BOSTON (AP) — Matthew Knies scored less than three minutes into overtime off a feed from John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Tuesday night to stave off elimination in their first-round NHL playoffs matchup.
Jack McCabe added a goal and Joseph Woll finished with 28 saves to help Toronto cut Boston’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2. Game 6 is set for Thursday in Toronto.
Ilya Lyubushkin, Max Domi, Mitch Marner had assists for the Maple Leafs, who outshot the Bruins 33-28.
Trent Frederic scored for Boston. Jeremy Swayman finished with 31 saves.
Elsewhere in the NHL on Tuesday:
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HURRICANES 6 ISLANDERS 3
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jack Drury scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and Stefan Noesen cleaned up a fluky puck bounce off the boards for another 8 seconds later as Carolina beat the New York Islanders, clinching their first-round NHL playoff series in five games.
The Hurricanes twice blew two-goal leads and entered the final 20 minutes in a 3-3 tie before Drury struck for his first career post-season goal, controlling a dribbling puck to zip it past Semyon Varlamov to his blocker side at 4:36 of the third.
Then, after a faceoff win, the Hurricanes dumped the puck into the Islanders end toward the corner. But as Varlamov went behind the net to play the puck, it took an unexpected bounce near the door and caromed right into the crease.
Noesen charged in to bury it as Varlamov tried desperately to get back to the netfront, pushing Carolina to a 5-3 lead at 4:44.
That was ultimately enough to help the Hurricanes finally push past the determined Islanders, earning at least one playoff series win for the sixth time in as many seasons. And that earned them a date with the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the second round.
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AVALANCHE 6 JETS 3
WINNIPEG, Man. (AP) — Mikko Rantanen scored his first two goals of the playoffs in the third period, leading Colorado to a victory over Winnipeg that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.
Rantanen, who had an assist, scored twice in a span of just under four minutes early in the third period to snap a 3-3 tie.
Valeri Nichushkin, Yakov Trenin, Artturi Lehkonen and Josh Manson also scored for the Avalanche, who will play the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.
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PREDATORS 2 CANUCKS 1
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Roman Josi and Alexandre Carrier scored and the Nashville Predators kept their season alive with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Filip Forsberg assisted on both goals and Juuse Saros made 19 saves as the Predators narrowed their deficit in the best-of-seven matchup to 3-2.
Nikita Zadorov scored for the Canucks and rookie goalie Arturs Silovs stopped 20 shots.
The series returns to Nashville for Game 6 on Friday night.
The Associated Press
