Predators even up series with 5-2 win over San Jose

J.P. Dumont scored a short-handed goal, then added a power-play goal two-and-a-half minutes later on Friday as the Predators evened their Western Conference quarter-final by beating San Jose 5-2.

Peter Forsberg scored two goals, rookie Alexander Radulov had a goal and an assist in the first period and Marek Zidlicky had two assists as the Predators made sure this series will return to Nashville for Game 5.

Craig Rivet and Ryane Clowe scored for San Jose, which outshot Nashville 24-22.

With emotions running high, the teams combined for 25 penalties -- 10 in the first period alone -- with officials busy separating players. Nashville coach Barry Trotz yelled at officials from the bench after Hartnell was called for a tripping penalty in the first session.

When Forsberg clinched the victory with an empty-netter with 65 seconds left, things disintegrated with three separate fights off the ensuing faceoff and five players were ejected.

Stars 2, Canucks 0

At Vancouver, British Columbia, Dallas made sure to avoid another long night by jumping on Vancouver early.

Jeff Halpern and Joel Lundqvist scored on the opening shift in each of the first two periods and Marty Turco made 35 saves as the Stars evened their first-round playoff series with a win over Vancouver.

Stu Barnes assisted on both goals for the Stars, who head back to Dallas tied in the Western Conference quarter-final. Game 3 is tonight.

After playing almost seven periods before losing in the wee hours of Thursday morning and coming back less than 42 hours to play again, the Stars came out with lots of early energy. It took them only 24 seconds to get the goal they couldn't through 78:06 of overtime in Game 1, with Halpern scoring on the first shift of the match.

Left alone in the slot after a defensive zone breakdown by the Canucks, Halpern deflected Sergei Zubov's pass from the point behind a sliding Roberto Loungo.

It was more of the same to start the second period, with Lundqvist left unchecked to convert Mike Modano' cross-ice feed just 45 seconds in.

That was more than enough offense for the Stars, who were one of just two teams -- Buffalo was the other -- to win every game they held a two-goal lead in during the regular season. Dallas was 28-0-0 after getting up by a pair of goals this year.

Ducks 3, Wild 2

At Anaheim, California, defenseman Francois Beauchemin scored two power-play goals and Ilya Bryzgalov made 30 saves to lead Anaheim over Minnesota.

The Ducks went up 2-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference series, which shifts to Minnesota for games today and Tuesday.

Beauchemin scored in the first and second periods and Ryan Getzlaf added a short-handed goal later in the second period. Then Anaheim held on after Mikko Koivu pulled the Wild within 3-2 on his goal with 4:56 remaining.

Marian Gaborik had a second-period goal for Minnesota.

Beauchemin beat Niklas Backstrom with a slap shot on a power play late in the second period to put Anaheim up 2-1. Getzlaf made a cross-ice pass to Beauchemin from the top of the right circle and Beauchemin's shot sailed into the upper right corner of the net.

Getzlaf scored 2:26 later, his first short-handed goal ever in the playoffs.

Koivu scored from the top of the crease, managing to get off the shot as he was falling down and the puck got past Bryzgalov on the glove side.