NHL
Thursday, April 16
Crashing Penguins face poor matchup in Rangers
The Pittsburgh Penguins are limping into the playoffs, with just one win in their past six games, and may be facing off against the last team they've wanted to see in the New York Rangers.
The Pens have dropped six of the last seven against the Broadway Blueshirts, while being outscored 26-11. The slumping Pittsburgh offense has only averaged 1.7 goals per game over their past 15 games.
The Penguins are currently +155 when they travel to Madison Square Garden Thursday.
NHL roundup: Isles stun Caps in series opener
WASHINGTON -- Center Brock Nelson, right winger Ryan Strome and left winger Josh Bailey all scored their first career playoff goals and goaltender Jaroslav Halak stopped 24 of 25 shots to lead the New York Islanders to a series-opening 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
Nelson completed his night by slam dunking an empty-netter with 1:19 to play for his second of the game.
The Islanders are looking for their first playoff series victory since 1993 and started this one in convincing fashion, outshooting the Capitals 27-25 and controlling the play for long stretches.
Winger Marcus Johansson scored the lone goal for the Capitals, who, like the Islanders, are returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
Canadiens 4, Senators 3
MONTREAL -- Right winger Brian Flynn scored a goal and added two assists to lead Montreal over Ottawa in Game 1 of their quarterfinal series.
Goaltender Carey Price stopped 30 shots for the Canadiens while netminder Andrew Hammond made 35 saves for the Senators.
Centers Torrey Mitchell, Tomas Plekanec and Lars Eller also scored for the Canadiens. Left winger Milan Michalek and centers Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad replied for Ottawa.
Blackhawks 4, Predators 3 (2OT)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Defenseman Duncan Keith ended it for Chicago with a slapper at 7:49 of the second overtime against Nashville for a 1-0 series lead.
Making his return from a 21-game absence with a fractured left collarbone, Chicago right winger Patrick Kane set up two power-play goals in the second period to help his team rally from an early three-goal deficit. Backup goalie Scott Darling stopped all 42 shots he faced in relief of Corey Crawford to earn the win for the Blackhawks. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, left winger Patrick Sharp and center Jonathan Toews scored in regulation for Chicago.
Nashville led 3-0 after one period and got 38 saves from goalie Pekka Rinne while center Colin Wilson scored twice, and left winger Viktor Stalberg once.
Flames 2, Canucks 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Defenseman Kris Russell scored with 29.6 seconds left in the third period to give Calgary a victory over at Vancouver in the opening game of their Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series.
Right winger David Jones also scored for the Flames who battled back from a 1-0, second-period deficit. Center Bo Horvat scored for the Canucks.
Calgary goalie Eddie Lack, making his first ever playoff start, stopped 28 shots. Calgary goalie Jonas Hiller, making his 27th playoff start, made 29 saves.
Thursday, April 16
Crashing Penguins face poor matchup in Rangers
The Pittsburgh Penguins are limping into the playoffs, with just one win in their past six games, and may be facing off against the last team they've wanted to see in the New York Rangers.
The Pens have dropped six of the last seven against the Broadway Blueshirts, while being outscored 26-11. The slumping Pittsburgh offense has only averaged 1.7 goals per game over their past 15 games.
The Penguins are currently +155 when they travel to Madison Square Garden Thursday.
NHL roundup: Isles stun Caps in series opener
WASHINGTON -- Center Brock Nelson, right winger Ryan Strome and left winger Josh Bailey all scored their first career playoff goals and goaltender Jaroslav Halak stopped 24 of 25 shots to lead the New York Islanders to a series-opening 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
Nelson completed his night by slam dunking an empty-netter with 1:19 to play for his second of the game.
The Islanders are looking for their first playoff series victory since 1993 and started this one in convincing fashion, outshooting the Capitals 27-25 and controlling the play for long stretches.
Winger Marcus Johansson scored the lone goal for the Capitals, who, like the Islanders, are returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
Canadiens 4, Senators 3
MONTREAL -- Right winger Brian Flynn scored a goal and added two assists to lead Montreal over Ottawa in Game 1 of their quarterfinal series.
Goaltender Carey Price stopped 30 shots for the Canadiens while netminder Andrew Hammond made 35 saves for the Senators.
Centers Torrey Mitchell, Tomas Plekanec and Lars Eller also scored for the Canadiens. Left winger Milan Michalek and centers Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad replied for Ottawa.
Blackhawks 4, Predators 3 (2OT)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Defenseman Duncan Keith ended it for Chicago with a slapper at 7:49 of the second overtime against Nashville for a 1-0 series lead.
Making his return from a 21-game absence with a fractured left collarbone, Chicago right winger Patrick Kane set up two power-play goals in the second period to help his team rally from an early three-goal deficit. Backup goalie Scott Darling stopped all 42 shots he faced in relief of Corey Crawford to earn the win for the Blackhawks. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, left winger Patrick Sharp and center Jonathan Toews scored in regulation for Chicago.
Nashville led 3-0 after one period and got 38 saves from goalie Pekka Rinne while center Colin Wilson scored twice, and left winger Viktor Stalberg once.
Flames 2, Canucks 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Defenseman Kris Russell scored with 29.6 seconds left in the third period to give Calgary a victory over at Vancouver in the opening game of their Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series.
Right winger David Jones also scored for the Flames who battled back from a 1-0, second-period deficit. Center Bo Horvat scored for the Canucks.
Calgary goalie Eddie Lack, making his first ever playoff start, stopped 28 shots. Calgary goalie Jonas Hiller, making his 27th playoff start, made 29 saves.
