Capitals work OT to take Game 1 from Leafs
Toronto native Tom Wilson scored his first NHL playoff goal 5:15 into overtime and the Washington Capitals survived a scare to beat the visiting Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 1 of their first-round series.
The topseeded Capi- tals came back from a two-goal deficit to take the early lead in the series and at least momentarily stop the panic about a slip-up.
Justin Williams scored twice in regulation. Braden Holtby was up to the task in goal, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced.
Toronto counterpart Frederik Andersen was arguably the best player on the ice with 41 saves before being beaten by Wilson with an absurd shot on the winner.
l Pekka Rinne made 29 saves, Viktor Arvidsson scored in the first period and the Predators beat the host Blackhawks 1-0 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
JUNIOR IN BRONZE
Ken Griffey Jr. is captured in full follow through from his swing, gazing toward an unseen baseball.
It’s a pose he struck many times during his Hall of Fame career, and it’s the way he’s been immortalized in bronze outside Safeco Field. The Seattle Mariners on Thursday unveiled the statue of Griffey, the most recent way they’ve honored one of the franchise’s greatest players.
“One of the things I’m known for is my swing and I think it was pretty much going to be a given (that would be the pose),” Griffey said during the unveiling ceremony.”
l Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single capped a three-run rally in the eighth inning lifting the Boston Red Sox over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 in a makeup from a rainout in the opening series.
l Brett Anderson beat his former team with five solid innings, center fielder Albert Almora Jr. made two outstanding catches against the ivy and the Chicago Cubs blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0.
Anderson (1-0) won in his Wrigley Field debut for the Cubs.
Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell hit long solo home runs, their first of the season.
l Yu Darvish pitched seven scoreless innings and Carlos Gomez hit a leadoff homer in the Texas Rangers’ comprehensive 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Darvish (1-1) struck out 10 and limited the Halos to five singles and two walks.