NHL PLAYOFFS

Brassard’s goal propels Rangers

New York Rangers' Derick Brassard (16) celebrates his game-winning goal with teammates in the first overtime period of Game 1 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 2, 2014. The Rangers won 3-2. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Rangers' Derick Brassard (16) celebrates his game-winning goal with teammates in the first overtime period of Game 1 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 2, 2014. The Rangers won 3-2. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH - Derick Brassard scored 3:06 into overtime to give the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Friday night.

Play continued after Brassard’s goal, with Benoit Pouliot pumping a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury seconds after Brassard’s shot. A review showed Brassard’s flip from in front beat Fleury cleanly.

Game 2 is Sunday.

Pouliot and Brad Richards gave the Rangers an early 2-0 lead. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 34 shots and stuffed a late Pittsburgh breakaway in the final seconds of regulation.

Lee Stempniak and James Neal scored for the Penguins. Fleury made 24 saves but was helpless on the winner.

Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby was held without a goal for the 12th consecutive playoff game.

The Penguins have never lost a playoff series against the Rangers, rolling to victory in each of the four postseason meetings, including a 4-1 win in the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2008.

They split their four games during the regular season, all of them coming before the Olympic break. The Penguins have looked sluggish in the ensuing three months while the Rangers played their best hockey down the stretch before needing seven games to dispatch Philadelphia in the opening round.

For a team that was supposed to be gassed playing for the third time in four days, the Rangers wasted little time jumping on the sloppy and surprisingly lifeless Penguins.

Pouliot gave New York the lead 5:04 into first period, capitalizing on a Pittsburgh turnover then splitting Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta and Matt Niskanen before firing a wrist shot that caromed off Fleury’s right arm and into the net.

Richards doubled the lead late in the period with his third and easiest goal of the postseason. Carl Hagelin beat Maatta to a puck in the corner and fed it to Richards, who had enough time in front to go from his backhand to his forehand and flip the puck by an overmatched Fleury.

Whatever sluggishness the Penguins felt after a three-day layoff vanished in the second.

Stempniak cut the lead in half by taking a nice drop pass from Beau Bennett, then streaking down the middle and beating Lundqvist with a backhand 7:15 into the period.

Neal tied it just over 6 minutes later thanks to a rare mistake by Lundqvist. The goalie deflected Neal’s shot and it popped up into the air. When it fell, the puck glanced off his back and into the net. Lundqvist pleaded with officials that Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin had interfered with him while trying to make the save, but replays showed Malkin’s high-stick swat didn’t come close to touching the puck.

BLACKHAWKS 5, WILD 2

CHICAGO - Patrick Kane scored two goals for Chicago in the third period, including a terrific dash through the Minnesota zone for the tiebreaking score, and the Blackhawks beat the Wild in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Bryan Bickell also scored twice for the Blackhawks, who have won five in a row after losing their first two playoff games. Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist as the defending Stanley Cup champions made the most of two costly high-sticking penalties on Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday afternoon.

The Wild showed no sign of any fatigue just two days after their dramatic 5-4 overtime victory in Game 7 of their firstround series against Colorado. Playing in the second round of the postseason for the first time since 2003, Minnesota used third-period goals from Clayton Stoner and Kyle Brodziak to tie it at 2-2.

Brodziak’s third goal of playoffs on a slick pass from Erik Haula silenced the sellout crowd of 21,116 with 13:04 left, but Kane then electrified the United Center once again with his 33rd career playoff goal.

The flashy wing carried the puck into the Minnesota zone, hesitated as teammate Patrick Sharp skated behind him, and then split Brodziak and Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin on his way to the net. He finished the play by roofing a backhand over goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov’s left shoulder at 8:22.

Kane then yelled “Showtime!” twice and pumped his right arm as the delirious crowd cheered wildly. But he was only getting started.

The 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy winner picked up his fifth goal of the playoffs on a nice pass from Ben Smith, and Bickell added an empty-netter as Chicago pulled away.

At a glance All Times Central (x-if necessary)

SECOND ROUND

THURSDAY’S GAME

Montreal 4, Boston 3, 2OT

Montreal leads series 1-0

FRIDAY’S GAMES NY Rangers 3, Pittsburgh 2, OT

NY Rangers lead series 1-0

Chicago 5, Minnesota 2

Chicago leads series 1-0

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Montreal at Boston, 11:30 a.m.

Los Angeles at Anaheim, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY’S GAMES Minnesota at Chicago, 2 p.m.

NY Rangers at Pittsburgh, 6:30 p.m.

MONDAY’S GAMES

Pittsburgh at NY Rangers, 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at Anaheim, 9 p.m.

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Boston at Montreal, 6 p.m.

Chicago at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

Pittsburgh at NY Rangers, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Boston at Montreal, 6:30 p.m.

Anaheim at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.

Sports, Pages 21 on 05/03/2014

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