Avalanche beat Predators 7-3 to take 3-0 series lead

NASHVILLE, TENN. » Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in the second period, and the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 7-3 Saturday for a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.

Landeskog also had two assists. Nazem Kadri and Devon Toews each added a goal and an assist, and Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored a powerplay goal apiece as Colorado went 4 for 5 on the man advantage to push Nashville to the brink of elimination. Cale Makar had three assists.

Valeri Nichushkin added an empty-net goal with 2:46 left. The Avs had a couple missed opportunities once Nashville pulled goalie Connor Ingram with more than 4 minutes remaining.

Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper was hurt with a minute left in the first period. Pavel Francouz replaced him and made 18 saves in his seventh playoff appearance of his career.

Matt Duchene, Eeli Tolvanen and captain Roman Josi each scored goals for Nashville. Alexandre Carrier had two assists.

Game 4 is Monday night.

Capitals 6, Panthers 1

WASHINGTON » Ilya Samsonov rebounded after allowing an early goal to make 29 saves, and Washington bounced back to take a 2-1 series lead against Presidents’ Trophywinning Florida.

Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal and assisted on another and the Capitals blew out the Panthers in Game 3. Chants of “Sammy! Sammy!” gave way to “Ovi! Ovi! in the third period of the convincing victory.

T.J. Oshie deflected Ovechkin’s shot for one power-play goal, and Marcus Johansson, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Garnet Hathaway also scored for the Capitals, who shook off a 5-1 loss in Game 2 and an early deficit in Game 3.

Jonathan Huberdeau gave Florida a 1-0 lead less than three minutes in, and Sergei Bobrovsky had 25

saves.

Game 4 is Monday in Washington.

Penguins 7, Rangers 4

PITTSBURGH » Danton Heinen’s first playoff goal in three years just past the midway point of the third period broke a tie to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round Eastern

Conference series.

Pittsburgh blew a threegoal first-period lead but recovered behind the play of third-string goaltender Louis Domingue and Heinen, who jumped on a loose puck near the New York goal line and flicked a shot by Alexandar Georgiev 11:02 into the third to put the Penguins in front to stay.

Game 4 is Monday night in Pittsburgh.

MARK ZALESKI - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.