Islanders overcome two-goal deficit to dump Capitals
Josh Bailey scored a shorthanded goal 6:52 into the third period and the New York Islanders overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Wednesday in a hard-hitting opener to the first-round playoff series.
Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee scored 1:54 apart spanning the second intermission. Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 shots and Anthony Beauvillier sealed it by scoring with 8:05 remaining in a game the Islanders overcame their own lack of discipline in allowing the Capitals seven power plays.
T.J. Oshie scored on consecutive power-play opportunities five minutes apart in the second period for Washington.
The Capitals finished the game without top-line forward Nicklas Backstrom. Lee set the physical tone of the game by knocking over Backstrom with a late hit in the opening minutes, which led to the Islanders captain fighting Washington defenseman John Carlson. The Capitals did not provide any details in announcing Backstrom would not return after playing seven shifts. BRUINS 4, HURRICANES 3, 2 OT >> Patrice Bergeron scored the winner early in double overtime, and Boston beat Carolina in Game 1 of their first-round series that was postponed 15 hours to a rare late-morning start.
The game scheduled for Tuesday night started the next morning at 8 a.m. PT after the Columbus Blue Jackets-Tampa Bay Lightning series opener went five overtimes. Playing all Eastern Conference games at
Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena had this potential for games going long messing with the schedule.
AVALANCHE 3, COYOTES 0 >> Nazem Kadri and J.T. Compher scored 10 seconds apart in the third period, Philipp Grubauer stopped 14 shots and Colorado opened the playoffs with a victory over Arizona.
Colorado dominated the Coyotes through the first two periods, outshooting them 29-7, yet couldn’t get anything past goalie Darcy Kuemper.
Grubauer made the saves when he had to for his second career playoff shutout and Kadri broke a scoreless tie by punching in a rebound on a power play with 7 minutes left.
The Avalanche broke it open from there.
FLYERS 2, CANADIENS 1 >> Joel Farabee’s quick-response, go-ahead goal in the second period lifted Philadelphia over Montreal Canadiens in the opening game of their first-round playoff series. Farabee’s rebound goal came 16 seconds after Montreal tied it.