Kyle Connor scored the triple-overtime winner to give the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 victory over the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Monday night and the first playoff sweep in franchise history.
The Jets, who beat the Oilers 4-0 in the opening-round North Division playoff series, will await the winner of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.
Connor gained the puck as he raced down the right wing and ripped a shot home at the 6:52 of the third OT for the Jets, who won the final three games of the series in extra time. The victory came in the longest game in Jets franchise history.
Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele scored twice while Mason Appleton also tallied. Josh Morrissey and Blake Wheeler each had two assists. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck stopped 37 shots for the Jets, who became the fourth NHL team to rally from third-period deficits in the final two games to complete a playoff sweep.
Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Alex Chiasson scored for the Oilers, who have won only two of their last 13 Stanley Cup playoff games. Nugent-Hopkins added an assist and Leon Draisaitl had two helpers.
Islanders 3, Penguins 2 (2OT)
Josh Bailey intercepted a clearing attempt by Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry, moved in and chipped the puck in 51 seconds into the second overtime to give visiting New York a win and a 3-2 lead in an East Division first-round series.
Bailey also had an assist. Anthony Beauvillier and Jordan Eberle also scored for New York, which erased two one-goal deficits. Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who has picked up all three of his team’s wins, faced an onslaught, stopping 48 of 50 shots.
Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist, Evgeni Malkin also scored and Kris Letang registered two assists for Pittsburgh. Jarry made 25 saves.
Panthers 4, Lightning 1
Spencer Knight became the second-youngest goalie ever to win his postseason debut, and Florida kept its season alive by beating Tampa Bay in Game 5 of their Central Division first-round series in Sunrise, Fla.
It did not look good for Knight and the Panthers early as Blake Coleman and Ross Colton broke loose on a two-on-one in the opening minute. Colton scored at the 53-second mark after Knight played the puck.
Florida tied the score at 1 at 6:19 of the second period when MacKenzie Weegar scored and the Panthers took their first lead on a goal from Mason Marchment. Patric Hornqvist scored 35 seconds into the third period and the Panthers wrapped it up with an empty-net goal from Frank Vatrano in the final seconds.
Wild 4, Golden Knights 2
Cam Talbot made 38 saves as Minnesota avoided elimination with a victory against Vegas in Las Vegas. The Knights still lead the best-of-seven West Division first-round playoff series three games to two.
Kirill Kaprizov, Zach Parise, Jordan Greenway and Nico Sturm scored for Minnesota, which had lost three consecutive games since a 1-0 overtime victory in Game 1. Sturm clinched the victory by producing an empty-net goal with 39 seconds remaining.
Mark Stone and Alec Martinez scored for Vegas, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 10 of 13 shots.
Maple Leafs 2, Canadiens 1
Morgan Rielly scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and visiting Toronto defeated Montreal to take a 2-1 lead in their North Division first-round playoff series.
William Nylander also scored for the Maple Leafs, who had 28 saves from goaltender Jack Campbell.
Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, with Carey Price stopping 27 shots. Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night, also in Montreal.
–Field Level Media
