Montreal had its back against the wall after dropping the series opener at home to the New York Rangers. But the Canadiens pulled through with an overtime victory on Friday night, to send the series back to New York tied at 1-1. The Edmonton Oilers responded to their one-game deficit in similar fashion, beating the San Jose Sharks 2-0.
Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Penguins went up a pair of games on the Columbus Blue Jackets with their 4-1 win, as did the St. Louis Blues, who, with their one-goal victory, now hold a 2-0 series lead over the Minnesota Wild.
Oilers score twice shorthanded, beat Sharks 2-0 in Game 2
Connor McDavid and Zack Kassian took advantage of a sputtering San Jose Sharks power play to score two short-handed goals in the Edmonton Oilers'$2 2-0 win on Friday. The victory evens the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series at one game apiece. Game 3 goes Sunday night in San Jose.
Kassian scored early in the second period and McDavid notched the insurance goal midway through the third period.
The Edmonton Oilers celebrate 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks in game two of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place.
Perry Nelson/USA Today Sports
It was a dominant performance by the Oilers and particularly by Kassian, a fourth-line winger. Kassian drove the net effectively and delivered bone-jarring hits on Sharks' Brenden Dillon and Logan Couture at Rogers Place. By the end of the second period fans were chanting "Kass-ee-ann! Kass-ee-ann!"
It was a reversal of Game 1, when the Oilers were outshot 44-19 en route to a 3-2 overtime loss.
Alexander Radulov scores winner, Canadiens beat Rangers in overtime
Alexander Radulov scored at 18:34 of overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Friday night. Radulov jammed the puck in from the edge of the crease after a feed from Max Pacioretty.
The best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final is tied 1-1 with Game 3 set for Sunday night in New York.
Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron (41) reacts after scoring a goal against the New York Rangers during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Eric Bolte/USA Today Sports
Trailing 3-2 in the third period, the Canadiens pressed hard and finally scored with 18 seconds left, with goalie Carey Price pulled, as Tomas Plekanec redirected a Radulov feed past Henrik Lundqvist to force overtime. Michael Grabner, Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash scored for New York. Jeff Petry and Paul Byron also had goals for Montreal, which wasted early leads of 1-0 and 2-1.
Crosby and Penguins edge Blue Jackets 4-1 for 2-0 series lead
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) shoots the puck behind Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) for a goal during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 14, 2017.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
Jake Guentzel added a goal and an assist for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Evgeni Malkin scored his first goal of the post-season, and Patric Hornqvist pushed in an empty-net goal.
Fleury finished with 39 saves while filling in for the injured Matt Murray, and received plenty of help. Pittsburgh blocked 23 shots before they even got to Fleury.
Brandon Saad scored for Columbus, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots.
Game 3 is Sunday night in Columbus.
Late Schwartz goal gives Blues 3-2 win for 2-0 lead on Wild
Jaden Schwartz scored with 2:27 remaining during a 4-on-4 situation and the St. Louis Blues beat the Wild 2-1 on Friday night to leave Minnesota with a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.
Joel Edmundson had the first goal for the Blues after winning Game 1 in overtime, Jake Allen was as steady as ever in the net again with 23 saves and coach Mike Yeo devised another shrewd plan against his former team.
Zach Parise scored again for the Wild, on a 5-on-3 late in the second period, but goalie Devan Dubnyk simply hasn’t been as dominant as Allen at the other end. Screened by David Perron, Dubnyk didn’t track Schwartz’s deep shot from the slot. He made 20 saves.
The best-of-seven shifts to St. Louis for Game 3 on Sunday.
What's next?
Maple Leafs learned playoff lessons the hard way in Game 1
"Now, instead of the Washington Capitals having to spend two nights fretting about blowing a playoff game and the franchise's reputation for postseason flops, it is the young Maple Leafs who have to think about a missed opportunity. More food for thought heading into Saturday night's second game of their first-round NHL playoff series is that even one mistake in a playoff game will kill you, let alone two. You also have to be careful of everyone on the ice because NHL history is full of unlikely heroes, such as Caps fourth-liner Tom Wilson, who scored the winning goal in overtime in the series opener." – David Shoalts
Senators' Methot could return from mangled finger injury on Saturday
"When speaking with the media on Friday, Methot diligently tried to keep his left hand hidden from view. The only evidence of the damage was a black bandage that wrapped the pinky. Methot practised on Friday and is obviously close to returning. But if he knows if he's playing Saturday, he's not saying." – Robert MacLeod
After Game 1 loss, Flames need one win at Honda Horror Show
"Over all, the mood in the Calgary camp was – if not light exactly – still relatively optimistic. If nothing else, at some point the law of averages suggests the results will have to go their way some day. The one thing they know for sure – if they hope to win the series, they'll need at least one victory at the Honda Horror Show." – Eric Duhatshcek
– With files from Canadian Press