Europe to host NHL season openers for third consecutive year

TORONTO (Reuters) - For the third consecutive year the NHL will open its regular season on European ice, scheduling games in Sweden and Finland, the league announced on Thursday.

The current Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings will faceoff against the St Louis Blues in a two-game series October 2 and 3 in Stockholm, while the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers will clash in Helsinki on the same dates.

With a line-up that includes some of Sweden''s top players, including captain Nicklas Lidstrom and Conn Smythe trophy winner Henrik Zetterberg, the Detroit Red Wings games should generate plenty of interest in Stockholm.

The Florida Panthers will be making their first visit to Europe while the Blackhawks will be back on European ice for the first time in 17 years, following a two-game exhibition series against the Montreal Canadiens at London''s Wembley Arena in 1992.

Last season the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning played two games to capacity crowds in Prague while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators squared off in a two-game set in Stockholm.

The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings opened the 2007-08 NHL regular season in front of two sell-out crowds at the O2 Arena in London.

(Writing by Steve Keating; Editing by Kevin Fylan)