Predators hold off Avs to take 2-0 lead in series

Ryan Hartman’s emptynet goal with 1:09 left wound up the winner as the Predators held off the Avalanche 5-4 on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., for a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.

After Hartman gave the Predators a 5-3 lead, Alexander Kerfoot pulled the Avalanche to 5-4 with 35.8 seconds left.

But the Avalanche couldn’t get another puck past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.

The Presidents’ Trophy winners started slowly, giving up a goal on the Avalanche’s first shot for a second straight game.

But the Predators rallied again to take their first 2-0 series lead when starting a best-of-seven series in their own building.

Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen and Austin Watson scored a goal apiece.

P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm each had two assists for the Predators, who have won 12 straight over the Avalanche. Rinne made 26 saves.

Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Gabriel Bourque and Gabriel Landeskog each added a goal for the Avalanche.

The Bruins chased Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen with three goals in the first 12:13 and coasted to the victory in Boston to grab a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference series.

Andersen was replaced by Curtis McElhinney after goals by David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk and Kevan Miller. A little more than two minutes later, Rick Nash beat McElhinney at 15:00 to put the Bruins up 4-0.

Alex Killorn scored twice in a four-goal second period, helping the Lightning beat the Devils in Tampa, Fla., for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference series.

The Lightning scored three times in a 2:47 span in the second period, and the reeling Devils pulled goalie Keith Kinkaid after Killorn’s third goal in two games made it 5-1 with 6:48 left in the period. Kinkaid, whose stellar play since January helped the Devils claim their first playoff berth since 2012, yielded five goals on 15 shots.