Penguins eliminate Blue Jackets
Sidney Crosby and Scott Wilson scored 51 seconds apart in the third period, helping the Penguins eliminate the visiting Blue Jackets with a 5- 2 win in Game 5 of their first- round series on Thursday night.
Bryan Rust scored twice for Pittsburgh, Phil Kessel added his second of the playoffs and Marc- Andre Fleury finished with 49 saves. The defending Stanley Cup champions will face the winner of the Toronto- Washington series in the conference semifinals starting next week.
William Karlsson and Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, but Sergei Bobrovsky stopped just 27 of 32 shots to finish a forgettable series.
Columbus trailed by three in the second period but had a potential tying goal waved off in the third for interference. Pittsburgh responded immediately. Crosby’s onetimer on the power play restored a two- goal lead and Wilson’s backhand less than a minute later finished off the Blue Jackets.
Fleury fended off 15 shots in the first period alone, several of them from point- blank range. It gave the Penguins time to find their legs, and Kessel’s wrist shot from the top of the circle 9: 07 into the first put Pittsburgh in front.
When Rust scored twice less than three minutes apart early in the second — both of them on backhand rebounds — the Penguins appeared to be in control.
Rangers 3, Canadiens 2 ( OT)
Mika Zibanejad scored at 14: 22 of overtime to give the Rangers a victory over the host Canadiens in Game 5 of their first- round playoff series.
Chris Kreider’s shot on a rush went off Alexei Emelin’s stick right to Zibanejad for a shot into an open side.
The Rangers grabbed a 3- 2 lead in the best- of- seven series and will look to advance when they host Game 6 on Saturday.
Jesper Fast and Brady Skjei also scored for New York.
Artturi Lehkonen scored and set up a goal by Brendan Gallagher in the first period for Montreal.
Linesman files suit
NHL linesman Don Henderson filed a lawsuit against Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman and the team, according to ESPN. The statement of claim for damages was filed on April 18 and is seeking damages of $ 10.25 million.
Henderson was injured during a January 2016 Flames game against the Predators when he was hit from behind by Wideman. Henderson hasn’t returned to work since.
Sun- Times wires