The Philadelphia Flyers ended years of frustration against the New Jersey Devils, knocking the defending Stanley Cup champions out of the playoffs.
Danny Markov scored on a long shot with 5:23 left, and the Flyers closed out their first-round series against the Devils with a 3-1 victory in Game 5 on Saturday.
Markov's shot from just inside the blue line sailed past Martin Brodeur, who hardly resembled a reigning Vezina Trophy winner in the series.
Alexei Zhamnov also scored for Philadelphia, which advances to the second round for the second straight year. Sami Kapanen added an empty-net goal in the final seconds.
Scott Niedermayer scored the only goal for New Jersey, which won three championships the previous nine years.
Robert Esche, starting his first playoff series, had 31 saves in another solid effort, outplaying Brodeur. Esche allowed nine Devils goals in the series on 155 shots.
Avalanche 5, Stars 1
In Denver, Peter Forsberg had a goal and two assists, and David Aebischer stopped 21 shots to help the Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars and close out the first-round series 4-1.
Colorado had lost five straight potential clinching games, including three consecutive in a first-round loss to Minnesota last year. The Avalanche avoided a similar fate by playing solid defense and scoring three goals in the third period.
Milan Hejduk scored for the third straight game and rookie Marek Svatos had three assists for Colorado, whose second-round opponent is yet to be determined. Darby Hendrickson, Steve Konowalchuk and Joe Sakic also had goals.
Red Wings 2, Predators 0
In Nashville, Tennessee, Ray Whitney and Steve Yzerman scored goals 30 seconds apart in the opening two minutes, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Nashville Predators in Game 6 to clinch their first-round series 4-2.
Robert Lang had two assists, and Curtis Joseph stopped 15 shots to earn his 16th career postseason shutout and first with Detroit.
The Red Wings improved to 8-0 in potential clinching games, dating to the 1998 Stanley Cup finals.
Canadiens 5, Bruins 2
In Montreal, Darren Langdon scored for the first time in over two years and Saku Koivu netted the go-ahead goal in the second period, leading Montreal over Boston.
That tied the first-round playoff series 3-3, forcing a deciding Game 7 on Monday in Boston.
Jose Theodore made 22 saves, and Yanic Perreault, Alex Kovalev, and Jan Bulis also scored for Montreal, which won its second in a row after falling behind 3-1 in the series. The Canadiens have never won a seven-game series in which they trailed 3-1.
Sergei Samsonov scored twice for Boston.
Canadiens 5, Bruins 2
In Montreal, Darren Langdon scored for the first time in over two years and Saku Koivu netted the go-ahead goal in the second period to lead Montreal over Boston.
That tied the first-round playoff series 3-3, forcing a deciding Game 7 today in Boston.
Jose Theodore made 22 saves, and Yanic Perreault, Alex Kovalev, and Jan Bulis also scored for Montreal, which won its second in a row after falling behind 3-1 in the series. Sergei Samsonov scored twice for Boston, including a goal off a partial breakaway 4:36 into the third which drew the Bruins within 3-2.
Canucks 5, Flames 4, 3OT
In Calgary, Alberta, Vancouver's Brendan Morrison scored 2:28 into the third overtime to give Vancouver the win over Calgary and force a seventh game.
RSS