Prague and Stockholm to host 08-09 season openers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Hockey League announced on Saturday it will open its regular season in Europe for the second straight year at the start of the 2008-09 campaign.

The New York Rangers will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning over two games in Prague on October 4-5 while the Ottawa Senators face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Stockholm on the same days.

"It's a delight to bring our game to more of our great international fans," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement released by the league. "We will start next season with double-headers in two outstanding venues, and we're very excited about that."

It will be the first time in history the NHL will play two games in Europe on the same day.

The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks opened this season with a two-game series against the Los Angeles Kings in London.

As part of the NHL's plan, the Rangers will also play European club champions Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia on October 1 for the inaugural Victoria Cup in Bern, Switzerland.

(Writing by Mike Shalin; Editing by Alastair Himmer)