Penguins close to sweep
With help from Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins are on the verge of sweeping their opening playoff series against Columbus.
Crosby played keep-away with three Blue Jackets players behind the net before passing the puck to a perfectly positioned Guentzel in front during overtime Sunday night at Columbus.
The 22-year-old rookie capped his hat trick by slipping it past Sergei Bobrovsky at 13:10 of the extra period for a 5-4 win and a 3-0 advantage for Pittsburgh in the series.
The loss was deflating for the Blue Jackets, who scored 11 seconds into the game and jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the first period only to let the Penguins climb back in, as veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury regained the form that frustrated Columbus in the two previous games.
Fleury, forced into action for the injured Matt Murray, had 33 saves in another wild and hard-hitting matchup between the Metropolitan Division rivals.
The biggest save might have been a shot by Brandon Dubinsky that took off Fleury’s mask seven minutes into the overtime.
“We had to stay with it,” Crosby said. “We got some unfortunate bounces there a couple times. We just tried to stay in it and give ourselves a chance. [Fleury] makes a big save in overtime that probably changed the game.”
Guentzel earned the first playoff three-goal game for a Pittsburgh rookie.
Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin added goals for the Penguins. Malkin and Crosby each had two assists.
Cam Atkinson had two goals for Columbus, and Zach Werenski and Dubinsky also scored. Bobrovsky had 42 saves.
Werenski, a 19-year-old rookie defenseman, also took a puck to the face on a shot by Phil Kessel that opened a gash on his right cheek in the second period. He played a couple shifts in the third period, but his eye swelled shut and he had to sit out the rest of the game.
The Blue Jackets’ Nick Foligno said the team now is “like a wounded animal.”
“We had our chances in overtime,” the captain said. “It’s a tough one to swallow right now.”
Edmonton 1, at San Jose 0: Zack Kassian scored midway through the third period and Cam Talbot made 23 saves in his second straight shutout for the Oilers, who lead the series 2-1.
Edmonton weathered a spirited start by the defending Western Conference champion Sharks fueled in part by the return of Joe Thornton from a knee injury. Then the Oilers took control and capitalized on a costly turnover to take the lead.
David Schlemko’s clearing attempt was intercepted by Kassian in the slot, and Kassian beat Martin Jones with a backhand to make it 1-0 with 9:15 to play.
The Sharks were held to 10 shots over the final two periods and didn’t even get a shot on goal on a pair of power-play chances.
Montreal 3, at New York Rangers 1: Alexander Radulov had a goal and an assist to help the Canadiens take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Artturi Lehkonen and Shea Weber scored powerplay goals for Montreal and Carey Price stopped 20 shots.
Radulov, who got the overtime winner in Game 2 on Friday night, has two goals and three assists in the past two games.
Brady Skjei spoiled Price’s shutout bid with 2:56 remaining for his first career playoff goal.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, coming off a playoff career-high 54 saves in Game 2, stopped 26 shots in this one.
at St. Louis 3, Minnesota 1: Jaden Schwartz scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and Jake Allen made 40 saves to lead the Blues, who are up 3-0 in their series against the Wild.
Colton Parayko also scored for the Blues, and Alexander Steen added an empty-net goal.
Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, which got 28 saves from Devan Dubnyk.
Schwartz had a powerplay goal at 15:19 of the second period.
Minnesota put 19 shots on goal in the third period, but couldn’t beat Allen.