NHL playoffs
Avalanche eliminate second-seeded Stars with 3-2 win DALLAS (AP) – 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 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.
Colorado captain Joe Sakic also had his 81st career playoff goal, the most among active players, as the Avalanche advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the eighth time in 10 postseason trips. Jim Dowd also scored for Colorado.
Bill Guerin and Jussi Jokinen had goals for the Stars, who had 27 saves from Marty Turco.
Sabres 3, Flyers 0
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Rookie goaltender 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 Tuesday at Philadelphia in a series in which the home team has won every game.
The Flyers looked nothing like the confident group that rallied from a 2-0 series deficit.
Peter Forsberg, who had four goals and four assists in four games, was held without a point for the first time. He and linemates Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble were blanked on a combined seven shots.
The Sabres have opened the scoring in all five games of the series.
Hurricanes 2, Canadiens 1
RALEIGH, N.C. – Rookie goalie 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 3-2 lead in the series with Montreal.
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 pass from Cory Stillman and sending a slap shot from the point past Cristobal Huet.
Sharks 2, Predators 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Patrick Marleau and San Jose made quick work of Nashville to reach the Western Conference semifinals for the second straight season.
Marleau and Steve Bernier each scored power-play goals, and the Sharks eliminated the Predators from the playoffs with a victory in Game 5.
Nashville had been hoping to tap what had been the NHL’s best home-ice advantage in the regular season to force Game 6 on Tuesday night 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.
With Marleau adding to the offensive power of the NHL’s best point producer in Joe Thornton and top goal scorer in Jonathan Cheechoo, the Sharks won their fourth straight game. Now the fifth-seeded Sharks can rest and wait to see who they play next.
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.
San Jose had too much for Nashville. With top goalie Tomas Vokoun out with a blood condition, the Predators were outshot 171-137 in the series and matched their longest skid of the season in bowing out.
Marleau’s goal came a minute after officials missed Sharks defenseman Kyle McLaren decking Kariya down to the ice, instead calling Nashville left wing Martin Erat for retaliating.
San Jose already led 1-0 after Bernier bumped in a puck shot by Milan Michalek as the clock expired at the end of the first period, forcing officials to a video review. That had the fans booing the officials lustily through most of the power play.
It didn’t matter as Thornton brought the puck up and passed it to Marleau in the crease where he tipped it past Chris Mason’s outstretched skate.
The Predators opened with a flurry and took nine of the first 12 shots. But Toskala stopped each shot, and the Sharks took eight of the last nine shots in the first period.
Scott Hannan started the first goal by getting the puck to Milan Michalek who took it up the left boards and shot from the left circle, and Bernier redirected it past Mason with 0.3 seconds left on the clock. The green light marking the end of the period went off, and officials reviewed the video.
With fans chanting “No goal! No goal!” officials ruled the puck crossed the line before time expired.