NHL ROUNDUP \ Thursday’s games

Bruins 5, Canadiens 1

MONTREAL — Glen Metropolit scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period after Montreal’s Carey Price caused a reckless turnover and Boston went on to avoid elimination in the first-round series. Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots for the Bruins, who trail the series, 3-2. Price gloved a puck at the side of his net and dropped it in front of him, but Petteri Nokelainen got his stick on it before Montreal’s Maxim Lapierre and Metropolit batted the puck into an open net 3:31 into the third to put the Bruins up 2-1. Zdeno Chara scored Boston’s second power-play goal of the game at 5:49. Marco Sturm increased the lead to 4-1 with a short-handed goal at 15:13 when he drove a slap shot past Price into the top right corner and Vladimir Sobotka added an unassisted effort at 17:48. Phil Kessel returned to the Bruins’ lineup and tied it at 1 in the second with his first career playoff goal. Montreal’s Alex Kovalev had a highlight reel goal midway through the first. Boston got a lucky break in the dying seconds of the period that nearly led to a goal.

Stars 3, Ducks 1

DALLAS — Stu Barnes and Steve Ott scored third-period goals and Marty Turco came within 7.6 seconds of a shutout, sending Dallas past Anaheim and putting the reigning Stanley Cup champions on the brink of elimination. Dallas leads the first-round series 3-1 going into Game 5 in Anaheim tonight.

Flyers 4, Capitals 3, 2OT

PHILADELPHIA — Danny Briere saved the game for the Flyers in regulation and Mike Knuble got a win away from the second round in a thrilling double-overtime finish. Knuble poked in his second goal of the series 6:40 into the second OT to give Philadelphia a 3-1 series lead. Jeff Carter scored twice for the Flyers, who can finish off the Caps in Game 5 Saturday in Washington.

Associated Press