Lightning takes 2-0 lead on Devils

TAMPA, Fla. — The good news for the Tampa Bay Lightning is they’re up 2-0 on New Jersey in the first round of the playoffs and still haven’t played their best hockey.

Alex Killorn scored twice during a four-goal second period, helping the top seed in the Eastern Conference beat the Devils 5-3 on Saturday in Game 2 of the best-ofseven series.

The Atlantic Division champions scored three times in a 2:47 span in the second period, and the reeling Devils pulled goalie Keith Kinkaid after Killorn’s third goal in two games made it 5-1 with 6:48 remaining in the period.

Kinkaid, whose stellar play since January helped New Jersey finish strong and claim its first playoff berth since 2012, yielded five goals on 15 shots.

Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson also scored for Tampa Bay.

Game 3 is Monday night in Newark, New Jersey. BRUINS 7, MAPLE LEAFS 3: David Pastrnak had a hat trick and three assists to help Boston blow out Toronto for the second straight game, leading the Bruins to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series. Pastrnak shattered his previous career high of four points, scoring his third goal with 1:36 left. Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron each had four assists, and Torey Krug had three. Tuukka Rask stopped 30 shots for Boston, and David Krejci, Rick Nash, Jake DeBrusk and Kevan Miller also scored. Mitch Marner, Tyler Bozak and James Van Riemsdyk scored for the Maple Leafs. The series moves to Toronto for Games 3 on Monday. PREDATORS 5, AVALANCHE 4: Ryan Hartman’s empty-net goal with 1:09 left wound up the gamewinner as Nashville held off Colorado for a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series. Hartman’s goal gave the Predators a 5-3 lead until Alexander Kerfoot pulled Colorado within 5-4 with 35.8 seconds left. Game 3 is Monday night in Denver.