Somewhere, Dominik Hasek is smiling.In a risky decision, Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby decided to channel his inner Dominator by racing out to the blue line to break up a Mitch Marner breakaway by sprawling out in a full pad-stack and poking the puck away with his stick.This tactic is certainly something you don't see much anymore these days, but it always leads to an entertaining moment. It turned out to be the right move, as the play came right after Toronto killed a 5-on-3, so momentum would have surely swung in favor of the Leafs had Holtby whiffed.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Playoff hockey can be all about the bounces.The Boston Bruins benefited from a lucky one in Game 3 as the puck hopped over the stick of Ottawa's Bobby Ryan, who then fell to the ice and allowed David Backes to skate to the net uncontested before scoring on Craig Anderson.The goal was Backes' first in the postseason for the Bruins.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The early fan sensation of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff was given time to shine during Game 3.Jason Maslakow, now commonly referred to as 'Dart Guy' after his famous appearance on camera during Game 2 in Washington, was featured by the Toronto Maple Leafs on the scoreboard during the first period of Game 3 from the seat afforded to him in the meantime.

For the first time in their playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Washington Capitals have opened the scoring.The first goal came on Washington's first shot, as Nicklas Backstrom converted a pass from Nate Schmidt - who was filling in for an injured Karl Alzner - to beat Frederik Andersen with a one-timer.

Erik Karlsson set it up with a phenomenal pass and Mike Hoffman pulled off a stellar move of his own to put the Ottawa Senators ahead 1-0 in Game 3.Lifting the puck over the forechecking Boston Bruins, Karlsson lobbed the perfect spring pass to Hoffman, who went with a one-handed backhand deke to beat Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask.The tally marked Hoffman's first point of the postseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins are getting some big help down the middle for Game 3.Center David Krejci, who was listed as a game-time decision, was a full participant in the pregame skate and will indeed be in the lineup for the first time this postseason.Krejci missed the opening two games of the series against the Ottawa Senators with an unspecified injury, and is set to begin Game 3 on a line with Drew Stafford and David Backes, according to Jack Edwards of NESN.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals will be without shutdown defenseman Karl Alzner for Game 3 on Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.This will mark the first time Alzner has missed a game since the 2010 playoffs, snapping a streak of 599 consecutive games played.ate Schmidt will suit up in place of Alzner.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Heading into the series, San Jose Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer likely had two particular goals in mind:1) Contain Connor McDavid

Former NHL forward Bobby Carpenter and Denna Laing of the NWHL teamed up to complete an inspiring and potentially life-changing running of the Boston Marathon on Monday.Carpenter pushed Laing - who sustained a spinal injury on Dec. 31, 2015, in the Outdoor Women's Classic as a member of the Boston Pride - over the course of the 26.2 miles in a racing wheelchair to benefit Journey Forward, an organization that works to better the lives of those with spinal cord injuries.

Cam Fowler is treading lightly when it comes to his return to the Anaheim Ducks.The defenseman, who's missed four games following a knee-on-knee hit from Calgary defenseman Mark Giordano on April 4, took to the ice for a skate Monday, but isn't sure whether he'll be able to return during the Ducks' first-round series against those same Flames."My goal is to return as quick as possible without putting the team or myself in jeopardy," Fowler said, per Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register.In other words, he doesn't want to risk aggravating the injury, nor does he want to reduce Anaheim's chances of winning by playing while not fully healthy.In regards to the Giordano incident, Fowler added, "It's something that's in the past. Honestly, I don't really want to get into the hit too much."With the Ducks up 2-0 in the series and Fowler's timetable for return not quite set, he may not have to worry about facing Calgary or Giordano until next season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Cam Talbot didn't catch your eye in the regular season, he's about to.Aside from that Connor McDavid fellow, Talbot is the main reason the Edmonton Oilers have found success in 2016-17, and his strong regular season performance has transferred into a terrific start in the early stages of the playoffs.Talbot tied for the NHL lead in wins (42) and ranked top-10 among goalies with 50-plus starts in goals against average (2.39) and save percentage (.919).Three games into the postseason - his first as a starter - Talbot has stymied the Sharks to the tune of back-to-back shutouts as the Oilers own a 2-1 series lead.In Game 1, a contest Talbot single-handedly carried to overtime, San Jose fired 87 shot attempts in Talbot's direction in all situations, 61 of which were from a scoring chance location. In Game 2, the Oilers were out-chanced again, with the Sharks mustering 35 attempts at scoring opportunities. (Hockeystats.ca)In Game 3, the Oilers gave him a bit of a break, controlling play through 60 minutes. Still, the 29-year-old netminder has been busy.However, that doesn't seem to be a problem for Talbot, who started more games than any other goalie (73), and as a result faced more shots than anyone else (2,117).Through 82 games, San Jose ranked fifth in the NHL in shot attempts for, so it's easy to assume Talbot's workload isn't about to ease up. Based on how he's handled himself this season, though, that might not be a problem.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have some work to do if they are to rally from a 2-0 deficit against the Nashville Predators.Shockingly, the Blackhawks have managed to drop the first two games of the series at home - and without scoring a single goal.The Blackhawks join an infamous group, becoming just the 13th team to be shut out in the first two games of a best-of-seven series. And the task of coming back seems a tall order when considering that none of those previous teams have gone on to win the series, according to Elias Sports Bureau.If there is any hope to rally around entering Game 3, it's that the Blackhawks have gone 2-1-0 against the Predators in Nashville this season, outscoring them 10-8.The Blackhawks' crusade to get back in the series begins Monday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's excitement in the air in Toronto.That's because the Maple Leafs return to the Air Canada Centre after their first two games in Washington against the Presidents' Trophy winners and are not behind in the series.In fact, one could say Toronto holds the edge for the time being, having muscled home-ice advantage away from the Capitals after a double-overtime win in Game 2 to knot the series at 1-1.The Maple Leafs have shown over the first two games - both going to extra time - that they are at least going shot for shot with the Capitals, and as it stands now, this series looks as though it could go the distance.The Capitals may still be the favorites, and they have certainly earned that distinction with their strong regular-season play, but the Maple Leafs are far from out of it. Here are three things that could swing the series in Toronto's favor:Remaining disciplinedWhile the Maple Leafs have certainly held their own against this season's top club, the Capitals have feasted on the Maple Leafs with the extra skater.Through two games, the Capitals boast the most successful power play in the postseason, firing at a 37.5 percent success rate. Their three power-play tallies also account for half of the team's total goals in the series.The Maple Leafs have taken six penalties thus far. What hurts more is that at least two have come from a lack of discipline; the most notable being Martin Marincin's slash on Lars Eller that led to Alex Ovechkin's first of the series Saturday.Toronto has outscored Washington 5-3 at even strength, so limiting the opportunities for the Capitals' power play appears vital.Keeping those strong starts comingWhat doesn't bode well for the Capitals in this series is that in both contests they've been chasing the game after conceding early goals.An early Game 1 surge even saw Toronto take a 2-0 lead before the contest was 10 minutes old. Of course, the Capitals have rallied to tie the game on both occasions, but the extra pressure on the road could provide a different challenge for Washington.Being forced to chase the game can create desperate play which often leads to more mistakes. Simply put, it's always better to have the lead than not, and the Leafs have been doing good job of getting out on the front foot.Freddy staying steadyWhether or not you feel Tom Wilson's match-winner in Game 1 was a weak one to surrender, the fact is the Maple Leafs wouldn't have had a fighting chance in that contest had Frederik Andersen not made numerous spectacular saves leading up to that point.Related - Watch: Andersen flashes leather on Johansson late in regulationAndersen followed up Game 1 with an even more brilliant outing in Game 2, turning away 47 of the 50 shots thrown his way. The 27-year-old is averaging 47 shots against per game, the most of any goaltender in the postseason.All that said, it seems Andersen has done more than just keep pucks out of his club's net, as his stellar play appears to be driving the entire team."He was outstanding in game one and obviously, he was no slouch tonight," Morgan Rielly said of Andersen after Saturday's win. "He's been the backbone of this team all year, he's been outstanding night-in and night-out. ... His calmness is felt by all of his teammates."When we're out there playing and we know he's behind us, it gives us that much more confidence. Him as a person, he's calm, calculated, and quiet. I think that just translates to his play and what he's able to do to help this team is huge. The way he plays the puck is a big part of our breakouts and, again, he was outstanding tonight. He has been a big part of our team all year."The Maple Leafs have a chance to pull off a major upset, but it likely won't come to pass without the continued play of their starting goaltender.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators will be without tough customer Mark Borowiecki for Game 3 against the Boston Bruins on Monday.The Senators defenseman was forced from Saturday's contest with a lower-body injury after crashing hard into the boards early in the first period and is listed as day to day, head coach Guy Boucher noted, according to TSN's Brent Wallace.In turn, 22-year-old Ben Harpur will take Borowiecki's spot on the blue line. Harpur spent the majority of the season with the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League where he posted two goals and 27 points in 63 games. He went pointless in six games with the big club.Monday's game will be Harpur's NHL playoff debut.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't about to start scheming for Round 2 yet.The Penguins hold a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets after a comeback overtime win on Sunday night, but head coach Mike Sullivan knows they aren't out of the woods."We haven't accomplished anything yet," Sullivan said. "We have to stay in the moment. We have to keep our mindset where it has to be."Of course, the odds are firmly in the Penguins' favor. The team is averaging two more goals than the Blue Jackets per game, while history certainly doesn't bode well for the Blue Jackets either. The Penguins' three wins this series are more than Columbus has managed to earn all time in the playoffs.Game 4 is set for Tuesday in Columbus.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets rookie defenseman Zach Werenski will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a facial fracture, head coach John Tortorella announced Monday.Werenski took a puck to the face in Game 3 on Sunday night, and after an attempt to come back, was forced to leave the contest for good due to impaired vision. To make matters worse, the Penguins scored mere seconds after he fell to the ice, bloodied as the result of a deflected Phil Kessel wrister.Related: Werenski shares gruesome selfie after taking shot to faceHow long the Blue Jackets will carry on without Werenski remains to be seen, as Columbus faces a 3-0 series deficit against Pittsburgh, with a possible sweep on the line Tuesday night.The 19-year-old rearguard had a tremendous season with the Blue Jackets, constantly drawing praise from Tortorella, who admitted "Werenski's probably our best player," following the deflating Game 3 loss.If he weren't competing against Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, et al., Werenski would be a shoo-in for rookie of the year honors, as his debut NHL season saw him record 11 goals and 36 assists while averaging 20:55 of ice time in 78 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have Nikita Zaitsev back in the lineup for Game 3 versus the Washington Capitals, the defenseman confirmed following Monday's morning skate.Zaitsev was injured in the regular season finale on April 9, and missed the first two games of Toronto's first round series with what was classified as an upper-body ailment.

The 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs are off and running.We're 20 games deep and already fans have experienced both jubilation and heartbreak. Of those games, eight have gone to overtime and four have seen multi-goal comebacks.The playoffs bring out the best of the best and create lasting memories for die-hard fans. So far, 2017 doesn't appear to be an exception.Here are the top five storylines of the playoffs so far:Cam TalbotAfter a questionable first game that saw the Edmonton Oilers netminder concede a rather soft overtime winner to the San Jose Sharks, Cam Talbot has rebounded in a big way.In fact, he's been perfect since, posting two shutouts, helping the Oilers claim a 2-1 series lead.Talbot has now turned away 80 of the 83 shots he's faced in the first round and aided his club in reclaiming home-ice advantage.Zack Kassian and company have also stepped up their game, as the Oilers have allowed just 39 shots over the past two games. Nevertheless, Talbot has been perfect and the young Oilers appear to be back in the driver's seat.Toronto Maple LeafsThe Washington Capitals learned pretty quickly that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not going down without a fight.In both games, the Maple Leafs took early leads and forced comebacks from the Capitals. Washington was able to take Game 1 thanks to Tom Wilson's overtime winner, but was unsuccessful on Saturday after Kasperi Kapanen ended it in double OT.Saturday night's win has now given the Maple Leafs home-ice advantage and has already proven those expecting a sweep by the Capitals wrong. The series is far from over, but after two games Mike Babcock's young club is quickly putting doubts in the minds of the Capitals.Western giants strugglingOh how the mighty have fallen.OK, the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild haven't officially been eliminated, but the top two clubs in the Western Conference are certainly not looking good.The Blackhawks have been shutout in their first two games - both on home ice for that matter - while the Wild are now just one loss away from being swept by the St. Louis Blues.It's surprising, considering the Blackhawks and Wild entered the postseason with the best and third-best odds, respectively, of winning the Stanley Cup.Of course, anything could still happen, but both teams have their backs against the wall, which is not a spot most expected these clubs to be in.Penguins' high octane offenseThe Pittsburgh Penguins can score goals.Rookie Jake Guentzel has certainly stolen the show with a hat trick in Game 3, giving him a total of four goals and five points in three games, but the fact is he isn't a lone wolf tallying points for the Penguins.So far, only three players on the Penguins' roster have yet to find the scoresheet against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Evgeni Malkin leads the pack with six points, Sidney Crosby has matched Guentzel with five, and Phil Kessel has averaged a point per game with three.The Penguins as a team are averaging four goals per game and just two against. That's a winning recipe right there.Alexander RadulovThe Montreal Canadiens can thank both general manager Marc Bergevin and Alexander Radulov for their 2-1 series lead over the New York Rangers.The Canadiens' offseason signee appears to be worth every penny, as the veteran forward scored the Game 2 overtime winner on Friday night to cap off a three-point evening and followed that up with another two points in Sunday's 3-1 win, including a ridiculous breakaway goal in the third period.Radulov now has five points in three games, and after the threat of losing both games on home ice, the Canadiens can breathe a little easier. Radulov is just shy of a point per game in the playoffs, with 19 points in 21 career postseason games.One must think he's now in line for a nice little raise when he signs his next contract.(Photos courtesy: USA Today Sports)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Monday, April 17 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

The St. Louis Blues own a 3-0 stranglehold in their first-round series versus the Minnesota Wild, but underneath the surface of the commanding lead, the numbers aren't so convincing.Jake Allen has stolen the show so far, allowing only three goals, but beyond his spectacular performance level early on, the Blues haven't been the better team. Statistically, at least.

No one enjoys scoring goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs more than Alexander Radulov.The Montreal Canadiens forward has two this spring, and he's celebrated each like it was his first - and maybe his last. It's as simple as this: It's been awesome to watch. Dude cares. Like, a lot.Here are some of our favorite photos of Radulov through the first three games of Montreal's first-round series against the New York Rangers.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Hear Radulov roar.(Courtesy: Getty Images)OT winner. Let's go.(Courtesy: Getty Images)Catch him if you can.(Courtesy: Action Images)Seriously, you can hear him.(Courtesy: Getty Images)Still screaming.(Courtesy: Getty Images)A one-handed goal ...(Courtesy: Getty Images)... At Madison Square Garden.(Courtesy: Getty Images)Jeff Petry scored on this play, but you could easily be convinced it was Radulov.(Courtesy: Getty Images)You kind of have to want Radulov to score the Stanley Cup-winning goal, preferably in overtime, just to see what he'd do.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Never go up the middle.San Jose Sharks defenseman David Schlemko did, and the Edmonton Oilers' secret offensive weapon Zack Kassian made him pay in Game 3.Kassian used his backhand to go five-hole, because that's where you shoot on Martin Jones.That made it 1-0 Oilers, and that's how the game ended. Kassian now has two game-winning goals in the playoffs, in consecutive games. He didn't have a single GWG in the regular season.The Oilers are up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. And, yes, that's back-to-back shutouts for Cam Talbot, who made 23 saves Sunday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leave it to John Tortorella to perfectly sum up Zach Werenski's gutsy effort Sunday night."(He has) balls as big as the building, doesn't he?" the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach quipped postgame. "It doesn't surprise me with him."Werenski didn't play in overtime - during which Jake Guentzel capped off a hat trick to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 5-4 win and a 3-0 series lead - but the Blue Jackets blue-liner did return early in the third period after taking a shot to the face that left him bleeding profusely late in the second.He came back sporting a full visor and plenty of stitches, but Tortorella confirmed Werenski's vision was too impaired by the swelling before overtime began."It got to the point where he couldn't see," the head coach said.Tortorella acknowledged that playing without Werenski, and with only five defensemen, in overtime wasn't ideal."Werenski's probably our best player, but it's part of (the game)," he said.Werenski was injured moments before the Penguins tied the game at 3-3, and the usually opinionated coach declined to say whether he thought the goal should have been disallowed because the defenseman was bleeding."It's their call," Tortorella said of the referees. "I've seen it called both ways. I don't think we got puck possession, but I've still seen ... the refs blow (the whistle) right away (and) they decided not to."Werenski's teammates echoed their coach's complimentary words when asked about the rookie.Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno and forward Cam Atkinson both described Werenski as a "warrior," and Foligno made a point of insisting the play he was injured on didn't cost Columbus the game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Broadway hasn't been kind to the New York Rangers.The Manhattan squad dropped its sixth straight playoff game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, as the Rangers fell 3-1 to the Montreal Canadiens.It's been nearly two years since the Rangers captured a postseason victory in front of their home crowd, with that win coming in Game 7 of a second-round series against the Washington Capitals on May 13, 2015:Game Date Opponent Score1Apr 16 2017CanadiensL 3-12Apr 21 2016PenguinsL 5-03Apr 19 2016PenguinsL 3-14May 29 2015LightningL 2-05May 24 2015LightningL 2-06May 18 2015LightningL 6-2Just 11 of the 18 Rangers who skated that night, plus goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, remain with the club less than two years later.The Rangers are now down 2-1 in their series against the Canadiens. The two sides split the first two games in Montreal before the Rangers' loss at home on Sunday. Game 4 comes Tuesday in New York.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK - Alexander Radulov had a goal and an assist to lead Montreal to a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday night, giving the Canadiens a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.Artturi Lehkonen and Shea Weber scored power-play goals for Montreal and Carey Price stopped 20 shots.Radulov, who got the overtime winner in Game 2 on Friday night after Tomas Plekanec tied it with 18 seconds left in regulation, has two goals and three assists in the past two games.Brady Skjei spoiled Price's shutout bid with 2:56 remaining for his first career playoff goal.Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, coming off a playoff career-high 54 saves in Game 2, stopped 26 shots in this one.Game 4 is Tuesday night.With Montreal leading 1-0, the Rangers' Mats Zuccarello was whistled for a double-minor for high-sticking 4:07 into the third.The Canadiens took advantage 3 1/2 minutes later with their second power-play goal of the game. Weber got a pass from Alex Galchenyuk in the left circle and fired it past a sprawled Lundqvist at 7:42.Radulov made it 3-0 with some nice stickhandling, dumping the puck past Lundqvist with 4:25 left.The second period was played with a deliberate pace, with the Canadiens outshooting the Rangers 12-6. Price stopped a slap shot by Michael Grabner about six minutes in, and then made a glove save on Derek Stepan with 5:45 left.With the Rangers' J.T. Miller off on a delay of game penalty for a faceoff infraction, the Canadiens started pressing on their first power play of the game. Lundqvist made a succession of saves in close with 2 1/2 minutes to go, stopping Lehkonen twice and then Plekanec once.Montreal broke through when, off a faceoff to Lundqvist's right, Lehkonen got a pass from Brendan Gallagher and fired the puck over Lundqvist's left shoulder with 2:23 left in the period for his first career postseason goal.It was the first power-play goal of the series. Both teams were 0 for 7 through the first two games, and the Rangers finished 0 for 3 in this game.The Rangers' best chance early came when Oscar Lindberg's shot beat Price, but rang off the right post about 6 1/2 minutes into the first period. Price also made a nice glove save on Grabner 2 1/2 minutes later.The Canadiens had a flurry of chances after that.First, Lundqvist had to make a flurry of saves after that. First, he stopped a tip-in attempt by Max Pacioretty at 9:21.Less than a minute later Lundqvist stopped a wrist shot by Paul Byron, and after a giveaway by Chris Kreider, Byron's slap shot was denied by the Rangers' goalie. Dwight King then hit a shot off the crossbar with 8 1/2 minutes to go.Price made a stop on an in-close attempt by Kevin Hayes with about 3 minutes remaining, and then a diving save on a backhand follow by Rick Nash seconds later.NOTES: Rangers D Kevin Klein played after sitting out the first two games of the series. Klein missed 16 straight games due to an injury before playing in six of the last seven to close the regular season. ... D Andrei Markov appeared in his 86th playoff game, tying Yvon Lambert, Bert Olmstead and Peter Mahovlich for 40th place on the franchise list. Plekanec appeared in his 84th, tying Chris Nilan for 43rd. ... Canadiens D Brandon Davidson appeared in his first playoff game. ... Canadiens coach Claude Julien tied Alain Vigneault and Fred Shero for 14th place on NHL playoff coaching wins list at 63.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now we know why Zach Werenski didn't play in overtime.

Joe Thornton returned to San Jose's lineup for Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, skating in his first game of the postseason.Thornton suffered a lower-body injury April 2 versus the Vancouver Canucks. The ailment kept him out of the lineup for the final three games of the regular season, along with the first two games of the opening round against the Oilers.The Oilers took a 1-0 decision in Game 3, as the Sharks have dropped two straight - without scoring a goal - since a 3-2 overtime win in Game 1.Thornton played 16:27 over 21 shifts.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Keeping one's head in the game is paramount in the playoffs.Marc-Andre Fleury used his mask to rob Brandon Dubinsky of a potential overtime winner in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.The importance of Fleury's improbable heads-up play was made even more evident when Penguins forward Jake Guentzel potted the winner about five minutes later.Pittsburgh took a 3-0 series lead, with Game 4 scheduled for Tuesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alexander Radulov found his inner Peter Forsberg.The Montreal Canadiens winger mimed the former NHL superstar on Sunday, burying a one-handed tally by New York Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist.Radulov leads the Canadiens in playoff scoring with five points in three games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tic, tac, toe to Artturi.Montreal Canadiens rookie forward Artturi Lehkonen gave his team the lead Sunday against the New York Rangers, finishing off a pretty passing play to pocket his first goal of the postseason.Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher drew the assists on Lehkonen's tally.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bryan Rust tied Sunday's Game 3 between his Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets with his second goal of the night, but the equalizer wasn't without concern or controversy.The goal came about 10 seconds after Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski was cut badly after taking a Phil Kessel shot under his visor.Play continued as Werenski lay on the ice after absorbing the blow. He left the ice while bleeding profusely into a towel as the Penguins celebrated their goal late in the second period.He then returned in the third wearing a full cage and looking like this:

The Minnesota Wild are learning the hard way that a hot goalie can steal a series.One of the top teams through the regular season, including a win streak that saw the team string together 12 straight victories, things haven't run so hot for the Wild in the opening round of the playoffs.Now down 3-0 to the St. Louis Blues, the Wild have been regularly stymied by Blues netminder Jake Allen, who turned aside 40 shots in Sunday's 3-1 loss. He has allowed just three goals in the series, stopping 114 of the 117 pucks directed toward the St. Louis net.Wild defenseman Ryan Suter voiced his frustration over his team's inability to regularly put the puck by Allen, telling Michael Russo of the Star Tribute, "We're not playing bad. We just can't score. If we can find a way to score a goal, it's a different game."Minnesota bench boss Bruce Boudreau agreed with Suter's stance."If you're looking for me to criticize our team, it's not going to happen," Boudreau told reporters. "We were friggin' good tonight. We didn't get the breaks, so quit trying to put words in our mouths that make us look like we're bad, because we're not."These guys are trying right to the end. They want to win as bad as everybody. They want to bring it home to Minnesota. Right now, it's not working."The Wild have outshot the Blues throughout the series, 117-78.Boudreau noted the team's mindset will be to look at Wednesday's contest as a Game 7, as St. Louis now has a stranglehold on the series and another win marks the decisive victory for the Blues.Four teams have come back from 3-0 series deficits in NHL history, with the most recent coming in 2014, when the Los Angeles Kings stormed back in epic fashion against the San Jose Sharks."It's possible. It's been done. It doesn't happen very often, but when you have three games that were as close as ours, it doesn't take a lot to turn it over," Boudreau added. "Our whole goal is just to win Wednesday and we'll be happy for a day."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's a reason the St. Louis Blues are staked to a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Minnesota Wild, and it's not the offense.The Blues have mustered only seven goals in their three first-round playoff games - one of which landed in an empty net Sunday - but it's Jake Allen who deserves the bulk of the credit for putting the Wild's season on the brink.Allen has stopped 114 of 117 shots in the series so far.GameSaves Shots Against151522232434041The 26-year-old netminder clearly hasn't been bothered by the heavy workload he's seen in two of the three contests."It doesn't matter to me, obviously the more shots the tougher it is, but it doesn't faze me," Allen told FOX Sports Midwest postgame Sunday.Allen and the Blues will get their first crack at eliminating the Wild on home ice in Game 4 on Wednesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - Jaden Schwartz scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and Jake Allen made 40 saves to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday for a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.Colton Parayko also scored for the Blues and Alexander Steen added an empty-netter for St. Louis, which will try to sweep the series Wednesday night in St. Louis.Charlie Coyle scored for Minnesota, which got 28 saves from Devan Dubnyk.Schwartz had a power-play goal at 15:19 of the second period to put the Blues one win away from the second round. He scored with 2:27 left in the third period of Game 2 to give St. Louis the 2-1 win.Allen was the star of the first two games. He stopped 74 of 76 shots for a .974 save percentage against a Wild team that ranked second in the NHL in scoring during the regular season.The Blues scored just 3:25 into the first period when Parayko beat Dubnyk high with a shot from the high slot after a nice pass from Patrik Berglund. The goal was the third in 23 playoff games for Parayko, who scored four goals in 81 games this season.St. Louis out-shot Minnesota 15-9 in the first period, but couldn't build on its early lead. Vladimir Tarasenko and Steen both hit the post.Minnesota tied it with a goal from Coyle with 7:01 left in the second period. Coyle scored off a rebound of a shot from Zach Parise, giving the Wild their first even-strength goal of the series and Parise his third point in three games.The Blues scored their first power-play goal of the series from Schwartz with 4:41 remaining in the second period. Schwartz, who took a high stick from Ryan White to earn the penalty, scored his second goal of the series off a pass from Steen behind the net.Minnesota put 19 shots on goal in the third period, but couldn't beat Allen.The Wild pulled Dubnyk for an extra attacker with 2:10 remaining and Steen scored his first of the playoffs, assisted by Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka, into the empty net with 1:11 left.NOTES: The Wild made two lineup changes for Game 3. D Christian Folin was scratched in favor of D Nate Prosser. Folin was minus-2 in the first two games of the series. RW Ryan White made his Wild playoff debut in place of rookie Joel Eriksson Ek. ... Blues C Jori Lehtera was a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Atkinson wasted little time.The Columbus Blue Jackets forward put his team on the board just 11 seconds into Game 3 of its opening-round series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, banging in the rebound after netminder Marc-Andre Fleury turned aside the initial shot from Brandon Dubinsky.

Among millions of Maple Leafs fans out there, internet sensation "Dart Guy" may already be the most famous.The Toronto puckhead watched his Maple Leafs take down the Washington Capitals in a double-overtime thriller in D.C. on Saturday, complete with an Auston Matthews jersey, painted face, dyed beard, and unlit cigarette.He topped off the look with a shaved design of a Stanley Cup on the top of his head:Dart Guy's unique appearance made him a hit on social media, where he's enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame:

As NHL playoff hockey returns to Toronto for the first time since 2013, a local boy whose family couldn't afford to attend many games when he was younger will be in the building.Ditching the Maple Leafs jerseys of his youth, Tom Wilson will try to beat his hometown team as his Washington Capitals attempt to rebound from a double-overtime loss that evened the first-round series at a game apiece. The Capitals' Game 1 overtime hero, the Toronto native is back and ready to be public enemy No. 1 at Air Canada Centre.''A couple years ago I got booed off the ice at the end of a game in my hometown, so we've crossed that one off the list,'' Wilson said last week. ''I'm going to go out there to play my game and it's going to feel good to beat anyone in the postseason, and obviously pretty cool to go in. The ACC is going to be absolutely electric, and there's no doubt in my mind that that's going to be charged up and fun to play in, and so as a hometown guy it's going to be fun to go back and play there.''Toronto coach Mike Babcock ruffled some feathers when he pointed out that Wilson is ''not as big of a concern'' as other Capitals players like Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. Wilson agreed with that even after scoring in overtime to win Game 1, but the 23-year-old power forward specializes in getting under the skin of opponents and opposing fans.''He's probably so excited to go in there and be the villain and just do his thing,'' Capitals winger Brett Connolly said. ''He's a guy who does a lot of dirty work and (plays) a lot of hard minutes and sticks up for his teammates and gets in fights with guys that maybe you don't want to at the time but he's going to do it anyways because he's a good teammate.''Loved by teammates and despised by opponents, Wilson perhaps fittingly had a Darcy Tucker Maple Leafs jersey as a kid, a nod to the kind of player he has become. It speaks to how rare playoff games in Toronto have been recently that it was only 10 Maple Leafs playoff games ago that Tucker leveled Sami Kapanen in the final game of a 2004 second-round series loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.Fast forward 13 years to Saturday, and Kapanen's son, Kasperi, scored twice in Game 2, including the winner in the second overtime to send the series across the Canadian border tied at 1. Toronto was always going to be jacked up for the first home game of the playoffs but perhaps even more so now that the Maple Leafs have some serious momentum.''It'll be a great environment, it'll be a playoff atmosphere,'' Washington coach Barry Trotz said Saturday on a conference call. ''You'll get chills down your spine when you're on the bench for both teams.''Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who played more than 40 minutes in Game 2 because of the length of the game and the season-ending leg injury to Roman Polak, said ''you can't ask for much more'' than getting a split in Washington and going home. Only five players are left from the last Toronto playoff team that made the playoffs and lost to the Boston Bruins: forwards Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, James van Riemsdyk, and Leo Komarov, and defenseman Jake Gardiner.It'll be a new experience for Kapanen, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Zach Hyman, and Mitch Marner, but they got a taste in their playoff clincher against Pittsburgh. Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik was watching his former Penguins teammates and scouting the Maple Leafs in that one, and he has a good idea what to expect.''I'm sure they're pretty revved up. They haven't had a playoff game in a while,'' Orpik said. ''We got an experienced team in here. We know what it's like to play on the road in the playoffs. You got to focus on what you can do and play the system that we're supposed to. You can't make mistakes there and give them extra chances to generate energy with the crowd.''Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's down to a best of five.Thanks to Kasperi Kapanen's double-overtime winner in Saturday night's thrilling Game 2, the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs will shift to the Air Canada Centre with a split.After two closely contested games to open the first-round series, the top-seeded Capitals appear eager to find their next gear."We've been chasing this series a little bit," Caps head coach Barry Trotz told Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. "It's been a little bit of an uphill battle, so it's been a test."Trotz added, "They won a game in our building, so the series is on. It's on."Related: Trotz calls OT win over Leafs 'a really good wake-up call'Entering the matchup, many expected the Presidents' Trophy winners to have their way with the inexperienced Maple Leafs, but two overtime results later, things don't look so lopsided.Game 3 is slated for Monday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Kreider set a career high with 28 goals and 53 points this season. When it comes to his performance in the postseason, New York Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault hasn't been so pleased."I'm expecting more from him (Kreider)," Vigneault told Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "Up until now he's played two ordinary games."In the first two games of the Rangers' series against the Montreal Canadiens, Kreider has taken four shots, picked up two penalty minutes, and failed to register a point.Both the matchup and his personal playoff history suggest Kreider has the potential to make a much bigger impact.Thanks to deadline additions such as Dwight King, Steve Ott, and Jordie Benn, this Montreal team is built on size and toughness. Kreider's racked up at least 132 hits and 58 penalty minutes in each of the past four seasons, and at 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, he has the ability to impose his will physically. He also possesses elite speed, which could allow him to get behind the Habs' slow-footed defense corps with regularity.And Kreider's been a nuisance to the Canadiens in the playoffs before. In Game 1 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, this happened:Carey Price finished the period, but missed the rest of the series. The Rangers went on to the Stanley Cup Final. Price did get his revenge, though:Kreider has an opportunity for a less ordinary performance in Game 3 on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks aren't off to a hot start this spring, dropping two home games to open their series against a stifling opponent in the Nashville Predators.Even worse, the experience-laden Blackhawks' roster is yet to record a goal in the playoffs, losing 1-0 in Game 1, followed up by a 5-0 defeat Saturday at the United Center.Predictably, head coach Joel Quenneville hasn't liked what he's seen."That was frustration to a different level," Quenneville told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times after the loss. "That wasn't fun to watch. We dug ourselves a tremendous hole. Not too many positives came out of tonight's game. Everybody was responsible, from the coaches down to every single player. We need to get out of this mess."While recovering from such a deficit may be unlikely, a 2-0 hole isn't uncharted territory for the NHL's modern-era dynasty. Under Quenneville's tenure, the Blackhawks have faced the deficit three times, most recently in 2014 versus the St. Louis Blues - a series Chicago won in six games.Game 3 goes Monday night in Music City.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, April 16 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

With his 30-save shutout on Saturday night, Pekka Rinne became the first NHL goalie to record a shutout and two assists in a playoff game since Tom Barrasso did so for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1993, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Since Rinne also shut out the Blackhawks in Game 1, he now has more points than Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and the entire Blackhawks team this postseason. Who saw this coming?To answer the question: Nobody. Probably not even Rinne. He went 1-2 with a sub .900 save percentage against Chicago this season.To make even more history, Rinne is the first NHL goaltender to earn back-to-back shutouts to open a playoff series in seven years, according to Adam Vingan of the Tennessean. Rinne, though, has never been one to steal the limelight.“I think as a team, we defend so well, they box out, let me see the puck - like tonight, there probably wasn’t one shot where I didn’t see it,” Rinne said, per Vingan, crediting a strong, mobile defense corps that features Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis, and Mattias Ekholm.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)What a difference a year makes for Rinne.Many had written him off last season after allowing a league-high 161 goals against and posting a sub .910 save percentage for only the second time in his career.It seemed as though the window of Rinne's dominant play and the window of Nashville being a complete team - thanks to the acquisition of a true No. 1 center in Ryan Johansen - wouldn't intertwine.Even though Rinne bounced back in a big way this past season - despite being 34 - Nashville didn't quite live up to the hype of its lofty preseason expectations, getting into the playoffs as the second wildcard team.Yet, the Predators have quickly silenced their critics, putting a stranglehold on their series with the Blackhawks, a team who has won three Stanley Cups since 2010, and seemed poised for another deep playoff run with a 109-point regular season. Still, the veteran goaltender doesn't want to look too far ahead, despite his early success."Coming into this building, playing against Chicago, a really good team, being up 2-0, it's great but we know what kind of team they have over there," Rinne said. "We've got to stay focused and stay on top of our game."Nashville's combination of depth up front, mobility on the blue line, and Rinne in peak form has all the makings of a formula for a deep playoff run.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Considering the well-documented magnificence of the Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie class this season, it's hard to imagine there's yet another dynamic freshman to add into the fold, right?Wrong - enter Kasperi Kapanen, who's cemented his presence into Toronto's lineup, and his name into the minds of hockey fans everywhere in a mere matter of weeks.Kapanen only played eight games for the Maple Leafs in the regular season, but those who follow the club closely knew his promotion from the AHL would help Toronto's balance in the stretch run, as the 20-year-old is a lightning-quick, offensively gifted winger who happened to rack up 43 points in 43 games with the AHL's Marlies in 2016-17.Deployed on the fourth line alongside Brian Boyle and Matt Martin, Kapanen's full offensive potential appears untapped to this point, but he's undoubtedly staked his claim as a big-game player.He earned the reputation first and foremost at the 2016 world juniors, where he clinched the gold medal on home soil for his native Finland with an overtime winner, and early in his NHL career, the clutch gene has transferred over.With a playoff berth on the line, it was Kapanen that notched his first NHL goal versus the Pittsburgh Penguins to tie the game - setting the table for goals from fellow rookies Connor Brown and Auston Matthews to send the Maple Leafs to the dance.Saturday night, it was Kapanen who stepped up again, first tying the game at 2-2, then following up with a double-overtime winner to send the series back to Toronto with a desperately needed split.As the centerpiece of the Leafs' return in the Phil Kessel trade, Kapanen, drafted 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014, is expected to grow into a more prominent role in Toronto's quest to become a consistent contender, and based on his early impact, it may come sooner than later.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just how the Anaheim Ducks drew it up.Ryan Getzlaf got credit for the eventual winning goal in Game 2 after his cross-ice pass attempt took a wild bounce off Calgary Flames center Lance Bouma's skate and in to give the Ducks a 3-2 lead with under five minutes to go.The Ducks took a 2-0 series lead over the Flames, with Game 3 scheduled for Monday night in Calgary.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Boyle just couldn't help himself.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward had some fun with some Washington Capitals fans who appeared to say something to the gaggle of Leafs players celebrating Kasperi Kapanen's double-overtime winner Saturday night.After the game, Boyle said his response was lighthearted."They're giving it to us, so (I was) giving it back to them a little bit, but (it was) all in good fun," Boyle told reporters, according to TSN's Mark Masters.The Leafs got the last laugh Saturday night, stealing home ice from the Capitals and evening their first-round playoff series with Game 3 set for Monday night in Toronto.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That's how it's done.Sean Monahan capped off an impressively executed passing sequence with teammates Johnny Gaudreau and T.J. Brodie to draw the Calgary Flames even at 2-2 with the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Saturday night.Monahan's power-play tally came about seven minutes into the second period, and it was his second goal of the postseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.