It's National Superhero and Bravehearts Day, which seems fitting for the NHL teams looking for extra efforts and playoff victories today. The Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers are looking to take 3-1 series leads in Nashville and Los Angeles, respectively, while the Winnipeg Jets will be aiming to level their first-round series against the Avalanche at 2-2 in Mile High City. The host Washington Capitals need a win to avoid a sweep against the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers. Here

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored his second goal of the game in overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory over Vegas on Saturday night, cutting the defending champion Golden Knights’ series lead to 2-1. Johnston, who had a team-high eight shots, dragged the puck down the left side to the goal line, drawing goalie Logan Thompson into a low position, and beating him with a high shot 16:23 into the extra period. “What a player,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said about the 20-year-old forwa

NEW YORK (AP) — Mathew Barzal scored his second goal of the game on a deflection 1:24 into the second overtime and the New York Islanders beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 4 on Saturday to avoid a sweep in their first-round, best-of-seven NHL playoff series. Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored and Semyon Varlamov stopped 42 shots — including 18 in the overtimes — to help the Islanders stave off elimination. Seth Jarvis and Stefan Noesen scored and Frederik Andersen finished with 33 saves for

Saturday's Scoreboard NHL Playoffs First Round Boston 3 Toronto 1 (Boston leads best-of-seven series 3-1) Dallas 3 Vegas 2 (OT) (Vegas leads best-of-seven series 2-1) N.Y. Islanders 3 Carolina 2 (2OT) (Carolina leads best-of-seven series 3-1) Tampa Bay 6 Florida 3 (Florida leads best-of-seven series 3-1) --- PWHL Montreal 2 Ottawa 0 Boston 2 Minnesota 1 --- AHL Playoffs Division Semifinals Grand Rapids 3 Rockford 2 (OT) (Grand Rapids leads best-of-five series 1-0) First Round Hartford 3 Charlott

The Bruins' goalie decision for Game 5 should be a no-brainer. Keep riding the hot hand with Jeremy Swayman.

TORONTO (AP) — Brad Marchand broke the Boston playoff goals record with his 56th and the Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in Game 4 on Saturday night to move within a victory of advancing to the second round. Marchand also had an assist, James van Riemsdyk and David Pastrnak scored and Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves. Boston can wrap up the series Tuesday night at home. “Guys were committed,” Marchand said about the Bruins’ defensive structure. “We played tight. Guys did a great job getting

TORONTO — Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner were having an animated discussion on the bench. William Nylander was caught by cameras muttering to himself during the second-period exchange. Marner then took off his gloves and slammed them on the ground. The Maple Leafs were down 2-0 in a game they desperately needed Saturday. The angst from Toronto's offensive stars — players accustomed to having their way in attack — would only grow. Now the season hangs in the balance. Brad Marchand became the Br

The Bruins have taken a 3-1 series lead after beating the Leafs on the road in Game 4. Check out our key takeaways from the matchup.

Brad Marchand broke a special Bruins record in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series vs. the Maple Leafs.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored his fourth and fifth goals of the series and the Tampa Bay Lightning avoided elimination with a 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the first-round playoff matchup Saturday night. Game 5 is Monday night at Florida. Only four times in 206 tries has an NHL team rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. “The odds aren't great being down 3-zip,” Stamkos said. “Three-one, they're a little better. And hopefully next game it's 3-2 and then the