Reuters/Pitsburg

Washington Capitals Eric Fehr celebrates with teammates Jason Chimera and Marus Johansson following his goal during the NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field  in Pittsburgh on Saturday. (UPI)

Eric Fehr scored twice as the Washington Capitals got the New Year off to a soggy but successful start with a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rainy Winter Classic on Saturday.
Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead thanks to Evgeni Malkin but the Capitals hit back with goals from Mike Knuble and Fehr, who stole the spotlight from the NHL’s leading scorer, the Penguins Sidney Crosby, and Washington team mate Alexander Ovechkin.
Mother Nature had threatened to ruin the NHL’s New Year’s Day party when steady rain and unseasonably high temperatures forced the NHL to push back the opening faceoff for the outdoor extravaganza to 2000 local time.
Conditions improved just enough to allow the NHL’s signature event to go ahead in front of an excited sold-out crowd of 68,111 at Heinz Field, who watched much of the final period in a driving rain.
“We had an entertaining game and the crowd was terrific,” a beaming NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters after the game. “The reality is when you take hockey outdoors, it becomes a little unpredictable.”
The outdoor showcase provided a unique setting for hockey’s hottest individual rivalry but challenging conditions resulted in a lacklustre contest that prevented the league’s two most dynamic players, Crosby and Ovechkin, from displaying their skills.
Even Pittsburgh netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, who drew an assist on the Penguins’ goal, had more points combined than Crosby and Ovechkin.
“The conditions were alright,” shrugged Crosby, who was flattened near the end of the second period by a blindside hit that left in shaken. “It’s an amazing feeling...playing hockey in front of that many people.”
After a scoreless opening period, the two sides exchanged early chances in the second, Fleury denying Ovechkin from close range before Malkin beat Semyon Varlamov with a stinging wrist shot.

Giordano lifts Flames to 4th straight victory

EDMONTON, Alberta: Mark Giordano’s second-period goal stood up as the winner as the Calgary Flames extended their winning streak to a season-best four games with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Tim Jackman also scored for the Flames, who lost three straight before their spurt. Miikka Kiprusoff had a relatively easy night, making 16 saves.
Ryan Jones had the only goal for the Oilers (12-18-7), who have lost six in a row and eight of nine. Nikolai Khabibulin took the loss, despite a 28-save effort.
Calgary controlled the early stages of the game, outshooting Edmonton 11-1 at the midpoint of the first period. The Flames were rewarded with seven minutes left as David Moss made a nice pass to give Jackman the puck alone in front. Jackman made a deft move to slip it past Khabibulin.