Andrew Brunette scooped a rebound shot over sprawling goaltender Marty Turco 13:55 into overtime to give Colorado a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, wrapping up the first-round National Hockey League playoff series in five games for the seventh-seeded Avalanche.
It was Colorado's third overtime victory in the series.
The Stars outshot Colorado 11-4 in the extra period, including seven shots during the frame's only power play. But Dallas couldn't solve Jose Theodore, who had 50 saves.
Sabres 3, Flyers 0
At Buffalo, New York, Ryan Miller stopped 24 shots to record his first playoff shutout, and Tim Connolly and J.P. Dumont scored power-play goals and had an assist each in Buffalo's win.
Maxim Afinogenov also scored, helping the Sabres bounce back from two road losses and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.
Game 6 is today at Philadelphia in a series in which the home team has won every game.
Hurricanes 2, Canadiens 1
At Raleight, North Carolina, rookie Cam Ward stopped 30 shots to win his third straight start and Eric Staal and Matt Cullen had power-play goals to help Carolina take a 3-2 lead in the series.
In each of the first four games, the visiting team came out on top, with three going beyond regulation. Carolina became the first host to take a two-goal lead before the Canadiens rallied, and now the teams head back to Montreal for Game 6.
Staal had the first goal, taking a backhand pass from Cory Stillman and sending a slap shot from the point past Cristobal Huet.
Cullen made it 2-0 in the second period when Montreal again was short-handed.
Sharks 2, Predators 1
At Nashville, Tennessee, Patrick Marleau and Steve Bernier each scored power-play goals, and the Sharks eliminated the Predators from the playoffs.
Nashville had been hoping to tap what had been the NHL's best home-ice advantage in the regular season to force Game 6 today in San Jose. But the Predators couldn't sell out the arena, and their best wasn't enough on a night when Marleau -- San Jose's captain -- scored his postseason-best seventh goal.
The Predators refused to go away easily. Paul Kariya scored his second goal of the series on a power play at 11:06 of the third, pulling Nashville to 2-1. Nashville got another man advantage, hoping to tie the game.
But Vesa Toskala smothered the only power-play shot by Marek Zidlicky with 4:21 left, and the Sharks ran out the clock even as the Predators pulled their goalie in the final minute for the extra attacker.
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