Leafs shut out Canadiens to take 3-2 lead in series NHL playoffs

Jack Campbell made 32 saves in his first playoff shutout, Alex Galchenyuk set up two goals and scored into the empty net against his former team, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Tuesday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

Jason Spezza had a goal and an assist and William Nylander and Joe Thornton also scored for Toronto, which can wrap up the best-of-seven series at home Thursday in Game 5. Alexander Kerfoot had three assists.

Carey Price stopped 24 shots for Montreal. The Canadiens have scored just four times in 12 periods against Campbell in the first playoff series between the teams since 1979.

The Leafs, who won consecutive post-season games in Montreal for the first time since the 1967 Stanley Cup final on the heels of Monday’s 2-1 victory, haven’t advanced to the second round since 2004.

Toronto is 11-1 all-time when leading a series 3-1 — a situation the Maple Leafs haven’t found themselves in since 1987. HURRICANES 3, PREDATORS 2» Jordan Staal scored off a rebound at 1:44 of overtime to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 comefrom-behind victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night for a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Staal was jostling with Nashville’s Ryan Johansen for position just outside the crease when Brett Pesce fired a shot toward Juuse Saros on a 4-on-4 sequence. Saros made the stop and poked the puck forward, but Carolina’s captain batted the puck out of the air and past Saros to seal the win.

Staal’s score ended what was the third straight game to go to extra time, with the Predators winning a pair of grueling double-overtime contests in Games 3 and 4 in the best-of-seven series. This one, however, moved the Hurricanes within a win of advancing in the postseason.

GRETZKY LEAVES OILERS FRONT OFFICE » Wayne Gretzky is leaving as vice chairman of the Edmonton Oilers, citing “the pandemic and other life changes.”

The 60-year-old hockey great announced the decision Tuesday on Twitter. He said he will not be able to “dedicate the time nor effort needed to support this world-class organization.”

The NHL’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time Stanley Cup winner as a player with Edmonton, Gretzky returned to the Oilers in a front-office role in 2016.