NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matt Duchene scored at 14:54 of the second overtime and the Nashville Predators beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on Friday night to cut their series deficit to 2-1.
Now the Predators, 0-5 after trailing 2-0 in a best-of-seven series, will try to tie it up Sunday in Game 4.
Duchene scored his first goal of the series in the longest game yet of this postseason. Roman Josi flipped the puck to Duchene, who skated up the slot and flipped the puck over Alex Nedeljkovic for the victory.
Nashville is 4-3 in games going two or more overtimes.
Nashville’s Eeli Tolvanen hit the post 38 seconds into the only power play of overtime.
Ryan Ellis had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund also scored for Nashville. Juuse Saros had his first career assist and tied the franchise record with 52 saves for only his second postseason victory.
Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists for Carolina, and Jordan Staal, Vincent Trocheck and Brett Pesce also scored.
Johansen put Nashville up 4-3 at5:01 of the third, redirecting a shot by Ellis. But Pesce tied it with 3:21 left in regulation with a snap shot near the high slot.
BRUINS 4, CAPITALS 1
BOSTON (AP) — David Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle scored 34 seconds apart early in the third period to break it open, Tuukka Rask stopped 19 shots and Boston beat Washington Capitals to take a 3-1 series lead.
After three straight overtime games in which neither team managed as much as a two-goal lead, the Bruins made it 2-0 on Pastrnak’s power-play goal 29 seconds into the third. The 25% capacity crowd had barely settled down before Jake DeBrusk’s shot bounced high off the glass behind Ilya Samsonov and landed in the crease for Coyle to poke it into the net.
Behind the play, oft-suspended Capitals forward Tom Wilson put a few extra shots on Boston’s Nick Ritchie, and the rest of the Bruins cut short their celebration to go help out — one of many scuffles in the game.
Alex Ovechkin made it 3-1 with 15 minutes left when his shot was deflected into the net by Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo. It was Ovechkin’s first goal of the 2021 playoffs and the 71st of his postseason career, moving him past Steve Yzerman and into a tie with Bryan Trottier for 16th in NHL history.
But Matt Grzelcyk restored the three-goal lead on a power-play goal — Boston’s third of the game — with five minutes left. Brad Marchand also scored for Boston, which will have a chance to eliminate the Capitals in Game 5 in Washington on Sunday.
The victory was the 54th in the playoffs for Rask, breaking the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Gerry Cheevers in 1980.
AVALANCHE 6, BLUES 1
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ryan Graves had a goal and two assists, Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves and Colorado beat St. Louis to take a 3-0 series lead.
Alex Newhook scored his first NHL goal, and Tyson Jost, Brandon Saad and J.T. Compher also scored for the Avalanche, who can complete a series sweep Sunday in Game 4 in St. Louis.
Tyler Bozak scored for the Blues, and Jordan Binnington made 21 saves.
During the game, Colorado’s Nazem Kadri was suspended for eight games by the NHL for a check to the head of Justin Faulk in the third period of Game 2.
JETS 1, OILERS 0, OT
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Paul Stastny scored at 4:06 of overtime to lift Winnipeg past Edmonton for a 2-0 series lead.
Stastny’s screened wrist shot beat goaltender Mike Smith high to the right corner.
Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves for Winnipeg, and Smith stopped 35 shots.
Winnipeg won the opener 4-1 on Wednesday night. The series shifts to Winnipeg for games Sunday and Monday nights.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid and teammate Leon Draisaitl — the NHL’s top two scorers — have been held off the scoresheet in the first two game.
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