Bruins defeat Senators, alive for top seed

Boston’s Noel Acciari celebrates his goal during Saturday’s game against Ottawa.

BOSTON — David Pastrnak and Tommy Wingels scored 51 seconds apart in the second period, and Boston beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2 on Saturday night, preserving the Bruins’ chances for the No. 1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

Danton Heinen also scored for Boston, which added late goals by Noel Acciari and David Backes in the final two minutes to put away the Senators and complete the season sweep.

Anton Khudobin stopped 26 shots for the Bruins, who host Florida on Sunday night in a game postponed by a winter storm Jan. 4.

CAPITALS 5, DEVILS 3: Alex Ovechkin scored twice to make it a league-leading 49 goals as Washington beat New Jersey at home. By beating the Devils in regulation, the Metropolitan Divisionchampion Capitals ensured they wouldn’t face them in the first round of the playoffs. HURRICANES 3, LIGHTNING 2, OT: Elias Lindholm scored 49 seconds into overtime, and Carolina prevented Tampa Bay from clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference by beating the Lightning at home.

FLYERS 5, RANGERS 0: Claude Giroux earned his first career hat trick in the regular season and Philadelphia clinched a playoff berth with a home victory over New York.

PANTHERS 4, SABRES 3: Florida was eliminated from playoff contention, even after Vincent Trocheck scored late in the third period to help the Panthers hold off Buffalo at home.

JETS 4, BLACKHAWKS 1: Andrew Copp scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck set an NHL record for most wins in a season by an American goaltender with 44 as Winnipeg beat Chicago at home.

RANGERS FIRE COACH: The New York Rangers fired coach Alain Vigneault hours after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010. The Rangers made the playoffs in four of Vigneault’s five seasons as coach, including a 2014 trip to the Stanley Cup Final. They went 226-147-37 in the regular season under Vigneault.