Associated Press
The NHL roundup …
BOSTON ó Marc Savard scored two power-play goals and the Boston Bruins moved two wins away from their first playoff series victory since 1999 with a 5-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Top-seeded Boston took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series over No. 8 Montreal, which will play at home Monday night.
Savard also assisted on a power-play goal by Michael Ryder. Boston’s other goals were scored by Chuck Kobasew and Shane Hnidy, who replaced Matt Hunwick in the lineup after the defenseman had surgery to remove his spleen Saturday.Rangers 2, Capitals 0
WASHINGTON ó Ryan Callahan spoiled Simeon Varlamov’s NHL postseason debut by scoring on New York’s second shot, and Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves, leading the seventh-seeded Rangers to a 1-0 victory over the second-seeded Washington Capitals on Saturday and a 2-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
It was Lundqvist’s third career playoff shutout.
Game 3 is Monday in New York, and Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau will have to decide whether to stick with Varlamov or go back to Jose Theodore.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin led the NHL in goals each of the past two seasons, but he hasn’t scored in the series.
Red Wings 4, Jackets 0
DETROIT ó Brian Rafalski, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Jiri Hudler scored, Chris Osgood posted his 14th NHL playoff shutout, and Detroit took a 2-0 lead over Columbus in the first-round Western Conference series.
Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason had an NHL-high 10 shutouts during the season, but he has given up four goals in his first two playoff games.
Osgood stopped 25 shots and moved into a fourth-place tie on the NHL’s career postseason shutout list.