WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Ryan Kesler scored twice in the third period and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Winnipeg 5-2 on Thursday night to sweep the Western Conference first-round series.
Andrew Cogliano, Emerson Etem and Sam Vatanen -- into an empty net -- also scored, and Frederik Andersen made 25 saves. The Ducks are the first team to advance to the second round.
Bryan Little and Mark Stuart scored for Winnipeg (see full recap).
Rangers take 3-1 series lead with OT win
PITTSBURGH -- Kevin Hayes scored at 3:14 of overtime to give the New York Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Rangers lead the series 3-1 heading back to New York for Game 5 on Friday night.
In overtime, Martin St. Louis started a goalmouth scramble when he threw the puck in front on a wraparound attempt. The puck pinballed to Carl Hagelin and went across the crease for Hayes to flip it past fallen goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The point was Hayes' first in the postseason.
New York's Derick Brassard tied it at 1 with 2:45 left in the second period with his third goal of the series. Patric Hornqvist opened the scoring at 2:22 of the first period.
NHL
Fluery and New York's Henrik Lundqvist each made 22 saves (see full recap).
Blues dismantle Wild to even series
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and the revived St. Louis Blues sent Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk to an early exit and thoroughly dominated the Wild in a 6-1 victory in Game 4 to even the Western Conference quarterfinal series Wednesday night.
Kevin Shattenkirk had three assists and Jake Allen made 17 saves to help the Blues end a nine-game postseason road losing streak that lasted more than three years.
Patrik Berglund had a goal and an assist, and David Backes and Paul Stastny scored for the first time in the series. So did fourth-line right wing Ryan Reaves, whose one-timer from the point got past Dubnyk's glove to give the Blues the early lead. By the middle of the first period, they were 3-0 after being shut out in Game 3.
Jared Spurgeon's power-play goal early in the second period gave the Wild and their fans some life. But less than 2 minutes later, Stastny snapped a shot on the rush from the circle on Dubnyk's right that slipped between the goalie's pads. Dubnyk gave up six goals on 17 shots and was pulled with 3:10 left in the second period.
Game 5 is in St. Louis on Friday night (see full recap).
Senators blank Habs to stay alive
OTTAWA, Ontario -- Mike Hoffman scored midway through the third period and the Ottawa Senators beat the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 on Wednesday night to avoid elimination.
Craig Anderson made 28 saves to help the Senators' cut Montreal's lead to 3-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series.
Carey Price stopped 31 shots for the Canadiens.
Game 5 is Friday night in Montreal (see full recap).
