Caps top Blue Jackets to even series at 2 games each

COLUMBUS, OHIO » Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and two assists, and Braden Holtby stopped 23 shots as the Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Thursday night to even their playoff series at two games apiece.

Tom Wilson and Alexander Ovechkin each had a goal and an assist, and T.J. Oshie also scored for the workmanlike Capitals, who won this time in regulation after the first three games of the bestof-7 series were decided in overtime. Game 5 is Saturday afternoon in Washington.

This one lacked the intensity of the first three, and there was no comeback magic for the Blue Jackets. In fact, they were just flat through a good chunk of the first two periods, chasing pucks and flubbing passes. They finally seem to get out of the quicksand near the end of the second period after coach John Tortorella started switching up the lines. BRUINS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 1 » Brad Marchand scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and Tuukka Rask made 31 saves as Boston defeated Toronto to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

Torey Krug and Jake DeBrusk also had goals for the Bruins.

Patrice Bergeron, part of a top line that combined for 20 points in the Bruins’ two home victories to open the series, was a surprise late scratch with an upper-body injury.

Devils’ Vatanen day to day

NEWARK, N.J. » The New Jersey Devils are not sure whether top defenseman Sami Vatanen is going to be available for Game 5 of their firstround series with the Lightning.

Vatanen is listed as day to day with an upper-body injury after being hurt on a big hit by Nikita Kucherov in a 3-1 loss Wednesday that put the Devils within a game of elimination. The 26-year-old Finn did not make the trip to Florida on Thursday, but he might join the team there.