a 2-1 lead after the first period.

NHL Notes

Petr Sykora, the New Jersey Devils’ first-round draft pick, signed a three-year contract worth a reported $1.7 million. Sykora, the 18th pick overall in the draft, won’t start this season in the big leagues. He was assigned to Albany of the AHL on Friday. Sykora reportedly got a $500,000 signing bonus and $400,000 annually, the New York Post reported. However, he’ll only make $50,000 annually if he plays at Albany. . . . The Hartford Whalers bolstered their special teams by acquiring center Nelson Emerson from the Winnipeg Jets for center Darren Turcotte. . . . Edmonton Oiler left wing Louie DeBrusk has been suspended for two games and fined $1,000 for head-butting Calgary’s Jamie Huscroft in an exhibition game.