NHL PLAYOFFS

Kuraly's 2nd goal lifts Bruins in 2 OT

Washington Capitals right wing Justin Williams (left) is hugged by teammate Marcus Johansson after scoring the winning goal in overtime as the Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. The Captials lead the series 3 games to 2.
Washington Capitals right wing Justin Williams (left) is hugged by teammate Marcus Johansson after scoring the winning goal in overtime as the Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. The Captials lead the series 3 games to 2.

BRUINS 3, SENATORS 2, 2OT

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Sean Kuraly's second goal of the game at 10:19 of the second overtime gave the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 5 on Friday night, avoiding elimination in their NHL first-round series.

David Pastrnak also scored and Tuukka Rask finished with 41 saves to help the Bruins rally from two goals down early in the second period and cut the Senators' lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

On the winning goal, Charlie McAvoy's shot from the right point was tipped by David Backes and then hit Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson's skate in front of goalie Craig Anderson, and Kuraly backhanded it in.

Game 6 is Sunday in Boston.

Mark Stone and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Senators, and Craig Anderson stopped 36 shots.

The Bruins had the best chances to end the game in the first overtime when they went on a power play on Clarke MacArthur's high-sticking penalty. Then, Noel Acciari's apparent goal waved off at 14:25 due to goalie interference when Kuraly tripped over Anderson. The Bruins challenged the call to no avail.

The Senators had two great chances to take the lead in the third as the Bruins took a delay of game and a too many men penalty in the final 6 minutes of the period, but Ottawa managed just two shots on goal.

Trailing 2-0, Brad Marchand helped cut the lead in half when he took the puck behind the Senators net and made a cross-crease pass to Pastrnak, who beat Anderson short side at 8:40 of the second.

Kuraly tied it with his first-ever NHL goal on a bank shot from the side of the net with 2:55 left in the middle period.

Ottawa scored just 30 seconds into the period to push their lead to 2-0 when the Bruins defense was caught flat-footed. Pageau was able to break in alone and beat Rask through the legs.

The Senators took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Mike Hoffman made a great pass to Stone, who slipped behind the Bruins defense and beat Rask on the backhand.

An already depleted Bruins lineup took another hit as David Krejci left the game late in the first after a collision with Chris Wideman.

CAPITALS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 1, OT

WASHINGTON -- Justin Williams scored the overtime winner as the Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series.

The Capitals survived a scare when captain Alex Ovechkin left the game late in the first period with an apparent left leg injury, but he returned in the second. Thanks to Williams' goal 1:04 into overtime, the Presidents' Trophy winners go to Toronto for Game 6 on Sunday with a chance to advance to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round.

Braden Holtby made 24 saves for the Capitals, who got a goal from T.J. Oshie on the power play that came from Nazem Kadri's hit that injured Ovechkin.

Rookie of the year finalist Auston Matthews scored the only goal for the Maple Leafs, and Frederik Andersen made 26 saves before being beaten in overtime.

Williams' goal was his third of the series. It's also the 16th of his career in 43 tries in Games 5-7 as his team improved to 26-18 in those situations.

Four of the first five games of the series have been decided in overtime. What looked lopsided on paper going in has been as tight as anyone could have possibly imagined with the teams separated by one goal in the series (16-15 Capitals) and tied in shots (175 apiece).

As if this tense series didn't provide enough drama, the Ovechkin injury silenced Verizon Center 17:32 in. Ovechkin clutched his left knee, was down on the ice for several minutes and didn't put weight on his left leg as he was helped off.

Nazem Kadri was given a two-minute minor penalty for tripping on the borderline low-bridge hit, and Oshie scored on a rebound on the ensuing power play 43 seconds later to put Washington up 1-0. Oshie has points in each game this series.

The crowd roared when Ovechkin stepped onto the ice for the start of the second period, and the 31-year-old captain crushed Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner into the boards on his first shift back. Ovechkin took six shifts and played five minutes in the second in large part because of penalties.

The sense of relief that filled Verizon Center with Ovechkin's return only lasted until the 6-minute mark when Matthews put back a rebound for his third goal of the series to tie the score at 1. Toronto's power play failed to cash in on several chances later that period and into the third.

Williams had a chance to win it late in regulation but couldn't get a shot on net.

THURSDAY’S LATE GAME

OILERS 4, SHARKS 3

EDMONTON, Alberta — David Desharnais scored late in the first overtime to lift the Edmonton Oilers to a victory over the San Jose Sharks, pushing San Jose to the brink of elimination in the NHL playoffs. Desharnais, in the slot, one-timed a Leon Draisaitl cross-ice pass past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones to cap an overtime session dominated by Edmonton. The Oilers lead the Western Conference quarterfinal series 3-2, with Game 6 tonight in San Jose. The series winner takes on the Anaheim Ducks in Round 2.

NHL playoffs glance

FIRST ROUND

(Best-of-7) THURSDAY’S GAMES

NY Rangers 3, Montreal 2, OT Pittsburgh 5, Columbus 2

Pittsburgh wins series 4-1

Nashville 4, Chicago 1

Nashville wins series 4-0

Edmonton 4, San Jose 3 - FRIDAY’S GAMES Washington 2, Toronto 1, OT

Washington leads series 3-2

Boston 3, Ottawa 2, 2 OT

Ottawa leads series 3-2 TODAY’S GAMES — All times Central - St. Louis at Minnesota, 2 p.m. St. Louis leads series 3-1

Montreal at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.

NY Rangers lead series 3-2

Edmonton at San Jose, 9:30 p.m. - Edmonton leads series 3-2

Sports on 04/22/2017

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