Buffalo Christens Arena With 6-1 Loss

Around the NHL

Igor Larionov had a goal and two assists to lead the visiting Detroit Red Wings to a 6-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night in the first regular-season game at Marine Midland Arena.

Larionov set up the first two goals and started a three-goal flurry in a 2:15 span of the third period.

Vyacheslav Kozlov scored the first goal in the $127.5 million facility, and Larionov set up Steve Yzerman in the second period for what could be the easiest goal the forward will score all season - and the eventual game-winner.

Yzerman took a breakaway pass from Larionov near the blue line, sidestepped Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek near the top of the faceoff circle and shot into a wide-open net.

Buffalo began its first season in the 18,500-seat arena the same way it started 26 years ago at Memorial Auditorium - with a loss.

A 20-minute ceremony was held for late principal owner Seymour H. Knox III, who died in May after putting together financing for the building.

Around the league

Tampa Bay’s Chris Gratton pushed the puck into an empty net with just a second left to score his third goal of the night in the Lightning’s rout of Toronto. … Mark Messier returned from a two-game suspension for checking Florida’s Mike Hough from behind and Wayne Gretzky assisted on a Luc Robitaille goal, but neither development was enough to keep the winless New York Rangers from losing to Montreal. … Pat Verbeek scored the game-winner with 7:11 left in the third period as Dallas beat New Jersey and opened the season with four straight wins for the first time in franchise history.

Tickets, anyone?

The Los Angeles Kings over the summer offered their season ticket-holders full refunds if they didn’t like the opening-night product.

They opened the new year with a 7-6 overtime loss to the upstate San Jose Sharks, and now they’ll let their faithful bail out after 10 games, cash in hand, no questions asked.

Clearing the ice

High-scoring holdout Valeri Kamensky, who had been seeking more than $3 million a year after recording a career-best 38 goals and 47 assists, has signed a long-term contract with the Colorado Avalanche. Terms were not divulged.