Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canes, Islanders, Habs, Hawks, Flames Take Series Openers On Opening Day

Five games were on the docket for Saturday as the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced in Canada.

QUALIFYING ROUND (all series best three-of-five):

EASTERN CONFERENCE (all games played at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto):

Game #1:

Sebastian Aho scored once and assistant once as the Carolina Hurricanes held off the New York Rangers 3-2 in the opening game of their best-of-five series.

Game #2:

Anthony Beauvillier scored the game-winning power-play goal in the second period as the New York Islanders defeated the Florida Panthers 2-1 in their series opener.

Game #3:

Jeff Petry scored the game winner at 13:57 of overtime as the Montreal Canadiens took their series opener with the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2.



WESTERN CONFERENCE (all games to be played at the Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta):

Game #1:

Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kubalik each scored twice as the Chicago Blackhawks outlasted the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 in their series opener.

Game #2:

Johnny Gaudreau, and Mikael Backlund each scored a power-play goal to go with Tobias Reider's shorthanded tally---all in the second period----while goalie Cam Talbot stopped 17 of 18 shots as the Calgary Flames overpowered the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 in their series-opening contest.