Bruins defeat ’Canes in 2 OTs

Patrice Bergeron scored early in the second ovetime and the Boston Bruins beat the Carolina Hurricanes 43 on Wednesday in Game 1 of their firstround series that was postponed 15 hours to a rare morning start.

The game scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday in Toronto started the next morning at 11 after the Columbus Blue JacketsTampa Bay Lightning series opener went five overtimes.

HurricanesBruins Game 1 wasn’t quite the same marathon, with Bergeron scoring 1:13 into the second extra period. But it had plenty of theater from Carolina’s surprise scratches (Sami Vatanen, Justin Williams) to a controversial goal and video review.

Joel Edmundson, who wasn’t with the Hurricanes last year and joined them in a trade from the St. Louis Blues after winning the Stanley Cup, opened the scoring 13:02 into the first period.

The way Boston tied it was plenty familiar, with its top line of Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak connecting. Bergeron won a faceoff to Marchand, who fed it to Pastrnak for the leagueleading goalscorer to finish it off at the 17:45 mark of the first.

The Bruins took the lead when Charlie Coyle scored 4:38 into the second. But goaltender Petr Mrazek was livid, and coach Rod Brind’Amour challenged for what the Hurricanes thought was a missed hand pass by Boston’s Brett Ritchie. Officials and the NHL’s situation room ruled that Mrazek trying to cover the puck negated the hand pass. Brind’Amour was fined for his postgame comments.