Devils’ return to playoffs begins with Game 1 setback

TAMPA, FLA. » Alex Killorn scored a key insurance goal in the third period, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 29 shots and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Devils, 5-2, in Game 1 of their firstround Eastern Conference playoff series on Thursday night.

The Lightning jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to first-period goals from Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson and a second-period tally off the stick of Yanni Gourde.

The Devils began the climb back into the game when Taylor Hall netted later in the second period and Travis Zajac pulled a second goal back just before the midway point of the third period.

But Killorn struck a few minutes later to restore Tampa Bay’s two-goal cushion and Nikita Kucherov added a late empty-netter.

Keith Kinkaid stopped 27 of 31 shots for the Devils.

Game 2 is Saturday afternoon in Tampa Bay. 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 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs 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.

Zach Hyman scored Toronto’s only goal, and Andersen made 35 saves.

CHRIS O’MEARA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Tampa Bay Lightning center J.T. Miller (10) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Andy Greene (6) chase a rebound off Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series Thursday in Tampa, Fla.