NHL Playoffs: Boston tops Buffalo

BOSTON -- Patrice Bergeron scored the go-ahead goal with just over 6 minutes left to give the Boston Bruins a 2-1 win on Monday night and a 2-1 lead over the Buffalo Sabres in their Eastern Conference playoff series. Mark Recchi bumped Tim Kennedy off the puck in the right corner behind the Buffalo net and fed it to Bergeron, whose quick shot from the right circle beat Ryan Miller. The sixth-seeded Bruins are home again for Game 4 on Wednesday night. Mike Grier had given third-seeded Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 6:57 of the first period before Dennis Wideman tied the game less than 9 minutes later. Capitals 5, Canadiens 1 MONTREAL -- Alexander Ovechkin scored the fourth goal of Washington's second-period outburst, leading the Capitals past Montreal for a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Semyon Varlamov, who got the nod over Jose Theodore, made 26 saves in his first start of the series for Washington, which has won two in a row after losing the opener 3-2 in overtime. Boyd Gordon, Brooks Laich and Eric Fehr each scored within a span of 7:27 as the Capitals chased Jaroslav Halak 8:33 into the second. Tomas Plekanec spoiled Varlamov's shutout bid with a power-play goal 2:25 into the third. Matt Bradley scored the Capitals' final goal with 44.1 seconds left in the third. Kings 5, Canucks 3 LOS ANGELES -- Michal Handzus scored two power-play goals, Drew Doughty had a goal and three assists, and the Los Angeles Kings chased Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo during a victory over the Canucks, taking a 2-1 series lead in their first home postseason game in eight years. Brad Richardson and Ryan Smyth also scored and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves as the sixth-seeded Kings moved ahead in the best-of-seven series with another standout game from their relentless power play, which has seven goals after connecting three more times in Game 3. Mikael Samuelsson scored his fourth goal of the series for Vancouver, which trimmed a three-goal deficit to 4-3 before the Kings finished strong. Game 4 is Wednesday night at Staples Center.