Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ryan’s goal in OT sinks Bruins’ rally
BOSTON — Bobby Ryan scored on a tip-in on a power play 5:43 into overtime, and the Ottawa Senators recovered after giving up a threegoal lead to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 Monday night to take a 2-1 lead in the firstround series.
Ryan got free in the zone, tapping it in on assists by Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson. Mike Hoffman added two goals for Ottawa, with Derick Brassard scoring the other. Craig Anderson finished with 17 saves.
It was the second consecutive overtime game of the series, and second victory in a row for the Senators following their 4-3 conquest in Game 2.
This time Bruins rallied from a 3-0 deficit with three goals in second period, tying the game on a power play goal by David Pastrnak.
Noel Acciari and David Backes also scored for the Bruins. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Boston.
Ottawa seemed to be cruising in the second period following Hoffman’s second goal of the night off a power play to make it 3-0. But then Boston finally got going on the offensive end.
First, forward Noel Acciari, who returned from injury, got Boston on the board on a tipin off a miss by John-Michael Liles. That was followed 42 seconds later by Backes’ slap shot after he broke through the Senators defense to swipe the puck and open the ice.
Then, the Bruins finally cashed in on Pastrnak’s goal with Dion Phaeneuf in the penalty box for slashing.
It nearly nullified what was a dominating start by the Senators, who kept the action on their side of the red line for most of the first period.
The Bruins played through a rash of injuries in the first two games, and were missing defensemen Adam McQuaid, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo and Colin Miller on Monday.
Acciari and center David Krejci both returned, but Boston struggled early to find much offensive traction.
Hoffman and Brassard scored just 25 seconds apart in the first period and exploited a depleted Boston defense to give Ottawa an early 2-0 lead.
The Bruins made up for their sloppy start and came out more aggressive on the offensive end in the second period, scoring three goals on just seven shots — including the two in 42 seconds — to get back into the game.
The Senators outshot the Bruins 10-3 in the first, taking advantage of several defensive breakdowns on their side of the ice.
Ottawa’s first goal of the night came after Erik Karlsson flipped a pass behind Boston’s defense to spring Hoffman on a breakaway. Hoffman controlled the puck and easily tapped it by Rask into the right corner of the net.
Then Brassard got on the board, slipping a slap shot by Rask for his second goal in two games.
Backes had the best opportunity
to score for the Bruins in first period, but his attempt to fire a glove side shot by Anderson was wide right, striking the post.
It was the first game of the series that the Bruins had trailed after the opening 20 minutes.
MAPLE LEAFS 4, CAPITALS 3
TORONTO — Tyler Bozak scored 1:37 into overtime to cap Toronto’s comeback from two goals down in the second period, and the Maple Leafs beat Washington to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and an assist, and William Nylander also scored for Toronto. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves.
Toronto trailed 2-0 in the first period, and then 3-1 early in the second before Kadri and Nylander scored 4:07 apart late to tie the score in the final minute of the period.
Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov all scored for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals. Braden Holtby stopped 24 shots.
All three games so far have been decided in overtime.
Game 4 is Wednesday night.
The Maple Leafs were hosting their first playoff game in almost four years and coming off an exciting double-overtime victory in Game 2. However, the Capitals got the early jump as they scored twice in the first five minutes with both goals coming from their top line of Ovechkin, Backstrom and T.J. Oshie.
Washington looked crisp and confident early, cycling pucks with authority in the Toronto end. But the Capitals generated few shots or scoring chances beyond the goals, and the Maple Leafs pushed back with Matthews’ first goal of the series.
The 19-year-old, held without a point in Games 1 and 2, sped through the neutral zone with speed and fired a shot that ricocheted off John Carlson, Schmidt’s face and Matthews’ body before finally hitting Holtby. He stopped the initial shot, but Matthews hung with it and batted the rebound out of the air to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Washington led 3-1 and had a chance to put the Leafs away after Kuznetsov upped the lead back to two with his first goal of the playoffs 5:39 into the second period, but Toronto’s penalty-kill managed to fend off a full 2-minute 5-on-3 Capitals’ power play. The unit stood tall again a short while later when the club was called for too many men.
The Leafs pulled back within one when Kadri fired through traffic from the point to beat Holtby with 4:47 left in the middle period.
Nylander evened the score at 3-3 with 40 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.
SUNDAY’S LATE GAME OILERS 1, SHARKS 0
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Zack Kassian scored midway through the third period, Cam Talbot made 23 saves in his second consecutive shutout and the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of their first-round series. Game 4 is tonight in San Jose. The Oilers bounced back from an overtime loss in their first playoff game in 11 years to post consecutive shutouts and take a 2-1 series lead over the defending Western Conference champions.
David Schlemko’s clearing attempt was intercepted by Kassian in the slot, and Kassian beat Martin Jones with a backhand to make it 1-0 with 9:15 to play. Kassian also scored the first goal in Edmonton’s 2-0 victory in Game 2.