Karlsson’s first playoff goal defeats Rangers

Crosby scores two quick goals as Penguins top Caps.

Erik Karlsson scored on a bad-angle shot with 4:11 left in the third period, sending the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in the opener of their second-round playoff series on Thursday night.

The Senators captain beat fellow Swede Henrik Lundqvist from just above the goal line. The shot pinged off Rangers center Derek Stepan before going into the net.

It was Karlsson’s first goal and seventh point of the playoffs. The 26-year-old defenseman, who has been playing with a foot injury, also logged more than 28 minutes in the win.

Craig Anderson stopped 33 shots and Ryan Dzingel scored for Ottawa, which eliminated Boston in six games in the first round.

The 35-year-old Lundqvist was terrific, especially early on. He made 21 saves in the first, including a pair of stops on Mark Stone during a flurry around the net on Ottawa’s first power play. Game 2 is Saturday. Penguins 3, Capitals 2: Sidney Crosby scored two goals in 52 seconds, Nick Bonino had the winner in the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washing ton Capit als 3-2 in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Thursday night.

In a high-profile showdown of Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, Washington’s captain also scored and Evgeny Kuznetsov had the goal that tied it in the third. But Marc-Andre Fleury made 15 of his 32 saves in the third period to help Pittsburgh to the win.

Late Wednesday

O i l e r s 5 , D u c k s 3 : Defenseman Adam Larsson scored his second goal of the third period with 4:40 to play, and the Oilers blew a two-goal lead before beating the host Ducks 5-3.

Mark Letestu scored two power-play goals, and Cam Talbot made 33 saves.

Draft lottery: As jackpots go in Las Vegas, George McPhee wouldn’t mind little lady luck being on the side of his Golden Knights expansion franchise when the NHL holds its draft lottery on Saturday.

“That would be so like Vegas in its first lottery, winning it,” the Golden Knights general manager said. “That would be something.”

The odds, aren’t that bad for a franchise preparing to open its first season in October.

The Golden Knights and desert rival Arizona Coyotes have each been awarded a 10.3 percent chance of winning the lottery, giving them the third-best shot at landing the No. 1 pick in the draft in June.

The Avalanche, with an 18 percent chance, have the best odds after finishing with the league’s worst record this season.

Predators: Nashville general manager David Poile says forward Kevin Fiala broke his left leg during Wednesday night’s Game 1 at St. Louis and is recovering from surgery to repair his femur.