Wild, Blackhawks Meet Again In Playoffs

CHICAGO (AP) — The Minnesota Wild are brimming with confidence after defeating the Colorado Avalanche in a dramatic first-round series.

Next up is a trip to Chicago for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Friday night against the Blackhawks, who got a couple days to rest after eliminating St. Louis in six games in the first round.

Minnesota beat Colorado 5-4 in overtime in Game 7 on Wednesday to advance for the first time since it made it to the conference finals in 2003. The Wild became the first team in NHL history to record four tying goals in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup playoff series, according to STATS.

Minnesota lost to Chicago in five games in the first round of the 2013 playoffs.  Tonight's game starts at 8:30.

Canadiens take marathon opener

BOSTON (AP) — It's the 34th time the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins are meeting in the postseason. For just the sixth time, it required multiple overtimes to decide a game as P.K. Subban scored a power-play goal at 4:17 of the second overtime to give the Canadiens a heart-stopping 4-3 victory in Game 1.

It was Subban's second power-play goal of the game. Boston forced overtime by scoring three times in the third period before losing in the second overtime. Boston fans pelted the ice with cups and giveaway towels as the players filed off of the ice.

Carey Price was magnificent in goal for Montreal, turning back 48 shots. Montreal is a perfect 5-0 in the postseason. Game 2 is Saturday, also in Boston.

Tonight, two more conference semifinals get underway. The New York Rangers are at Pittsburgh and the Minnesota Wild take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.