Lightning strikes first with 5-2 win over N.J.

The Tampa TAMPA, FLA.

Bay Lightning is off to a strong start in the NHL playoffs.

The top seed in the Eastern Conference got early goals from four players — none of them named Nikita Kucherov or Steven Stamkos — before holding off the New Jersey Devils for a 5-2 victory Thursday night in Game 1 of the first-round series.

Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde scored, helping the Lightning build a 3-0 lead that New Jersey trimmed to one goal before Alex Killorn and Kucherov, who added an empty-netter with 1:12 remaining, finished off the win.

Taylor Hall scored an unassisted goal in the second period, then assisted on Travis Zajac’s power-play goal that trimmed the Devils’ deficit to 3-2 midway through third against Andrei Vasilievskiy, who had 29 saves for Tampa Bay.

Killorn’s shot over the glove of goalie Kevin Kincaid’s glove restored a twogoal lead before Kucherov, who led the Lightning with 100 points this season, ensured there would be no comeback.

Blue Jackets 4, Capitals 3 (OT). WASHINGTON»

Artemi Panarin scored 6:02 into overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night in Game 1 of their firstround playoff series.

Panarin made an incredible individual move to drive by fellow Russian Dmitry Orlov and went backhandto-forehand to beat Philipp Grubauer top shelf.

Alexander Wennberg, Thomas Vanek and Seth Jones scored in regulation, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots for Columbus, which got two power-play goals to continue a strong trend since the trade deadline.

Wennberg left the game with an upper-body injury in the third period and didn’t return. Jones, son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, drew a penalty late in the third period, almost put the puck in his own net and tied it on the ensuing power play with 4:26 left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 1.

BOSTON» Brad Marchand, David Backes and David Krejci each scored a powerplay goal, and Tuukka Rask stopped 26 shots to lead the Boston Bruins to a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

David Pastrnak also scored for Boston, and Sean Kuraly bunted one out of the air and into the net over goalie Frederik Andersen to make it 4-1 with seven minutes gone in the third period. Krejci bounced it in off Andersen from behind to make it 5-1 after Toronto’s Nazem Kadri was thrown out of the game and given a five-minute major for an elbow to Tommy Wingels’ head.