By Canadian Press

Lightning, Bruins, Avalanche advance in Stanley Cup playoffs

Aug 20, 2020 | 10:09 AM

TORONTO — The Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated Columbus from the Stanley Cup playoffs in five games Wednesday, overcoming a late two-goal deficit and beating the Blue Jackets 5-4 on Brayden Point’s goal 5:12 into overtime.

Point also delivered the winner in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series, a five-overtime thriller that wound up being the fourth-longest game in NHL history.

Kevin Shattenkirk and Anthony Cirelli scored in the final eight minutes of regulation to wipe out a 4-2 deficit. Columbus scored four consecutive times to overcome an early two-goal deficit of its own.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 37 shots for Tampa Bay, which was swept from the first round by the Blue Jackets last season.

Joonas Korpisalo had 20 saves for Columbus. Point took a pass from Nikita Kucherov in the slot before backhanding the winner past the goaltender.

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Tyler Johnson and Blake Coleman scored in a 1:01 span to give the Lightning an early 2-0 lead that Columbus answered with goals by captain Nick Foligno, playoff newcomer Kevin Stenlund and Alexander Wennberg, who put the Blue Jackets ahead 3-2 with 15.8 seconds remaining in the second period.

Oliver Bjorkstrand’s third goal of the series made it 4-2 early in the third. Tampa Bay rallied, with Shattenkirk beating Korpisalo from the top of the right circle and the Lightning pulling even when the puck glanced off Cirelli’s left skate into the net with 1:38 remaining in regulation.

BRUINS 2, HURRICANES 1

Patrice Bergeron broke a tie with 3.5 seconds left in the second period, David Pastrnak returned with two assists and Boston beat Carolina to win the first-round playoff series in five games.

The Bruins trailed 1-0 entering the final 5 minutes of the second period before scoring twice on the power play, first from David Krejci with 4:40 left after Bergeron drew a penalty on a breakaway chance.

Then came Bergeron’s score as the teams appeared headed to the second intermission tied at 1. He tracked down a loose rebound from Pastrnak that hit the boards, then quickly sent the puck back toward the net from the left side. The puck slipped under a standing Petr Mrazek, bounced off his left skate and straight into the net.

Jaroslav Halak had 23 saves for Boston, which swept Carolina in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Haydn Fleury’ scored for Carolina.

AVALANCHE 7, COYOTES 1

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists, Nazem Kadri also scored twice and Colorado routed Arizona to close out the series in five games.

Kadri scored two goals for the second straight game, both in the first period, and finished with five in the series. Samuel Girard also had a goal in the first and MacKinnon scored twice in 58 seconds of the second to put Colorado up 5-0.

J.T. Compher had a goal and an assist, Nikita Zadorov also scored and Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 shots.

Clayton Keller scored his fourth goal of the post-season for Arizona . Darcy Kuemper allowed six goals on 30 shots before being replaced by Antti Raanta in the third period.

CANADIENS 5, FLYERS 3

Nick Suzuki buried the winner 22 seconds after Philadelphia tied it in the third period, Brendan Gallagher snapped a goal drought and Montreal staved off elimination in Game 5.

Joel Armia scored twice for the Canadiens, Phillip Danualt sealed it into an empty net, and Carey Price made 26 saves. Brett Kulak and Jonathan Drouin each had two assists, and Suzuki also had a helper.

Game 6 is Friday.

Jakub Voracek scored twice for the Flyers — both on a five-minute power play in the second period — and added an assist. Joel Farabee had the other goal. Carter Hart, coming off back-to-back shutouts, made 28 saves.

After the Flyers tied it at 3 on Farabee’s power-play redirection with 9:43 left, Suzuki took Drouin’s pass from behind the Philadelphia net on the next shift and outwaited Hart to score.

CANUCKS 4, BLUES 3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Fourth-line grinder Tyler Motte scored two breakaway goals to power the Vancouver Canucks to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

The Canucks lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 3-2 and can send the defending Stanley Cup champions packing from the post-season with a win Friday night.

J.T. Miller and Jake Virtanen, with his first career playoff goal, also scored for Vancouver. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 36 saves.

Ryan O’Reilly, with his fourth goal of the series, Brayden Schenn, and Zach Sanford scored for the Blues.

Goaltender Jake Allen stopped 26 shots and took his first loss in three starts in the series.

The Associated Press