The Nashville Predators’ Matt Halischuk lifted a wrist shot over the glove of Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo deep into the second overtime period to hand the Predators a 2-1 win in Vancouver on Saturday and level their playoff series 1-1.
The Boston Bruins earlier scored four straight goals in a lopsided 7-3 win over Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center, prompting Flyers fans to boo their team off the ice.
Nashville dominated the Canucks in regulation time, outshooting them 36-15, but needed good fortune late in the game to force overtime.
Photo: AFP
Ryan Suter’s centering attempt from behind the goal line deflected into the net off Luongo with just more than a minute left in the third period to force overtime, marring an otherwise outstanding game by the keeper.
In a complete reversal, the Canucks dictated terms in the extra time, but were denied time and again by Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who made a game-winning stop on a Kevin Bieksa shot in the first overtime period.
Alex Burrows scored for Vancouver with a short-handed goal two minutes into the second period.
Boston’s win over the Flyers gave them a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series and allowed them to gain home ice advantage.
Nathan Horton’s goal in the final minute of the first period broke a 1-1 tie and sparked the Bruins offense. Boston scored three successive goals in the second period to lead 5-1 and chase Flyers starting goalie Brian Boucher from the game.
“It wasn’t very good tonight, the defensive play,” Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. “Especially right in front of our goaltender. Too many easy goals, too many easy plays. We weren’t strong enough right in front of our goaltender.”
James van Riemsdyk countered for the Flyers late in the second period, while Mike Richards scored a power-play goal to draw the Flyers to within two with 6 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in the third.
However, Brad Marchand’s second goal of the game less than two minutes later snuffed out the Flyers’ hopes of a comeback.
“They got a little life after that goal [by Richards] and there was still time for them to come back,” Marchand said. “So for us to answer back and get a couple goals, take the wind out of their sails, was good.”
David Krejci scored two goals and two assists to lead the Bruins. Mark Recchi and Gregory Campbell scored the other Bruins goals, while Patrice Bergeron had three assists. Danny Briere also scored for Philadelphia.
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