Brandon Pirri scores twice, Rangers beat Devils 3-1
NEW YORK (AP) Brandon Pirri scored two goals in the New York Rangers' 3-1 exhibition victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
John Gilmour added a power-play goal for New York. Antti Raanta and Mackenzie Skapski split time in goal, with Raanta starting and making 15 saves, and Skapski stopping all 13 shots he faced.
Miles Wood scored for New Jersey, and Scott Wedgewood made 31 saves.
The game marked Jimmy Vesey's NHL exhibition debut. Vesey, the Hobey Baker Award winner last season for Harvard, signed a free-agent contract with the Rangers on Aug. 19. Skating on a line with Kevin Hayes and Rick Nash, Vesey had three shots on goal in 16:33 of ice time.
DUBINSKY LIFTS BLUE JACKETS PAST PREDATORS
In Columbus, Ohio, Brandon Dubinsky scored at 2:49 of overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.
Dubinsky also had the primary assist on Paul Bittner's tying goal with 4:04 left in regulation. Ryan Craig also scored for the Blue Jackets.
Curtis McElhinney made 15 saves for the victory. Starter Joonas Korpisalo stopped all 10 shots he faced in 27:57 of game action.
Anthony Bitetto and Yannick Weber scored for the Predators. Nashville's Juuse Saros allowed two goals on 25 shots and took the loss. Starter Marek Mazanec made 14 saves.
SABRES' MOULSON SCORES SHOOTOUT WINNER
At St. Catherines, Ontario, Matt Moulson scored the only goal in a shootout to give the Buffalo Sabres a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 at the Meridian Centre.
Moulson was Buffalo's fourth shooter and the eighth overall. Anders Nilsson earned the shutout, stopping everything his way through regulation and overtime and all four Toronto shooters in the shootout.
The 5,000-seat arena is home to the Ontario Hockey League's Niagara Ice Dogs, and sits between Toronto and Buffalo.
Garret Sparks and Kasimir Kaskisuo split time in goal for the Maple Leafs. Toronto's Auston Matthews, the first-overall draft pick, is expected to make his debut Friday night in Buffalo.
GUDLEVSKIS, LIGHTNING BLANK PANTHERS
In Tampa, Florida, Kristers Gudlevskis made 21 saves in the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.
Jeremy Morin had a goal and helped set up Brayden Point's goal.
James Reimer took the loss for Florida, making 18 saves in the first two periods. Reto Berra allowed a goal on nine shots in the third.
