Wednesday’s NHL playoffs: Horvat scores twice, Canucks beat champion Blues in series opener

Associated Press Published 4:48 a.m. ET Aug. 13, 2020 | Updated 4:56 a.m. ET Aug. 13, 2020

Edmonton, Alberta — Bo Horvat scored twice and the Vancouver Canucks beat the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Wednesday in the opening game of their best-of-seven first-round series.

J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson and Troy Stecher also scored for Vancouver.

David Perron and Jaden Schwartz scored for St. Louis.

Vancouver Canucks’ Bo Horvat (53), Troy Stecher (51) and Brock Boeser (6) celebrate a goal against the St. Louis Blues during the third period in Game 1.

 (Photo: Jason Franson, AP)

Game 2 is set for Friday night.

Horvat has four goals in return-to-play action while rookie teammate Quinn Hughes logged an assist to reach seven points (one goal, six helpers) in five games.

Horvat said the Canucks were ready to match the Blues’ intensity.

“They won the cup for a reason, so we were ready for it,” Horvat said. “I thought we showed some good things tonight, some push-back and obviously scoring those big goals late was a huge clutch for us.

“And I couldn’t be happier for Troy to get that one. I think I can speak for everybody (on that).”

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Boston 4, Carolina 3 (2 OT): Patrice Bergeron scored early in the second overtime of a Game 1 that was postponed 15 hours to a rare late-morning start.

The game scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday night started the next morning at 11 after the Columbus Blue Jackets-Tampa Bay Lightning series opener went five overtimes.

Joel Edmundson, who wasn’t with the Hurricanes last year and joined them in a trade from the St. Louis Blues after winning the Stanley Cup, opened the scoring 13:02 into the first period.

The way Boston tied it was plenty familiar, with its fearsome first line of Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak connecting. Bergeron won a faceoff to Marchand, who fed it to Pastrnak for the league-leading goal-scorer to finish it off at the 17:45 mark of the first.

The Bruins took the lead when Charlie Coyle scored 4:38 into the second. But goaltender Petr Mrazek was livid, and coach Rod Brind’Amour challenged for what the Hurricanes thought was a missed hand pass by Boston’s Brett Ritchie. Officials and the NHL’s situation room ruled that Mrazek trying to cover the puck negated the hand pass. Brind’Amour was fined for his postgame comments.

N.Y. Islanders 4, Washington 2: Josh Bailey scored a shorthanded goal 6:52 into the third period and New York overcame a two-goal deficit to beat Washington in a hard-hitting opener to the first-round playoff series.

Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee scored 1:54 apart spanning the second intermission. Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 shots and Anthony Beauvillier sealed it by scoring with 8:05 remaining in a game the Islanders overcame their own lack of discipline in allowing the Capitals seven power-play opportunities.

Philadelphia 2, Montreal 1: Carter Hart made 27 saves, Joel Farabee scored 16 seconds after Montreal tied it, and Philadelphia beat the Canadiens in Game 1.

Ivan Provorov also scored for the Flyers. Shea Weber scored for the Canadiens, and Carey Price stopped 29 shots.

Colorado 3, Arizona 0: Nazem Kadri and J.T. Compher scored 10 seconds apart in the third period, Philipp Grubauer stopped 14 shots and Colorado opened the playoffs with a victory over Arizona.

Colorado dominated the Coyotes through the first two periods, outshooting them 29-7, yet couldn’t get anything past goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Philadelphia leads No. 8 Montreal 1-0

Wednesday: Philadelphia 2-1

Friday: 3 p.m.

Sunday: 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 18: 3 p.m.

x-Wednesday, Aug. 19: TBD

x-Friday, Aug. 21: TBD

x-Sunday, Aug. 23: TBD

No. 2 Tampa Bay leads No. 7 Columbus, 1-0

Tuesday: Tampa Bay 3-2, 5 OT

Thursday: 3 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17: 3 p.m.

x-Wednesday, Aug. 19: TBD

x-Friday, Aug. 21: TBD

x-Saturday, Aug. 22: TBD

No. 6 N.Y. Islanders lead No. 3 Washington 1-0

Wednesday: Islanders 4-2

Friday: 8 p.m.

Sunday: Noon

Tuesday, Aug. 18: 8 p.m.

x-Thursday, Aug. 20: TBD

x-Saturday, Aug. 22: TBD

x-Sunday, Aug. 23: TBD

No. 4 Boston leads No. 5 Carolina 1-0

Wednesday: Boston 4-3 (2 OT)

Thursday: 8 p.m.

Saturday: Noon

Monday, Aug. 17: 8 p.m.

x-Wednesday, Aug. 19: TBD

x-Thursday, Aug. 20: TBD

x-Sunday, Aug. 23: TBD

Western Conference

No. 1 Las Vegas leads No. 8 Chicago 1-0

Tuesday: Vegas 4-1

Thursday: 5:30 p.m.

Saturday: 8 p.m.

Sunday: 6:30 p.m.

x-Tuesday, Aug. 18: TBD

x-Thursday, Aug. 20: TBD

x-Saturday, Aug. 22: TBD

No. 2 Colorado vs. No. 7 Arizona

Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.

Friday: 2 p.m.

Saturday: 3 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17: 5:30 p.m.

x-Wednesday, Aug. 19: TBD

x-Friday, Aug. 21: TBD

x-Sunday, Aug. 23: TBD

No. 6 Calgary leads series vs. No. 3 Dallas, 1-0

Tuesday: Calgary 3, Dallas 2

Thursday: 10:30 p.m.

Friday: 10:30 p.m.

Sunday: 2 p.m.

x-Tuesday, Aug. 18: TBD

x-Thursday, Aug. 20: TBD

x-Saturday, Aug. 22: TBD

No. 5 Vancouver leads No. 4 St. Louis 1-0

Wednesday: Vancouver 5-2

Friday: 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: 10:30 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 17: 10:30 p.m.

x-Wednesday, Aug. 19: TBD

x-Friday, Aug. 21: TBD

x-Sunday, Aug. 23: TBD

x-If necessary