nhl playoff roundup | Wednesday’s other games

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Blue Jackets 4, Lightning 3

TAMPA, FLA.

Seth Jones scored the go-ahead goal on the power play to cap Columbus’ three-goal third period, and the Blue Jackets rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the teams’ first-round playoff series. Jones made it 4-3 from the slot with 5:55 to play as the Blues Jackets erased a 3-0 deficit after the Lightning scored three times in the opening period. With Columbus trailing 3-1 in the third, David Savard deked around Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and scored 7:56 into the period to make it a one-goal game. Josh Anderson picked up a short-handed goal that tied it at 3 at 11:54. Nick Foligno had the other goal for Columbus, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves after struggling in the first period. The Lightning got first-period goals from Alex Killorn, Anthony Cirelli and Yanni Gourde. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Blues 2, Jets 1

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA

Tyler Bozak scored with 2:05 left in the third period to give the St. Louis Blues a victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series. Pat Maroon sent a backhand pass from behind the net out to Bozak in the slot, and Bozak’s quick shot went by Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck for the go-ahead goal. David Perron also scored for St. Louis early in the third, and Jordan Binnington made 24 saves. Patrik Laine scored late in the first period and Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for the Jets, who host Game 2 on Friday. The goalies played a big role in keeping the game tight, even though Binnington took an early tumble to the ice. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele was sent to the penalty box 34 seconds into the first period for interference. As he was skating to the back of the St. Louis net, he banged into Binnington, who was behind the net and returning to his crease. Blues forward Brayden Schenn shoved Scheifele hard in retaliation, but only drew boos from fans and not a penalty.

Associated Press