Hockey

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Some puck luck finally went the Vegas Golden Knights' way and they avoided getting pushed to the brink of elimination.

EDMONTON — Pieces of the Edmonton Oilers' game came together to avoid a deep playoff hole, but other elements need immediate improvement to extend their post-season runway.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning were in an early hole against the Florida Panthers, again. In the first two games of their first-round playoff series, that spelled disaster for Tampa Bay. Not this time.

MONTREAL (AP) — The NHL has punished the main combatants in a bench-clearing altercation in Friday night’s playoff game between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals.

MONTREAL — There was a lot Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis liked about Montreal’s 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Friday. But he also knows there's work to be done.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning were in an early hole against the Florida Panthers, again. In the first two games of their first-round playoff series, that spelled disaster for Tampa Bay. Not this time.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson missed Saturday’s NHL playoff game against Vegas with a lower-body injury.

Goaltending is firmly in the spotlight for the four first-round NHL playoff series that resume Sunday — all in different ways.

Evander Kane could barely stand up in the immediate aftermath of complicated, invasive surgery.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers had two of their best players available for Game 3 of their playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.