nhl roundup Thursday’s games

Canucks 1, Predators 0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia

Roberto Luongo stopped 20 shots and made Chris Higgins’ second-period goal stand up in Vancouver’s win over Nashville in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals. It was Luongo’s second shutout of these playoffs and the third of his NHL postseason career. He made nine saves in the third period, including a short-handed breakaway by Mike Fisher 5:20 in, for the Canucks. Pekka Rinne had several spectacular stops among his 29 saves to keep the Predators in the game.

Bruins-Flyers

BOSTON

The Bruins emerged from a hardfought first-round playoff series convinced that the resilience they showed will help them avoid a repeat of last season’s epic second-round flame out against the Flyers. Boston squandered a 3-0 series lead to Philadelphia last spring, allowing the Flyers to become just the third team in NHL history to accomplish such a comeback.

Associated Press