LOS ANGELES - After having to watch a Los Angeles Kings' NHL title celebration they could have prevented, the San Jose Sharks blanked the defending Stanley Cup champions 4-0 Wednesday in their season opener.
Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks dives for the puck in front of Brayden McNabb of the Los Angeles Kings on October 8, 2014 in Los Angeles
San Jose led the Kings three games to none in last season's opening playoff round only to have Los Angeles win the last four games and begin their run to the crown.
The Sharks did their best to spoil the party with Tommy Wingels scoring 5:43 into the game and Patrick Marleau, Matt Nieto and Wingels scoring in the second period for the visitors.
In other opening-night matchups of the NHL's 98th season, Montreal edged Toronto 4-3, Boston downed Philadelphia 2-1 and Vancouver defeated Calgary 4-2.
Before the puck dropped in Los Angeles, the Kings raised their second championship banner in three seasons to cheers from the crowd.
"Tonight we celebrate one of the greatest achievements in sports history," Kings president of hockey operations Luc Robitaille said. "Our players showed if you are willing to give up personal gain for the greater good of the cause you can achieve anything.
"It was some of the greatest hockey we have ever seen."
The Kings will try to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since Detroit in 1997 and 1998 and become the first team to win three titles in four years since Edmonton in 1987, 1988 and 1990.
At Boston, the Bruins' Chris Kelly scored with 1:51 remaining to give the hosts their margin of victory over the Flyers.
Boston opened the scoring on Reilly Smith's power-play goal 10:39 into the game, but the Flyers equalized on Sean Couturier's goal 4:19 into the third period.
The Bruins are the most recent Eastern Conference club to lift the club from their 2011 title run while the Flyers, finalists in 2010, have not taken the trophy since 1975.
At Toronto, the Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec scored the winning goal with only 43 seconds remaining in the third period after the Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly had pulled Toronto level at 3-3 just 96 seconds earlier.
No Canadian team has won the Cup since Montreal in 1993 with Toronto enduring the longest current drought, last claiming the crown in 1967.
At Calgary, the visiting Canucks never trailed in dousing the Flames. Alex Burrows netted a power play goal for Vancouver in the first period. Paul Byron answered for Calgary in the second period but Zack Kassian and Radim Vrbata scored for the Canucks in the second period.
Jiri Hudler lifted the Flames within a goal but an empty-net goal by Swede Henrik Sedin with 76 seconds to play produced Vancouver's final victory margin.