NHL roundup: Ducks sweep Jets to advance

[April 23, 2015]  The Sports Xchange

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Anaheim Ducks are the first team to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs. Ducks center Ryan Kesler scored a pair of third-period goals to spark Anaheim to a 5-2 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets to wrap up a four-game sweep in the opening-round Western Conference playoff series.

NHL roundup: Ducks sweep Jets to advance

Add to Collection(Create New)|Print
Download:Plain TextXMLAll
Source News Feed: Reuters America Sports Text


The Sports Xchange

EditorsNote: final version NHL roundup: Ducks sweep Jets to advance

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Anaheim Ducks are the first team to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs. Ducks center Ryan Kesler scored a pair of third-period goals to spark Anaheim to a 5-2 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets to wrap up a four-game sweep in the opening-round Western Conference playoff series.

The Ducks now await the winner of the series between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. The Flames lead that best-of-seven series 3-1.

Sami Vatanen, Emerson Etem and Andrew Cogliano also scored for the Ducks, while right winger Corey Perry chipped in a pair of assists to lead all skaters with seven points in the series.

Bryan Little and Mark Stuart scored for the Jets.

Frederik Anderson made 25 saves for Anaheim while Ondrej Pavelec stopped 30 shots for Winnipeg.

Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (OT)

PITTSBURGH -- Kevin Hayes scored from a scramble in front of the net 3:14 into overtime to give the New York Rangers a win over Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center. The Rangers now have a 3-1 lead in the teams' first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Patric Hornqvist picked up his second goal in as many games for Pittsburgh in the first period. Derick Brassard tied it for New York in the second period.

Each game in the series has been decided by one goal going into Friday's Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

Senators 1, Canadiens 0

OTTAWA -- Mike Hoffman scored with 10:55 left in regulation as Ottawa staved off elimination with a victory over Montreal in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series at Canadian Tire Centre.

The Canadiens now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, with Game 5 to be played Friday in Montreal.

Hoffman's shot through a screen from near the top of the left-wing face-off circle ended an intense goalie duel in front of a towel-waving full house.

Senators goalie Craig Anderson shared the hero's role, making 28 saves for the shutout. Canadiens goal Carey Price also turned in an exceptional performance, stopping 31 of 32 shots.

Blues 6, Wild 1

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- St. Louis quieted the crowd with an early lead and survived a Minnesota rally to knot the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series at 2-2.

Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice while Ryan Reaves, David Backes, Paul Stastny and Patrik Berglund all scored single goals for the Blues, who led 3-0 barely halfway through the first period. St. Louis goalie Jake Allen made 17 saves.

Defenseman Jared Spurgeon scored the lone goal for Minnesota, while goalie Devan Dubnyk was pulled after allowing four goals on the Blues' first dozen shots and finished with just 11 saves on 17 shots. Backup goalie Darcy Kuemper came on with 3:10 left in the second period and stopped all nine shots he faced.

-----------------------------------------------

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.