Blue Jackets, Wild in danger of being swept out of playoffs
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)— The Columbus Blue Jackets scored more goals in the first six minutes of Sunday’s game than in their first two playoff games combined. That still wasn’t enough to slow down the Pittsburgh Penguins, who dealt the Blue Jackets a third straight playoff loss and put them on the brink of elimination.
Now the Blue Jackets, whose best season in franchise history included a 16-game winning streak, will try to get a win at home on Tuesday night to avoid being swept out of the first-round series by the defending Stanley Cup champions.
——— Canadiens at Rangers, Montreal leads 2-1 (7 p.m. EDT, NBCSN)
Just 18 seconds from trailing 2-0 in this series, the Canadiens have seized the momentum and they expect the Rangers to come out with more intensity in Game 4.
“We know we didn’t see their best,” forward Max Pacioretty said a day after Montreal’s 3-1 win in Game 3. “So we’re expecting, obviously, a pushback from them and we know we’re going to see their best the next game.”
In the last two games especially, the Canadiens have done a good job of preventing the Rangers from using the up-tempo style they’re best at, clamping down defensively and forcing New York to dump and chase. The Rangers managed just 21 shots on goal in Game 3 and had 21 giveaways, including 10 in the first period.
“With any team, if they’re fast you got to get on them quick,” defenceman Jordie Benn said. “We’ve been pretty good at that the last few games. We just got to keep doing it.”
After getting the winning goal in overtime in Game 2, Alexander Radulov put the Canadiens up 3-0 Sunday night, giving him two goals and three assists in the last two games.
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Oilers at Sharks, Edmonton leads 2-1 (10 p.m. EDT, NBCSN)
The Oilers have found a new playoff hero in their first post-season trip since 2006. Hard-hitting winger Zack Kassian has turned into a clutch goal-scorer in the playoffs with the game-winners in back-to-back contests to give Edmonton the lead in the series after dropping the opener in overtime.
“His play speaks for itself,” coach Todd McLellan said. “He’s stepped up to the plate and delivered for three games straight. Obviously scoring big goals but doing a lot of other things during the game — the penalty kill portion of it, the forecheck, the momentum. He’s been tremendous for us.”
After scoring just seven goals in the regular season, Kassian has scored his first two game-winners since the 2014-15 regular season.
The Sharks are just looking for any kind of goal after being shut out by Cam Talbot for a second straight game. San Jose is just 1 for 14 on the power play this series and has scored on just three of 83 shots. San Jose’s quartet of 25-goal scorers in the regular season — Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture — have none so far in the playoffs.