Capitals go up 2-0 on Rangers with OT triumph; Leafs even series with Bruins; Ducks fly over Wings; Kings blank Blues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defenseman Mike Green scored eight minutes into overtime and Braden Holtby turned aside all 24 shots he faced Washington claimed a 2-0 advantage in its first-round series with New York.

The Capitals, who outshot the Rangers 8-0 in overtime, made the visitors pay after defenseman Ryan McDonagh was whistled for a delay of game penalty.

Mike Ribeiro deked a pair New York players to the ice before setting up Green, whose shot from the high slot sailed past Henrik Lundqvist and inside the right post.

Lundqvist finished with 37 saves for New York, which fell to 1-9 in its last 10 postseason trips to the Verizon Center.

New York’s Rick Nash nearly snapped the scoreless draw with 3:44 remaining in the third period, but his bid on a partial breakaway caromed off the left post.

Lundqvist denied Ribeiro with his right shoulder on a 2-on-1 rush with 5:45 remaining in the second period.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner was also up to the task midway through the third when he made a brilliant right-pad save on Jason Chimera’s one-timer from the doorstep.

Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 2

Joffrey Lupul scored a pair of goals and James Reimer turned aside 39 shots as visiting Toronto evened its Eastern Conference first-round series at one game apiece.

Phil Kessel scored what proved to be the deciding goal and James van Riemsdyk also tallied as the Maple Leafs erased a 1-0 deficit with three unanswered goals to rebound from a 4-1 drubbing by Boston in the series opener.

Game 3 will be played on Monday night in Toronto, the first time in nine years the starved Maple Leafs’ fans have had hometown playoff hockey.

Nathan Horton and defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored goals and Tuukka Rask TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS forward Joffrey Lupul (left) splits a pair of Boston Bruins’ defenders to score the second of his two Game 2 goals on Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (right) in the second period of the Leafs’ 4-2 road victory on Saturday night to knot the teams’ first-round playoff series at 1-1 heading to Canada. made 28 saves for the Bruins, who pressed hard for the equalizer until van Riemsdyk converted a rebound for the insurance tally with 3:07 remaining.

Lupul countered Horton’s opening goal by scoring twice in a span of just over five and a half minutes in the second period.

He pounced on a rebound of defenseman Jake Gardiner’s shot from the point and chipped it into the net at 5:18 before taking a crossing pass from Matt Frattin and tucking a backhander past Rask at 11:56.

Kessel, who has labored to score against the Bruins since he was traded to Toronto, made it 3-1 on a breakaway 53 seconds into the third period.

Ducks 4, Red Wings 0

Jonas Hiller turned aside all 23 shots he faced and captain Ryan Getzlaf collected a short-handed goal and an assist as secondseeded Anaheim won on the road to take a 2-1 series lead.

Nick Bonino netted his second power-play goal of the series and Matt Beleskey also tallied with the man advantage.

Rookie Emerson Etem scored his first career playoff goal for the Ducks, who will look to push the seventh-seeded Red Wings to the brink of elimination in Game 4 on Monday.

With 4:49 remaining in the second period, Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader was assessed a five-minute charging major and a game misconduct after leaving his feet to drill defenseman Toni Lydman.

Anaheim capitalized 18 seconds into the ensuing power play as Corey Perry made a strong move to the net before the puck caromed to Bonino, whose backhander beat Jimmy Howard (25 saves) from the doorstep.

Getzlaf provided insurance 6:33 into the third period with a brilliant individual effort.

Kings 1, Blues 0

Jonathan Quick made 30 saves and defenseman Slava Voynov scored the contest’s lone goal as host Los Angeles captured Game 3 to get back into its Western Conference series against St Louis.

Alec Martinez and Trevor Lewis each recorded an assist for the Kings, who have the chance to even the series when they host Game 4 on Monday.

After a physical but scoreless first period, Los Angeles got on the board 4:56 into the second.

A mad scramble took place in the crease and the puck squirted out to the right faceoff circle for Voynov, who fired it just inside the left post for his second career playoff goal.