NHL: Predators tie series with Blackhawks; Candiens, Caps also win

Craig Smith scored the first two playoff goals of his career and added an assist, and the Nashville Predators cruised past the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 Friday night to tie their Western Conference opening-round playoff series at a victory apiece.

The Predators won for the first time since clinching a postseason berth on March 28. Pekka Rinne made 24 saves and had an assist.

Nashville lost defenseman and captain Shea Weber to a lower-body injury when he was checked into the boards midway through the second period. Weber was seen walking gingerly to the locker room about nine minutes into the period, favoring his right leg.

Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane scored for Chicago. Replay showed six Blackhawks on the ice during a line change when Kane managed to get the puck alone and tie it with his wrister from the left circle slipping under Rinne's glove.

Nashville coach Peter Laviolette yelled at officials over the missed call. Corey Crawford, yanked after one period in Game 1, gave up three goals in 2 minutes, 19 seconds.

Montreal 3, Ottawa 2 (OT): P.K. Subban figured he needed to make up for being ejected from the opening game of the Canadiens' first-round playoff series.

Subban, drawing inspiration from a vote of confidence from the widow of Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau, responded with a goal in Montreal's victory over the visiting Senators in Game 2 — sealed by Alex Galchenyuk's winner 3 minutes, 40 seconds into overtime Friday night.

Subban was tossed from the opener, a 4-3 win by Montreal, in the second period with a slashing major and a game misconduct for a two-handed chop to the wrist of Senators scoring leader Mark Stone.

As he was standing around outside the dressing room after the ejection, Elise Beliveau passed by him and told him not to worry, that he would be better in Game 2. After the win, he said Beliveau, whose husband's death in December was honored with a state funeral, stood up in her seat behind the Montreal bench and showed she was wearing a Subban No. 76 jersey.

Clarke MacArthur and Patrick Wiercioch scored for the Senators. Stone added two assists despite limited mobility with a microfracture in his right wrist from the slash by Subban.

Vancouver 4, Calgary 1: Eddie Lack made 22 saves and the Canucks defeated the Flames, tying their playoff series at one game each. Daniel Sedin, Chris Higgins, Ronalds Kenins and Radim Vrbata scored for the Canucks.

Kris Russell broke up Lack's shutout by scoring late in the third period.

Washington 4, N.Y. Islanders 3: Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom helped make a winner of a rookie replacement goalie making his second start all season for the Capitals. Reunited on Washington's top line, Backstrom delivered a goal and two assists, and Ovechkin scored once, leading the Capitals and fill-in goalie Philipp Grubauer to a comeback victory over the Islanders that evened the series at a game apiece.

After Washington's two stars — Ovechkin led the NHL in goals, Backstrom was No. 1 in assists — both scored to erase a 3-1 deficit, Jason Chimera netted the go-ahead goal with 12½ minutes left.

Chimera sent a wrister past Jaroslav Halak to give the hosts their first lead of the series. Chimera's initial shot was blocked, but the puck came right back to him, and he didn't miss on the second chance.

Grubauer, the first German-born goalie to start an NHL playoff game, was called up from the minors Friday to replace starting goalie Braden Holtby, who was ill. Grubauer, 23, made 18 saves, settling down after giving up goals to Cal Clutterbuck, Ryan Strome and Kyle Okposo.

Asked what adjustments he made after giving up two first-period goals, Grubauer shrugged, saying: "Just stop the puck. It's not rocket science."