NHL: Sharks unable to close out Kings

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Jonathan Quick made 51 saves to help Los Angeles hold on to a big lead that Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds helped provide and the Kings beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in Game 5 on Saturday night to remain alive in their first-round series.

Dustin Penner added his first goal in more than a month in a big first period for the Kings, who cut San Jose's lead in the series to 3-2 by bouncing back after a pair of home losses put them on the brink of elimination.

The Sharks outshot the Kings 52-22 but failed to end the third all-California playoff series in NHL history at home. San Jose will try to wrap up the series in Game 6 on Monday night in Los Angeles. The series would come back to San Jose for Game 7 on Wednesday night, if necessary.

The Kings knocked out Antti Niemi with three goals on their first four shots in the first 8:42 of the game and didn't fall apart after that as they did in Game 3 at home.

Los Angeles scored three first-period goals that night and took a 4-0 lead with a goal in the opening minute of the second period to knock out Niemi. But San Jose scored five goals in the second period to tie it and then became just the fourth team ever to overcome a four-goal deficit and win a playoff game when Devin Setoguchi scored in overtime.

Quick made sure the Sharks never got rolling in this game, stopping all 19 shots in the first period and standing tall after Patrick Marleau woke up the crowd when he poked a rebound to cut it to 3-1 early in the second.

BRUINS 2, CANADIENS 1

BOSTON - Nathan Horton scored at 9:03 of the second overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference series.

Montreal goalie Carey Price stopped Andrew Ference's wrist shot from 30 feet but couldn't control the rebound. Horton put the puck into the open right side of the net for his second goal of the playoffs.

It was Boston's second overtime win in three days, following a 5-4 victory Thursday night. It also was the first win by the home team in the first-round series.

The Bruins, who have won three straight games, can end the series Tuesday night in Montreal. In Game 4 in Montreal, Michael Ryder scored at 1:59 of overtime after the Bruins overcame deficits of 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3.

Tim Thomas made 44 saves for Boston. Price stopped 49 shots.

Capitals 3, Rangers 1

WASHINGTON - Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin scored to help Washington advance to the second round with a 4-1 series victory.

Michal Neuvirth made 26 saves and had a shutout until the final minute. The top-seeded Capitals allowed only eight goals in the Eastern Conference series - two in three home wins.

The Capitals hadn't won a series in fewer than seven games since 1998, when they beat Buffalo 4-2 on the way to their only appearance in the Stanley Cup finals.

It also the Capitals' first playoff series under coach Bruce Boudreau that didn't go the distance. He had led Washington through four seven-game series - winning only one - since becoming coach in 2007.

Lightning 8, Penguins 2

PITTSBURGH - Steven Stamkos scored the first two playoff goals of his NHL career and Tampa Bay routed Pittsburgh to avoid elimination and cut the Penguins' series lead to 3-2.

Stamkos scored 96 goals over the past two seasons to lead the NHL, but had only one assist in the first four games of the Eastern Conference series. He also had an assist Saturday.

The Penguins will get a second chance to advance Monday night at Tampa Bay.