Top-seeded Avs take 3-0 series lead over Preds
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 power-play 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 20 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.
This is the first time the Predators have trailed 0-3 in a series, and they will try to avoid being swept for the first time in their 15 playoff appearances in Game 4 on Monday night.
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Bruins 4, Hurricanes 2: Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists on Friday night to help host Boston take its first lead against Carolina all season – and hold onto it for a victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.
Rookie Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots in his first career playoff start after Linus Ullmark allowed eight goals in the first two games, both Hurricanes victories. That followed a regular season in which Carolina swept all three games, outscoring the Bruins 16-1 and never trailing.
Maple Leafs 5, Lightning 2: Jack Campbell had 32 saves – including three to protect the lead on a late power play – and visiting Toronto took a 2-1 series lead in the firstround Eastern Conference matchup.
Ilya Mikheyer had two empty-net goals in the final two minutes, and Morgan Rielly, Colin Blackwell and David Kampf also scored for Toronto.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Tampa.
Wild 5, Blues 1: Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots, and visiting Minnesota took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference playoff series.
Joel Erickson Ek had a goal and an assist, and Jordan Greenway, Mats
AAAZuccarello and Jonas Brodin also scored as the Wild improved to 8-8 all-time in Game 3s. Fleury, playing in a 16th consecutive Stanley Cup playoffs, earned his 92nd career playoff win.
Game 4 is Sunday afternoon in St. Louis.
Oilers 8, Kings 2: Evander Kane picked up his first hat trick in a Stanley Cup playoff game, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman each had two goals, and visiting Edmonton dominated for the second straight game.
Leon Draisaitl had a goal and assist for the Oilers, who lead the firstround series 2-1.
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