Nichushkin’s first hat trick carries Avalanche past Jets for 3-1 series lead

Valeri Nichushkin had three goals for his first career hat trick, and the Colorado Avalanche took a commanding lead in their first-round series with a 5-1 win over the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Sunday in Denver.

Colorado has won the last three games to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference best-of-7 series, with Game 5 on Tuesday night in Winnipeg. The Avalanche have outscored Winnipeg 16-5 since losing the first game, 7-6.

Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen each had a goal and an assist, Nathan MacKinnon had two assists and Alexandar Georgiev turned away 25 shots for Colorado.

Nate Schmidt scored for the Jets, who are on the brink of elimination. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck continued to struggle, allowing four goals on 30 shots before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit to start the third period.

Brossoit had four saves on four shots.

Winnipeg center Vladislav

Namestnikov was helped off the ice with 13:03 left after Schmidt’s slap shot from the point hit him in the head. The Jets were already without defenseman Brenden Dillon, who was scratched due to a cut on his hand suffered in the scrum after time expired in Game 3 on Friday.

Nichushkin put Colorado ahead when he deflected Makar’s shot from the point at 11:36 of the second. Makar made it 3-1 at 15:03 when he skated from his own zone, through Winnipeg players and beat Hellebuyck with a wrister from the top of the right circle.

Nichushkin capped off a dominant second period when he scored his fifth goal of the postseason at 19:36. He completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal at 19:47 of the third.

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The Hurricanes lead the best-of-7 series three games to one. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Stars 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT): Wyatt Johnston scored at 16:23 of overtime to give Dallas a victory over Vegas in Game 3 of their Western Conference series in Las Vegas.

Johnston roofed a sharpangled wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle over the left shoulder of Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson for the gamewinner and his second goal of the game. Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist and Jason Robertson added two assists for Dallas, which still trails the best-of-seven series, 2-1. Jake Oettinger finished with 32 saves. Game 4 is Monday night in Las Vegas.

Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 1: Jeremy Swayman started back-to-back games for the first time in more than two months and made 25 saves to help visiting Boston take command of the Eastern Conference first-round series against Toronto.

The Bruins lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 heading into Game 5 on Tuesday in Boston.