Crosby, McDavid show why they’re superstars

They bring their teams to parity as playoffs continue

TORONTO — The C’s have it: Crosby and Connor, that is.

It didn’t take long for the two captains — Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid — to make their presence felt three days into the NHL’s expanded playoffs.

With each of their teams facing 1-0 deficits, and both to their respective conference’s 12th- and last-seeded opponents no less, Crosby and McDavid provided muchneeded sparks to even their best-of-five preliminary round elimination series, which resume Wednesday.

First, it was Crosby giving the Penguins a lift by beating Carey Price on a partial break to open the scoring in a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto on Monday

night.

A few hours later in the league’s other playoff hub city, Edmonton, Alberta, McDavid put on an eye-popping display — even by his standards — with his first threegoal playoff performance in a 6-3 win over Chicago.

Both teams are back in prime-time, with the Penguins facing Montreal (6 p.m., NBCSN), and Edmonton facing Chicago (8:30, NBCSN), while breathing just a little easier.

HURRICANES 4, RANGERS 1: In Toronto, Sebastian Aho scored twice in the third period while James Reimer was strong in net to help Carolina beat New York and sweep the Stanley Cup qualifier series.

With the loss, the Rangers are the first team eliminated from the NHL’s expanded playoff rounds. MAPLE LEAFS 3, BLUE JACKETS 0: In Toronto, Auston Matthews and John Tavares scored and the Leafs beat Columbus to

even their best-of-five qualifying series at one game.

Toronto defenseman Jake Muzzin was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 1:52 left in the game after his head made violent contact with Columbus’ Oliver Bjorkstrand behind the Blue Jackets net.

PREDATORS 4, COYOTES 2: In Edmonton, Alberta, Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist, Juuse Saros stopped 24 shots and Nashville jumped on Arizona early to even their Stanley Cup qualifier series.

ISLANDERS 4, PANTHERS 2: In Toronto, Jordan Eberle scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, and New York rallied to a win over Florida and took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five NHL preliminary round playoff series. FLAMES 6, JETS 2: In Edmonton, Alberta, Sean Monahan had a goal and two assists while Cam Talbot finished with 33 saves to help the Flames beat the Jets in Game 3 of their Stanley Cup qualifier series.