NHL playoffs: Dale Weise lifts Montreal over Tampa Bay in overtime

Weise helps Montreal — the only Canadian team in the postseason — win on the road.
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Tampa, Fla. • Dale Weise scored 18:08 into overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening game of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series on Wednesday night.

Daniel Briere passed from behind the net to Weise in the right circle, and he beat Anders Lindback for the winning score. Lindback stopped 39 of 44 shots while filling in for injured goaltender Ben Bishop.

Carey Price stopped 21 shots for the Canadiens, who blew a pair of third-period leads. Brian Gionta had a short-handed goal and Tomas Plekanec, Lars Eller and Thomas Vanek also scored for Montreal.

Steven Stamkos scored twice for Tampa Bay, including the goal that forced overtime.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night.

Three of the four regular-season meetings between the teams were decided in overtime or a shootout, while the fourth was clinched by an empty-net goal.

This one was just as tight, with the Lightning making the most of a limited number of opportunities against Price and the Canadiens overcoming a pair of one-goal deficits before squandering a pair of their own while outshooting Tampa Bay 35-16 in regulation.

Penguins 4, Blue Jackets 3 • In Pittsburgh, Brandon Sutter scored on a wrist shot from the left circle 8:18 into the third period, helping Pittsburgh rally past Columbus in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Beau Bennett and Matt Niskanen scored power-play goals 45 seconds apart in the second period, erasing Pittsburgh's two-goal deficit. Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury overcame some shaky defense to stop 31 shots.

Game 2 is Saturday night.

Jack Johnson, Mark Letestu and Derek Mackenzie scored for the Blue Jackets, who fell to 0-5 all-time in postseason games. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves but was handcuffed by Sutter's knuckling wrister at the end of a 2-on-1 break.

Ducks 4, Stars 3 • In Anaheim, Calif., the Ducks scored three first-period goals, which they needed after Dallas rallied with two goals in the second and another in the third during Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

Matt Beleskey scored the game-winner midway through the second period to put the Ducks ahead 4-0. —

Thursday's games

O Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, 5 p.m., CNBC

• Chicago at St. Louis, 6 p.m., NBCSN

• Minnesota at Colorado, 7:30 p.m., CNBC

• Los Angeles at San Jose, 8:30 p.m., NBCSN NHL Playoffs

FIRST ROUND

Note • Best of 7; x-if necessary

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Detroit vs. Boston

Friday: Detroit at Boston, 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: Detroit at Boston, 1 p.m.

April 22: Boston at Detroit, 5:30 p.m.

April 24: Boston at Detroit, 6 p.m.

x-April 26: Detroit at Boston, 1 p.m.

x-April 28: Boston at Detroit, TBD

x-April 30: Detroit at Boston, TBD

Montreal vs Tampa Bay

Wednesday: Montreal 5, Tampa Bay 4 (OT)

Friday: Montreal at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.

Sunday: Tampa Bay at Montreal, 5 p.m.

April 22: Tampa Bay at Montreal, 5 p.m.

x-April 24: Montreal at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.

x-April 27: Tampa Bay at Montreal, TBD

x-April 29: Montreal at Tampa Bay, TBD

Columbus vs. Pittsburgh

Wednesday: Pittsburgh 4, Columbus 3

Saturday: Columbus at Pittsburgh, 5 p.m.

April 21: Pittsburgh at Columbus, 5 p.m.

April 23: Pittsburgh at Columbus, 5 p.m.

x-April 26: Columbus at Pittsburgh, TBD

x-April 28: Pittsburgh at Columbus, TBD

x-April 30: Columbus at Pittsburgh, TBD

Philadelphia at N.Y. Rngrs

Thursday: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rngrs, 5 p.m.

Sunday: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rngrs, 10 a.m.

April 22: N.Y. Rngrs at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

April 25: N.Y. Rngrs at Philadelphia, 5 p.m.

x-April 27: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rngrs, 10 a.m.

x-April 29: N.Y. Rngrs at Philadelphia, TBD

x-April 30: Philadelphia at N.Y. Rngrs, TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Minnesota vs. Colorado

Thursday: Minn. at Colorado, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Minn. at Colorado, 7:30 p.m.

April 21: Colorado at Minnesota, 5 p.m.

April 24: Colorado at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

x-April 26: Minnesota at Colorado, TBD

x-April 28: Colorado at Minnesota, TBD

x-April 30: Minnesota at Colorado, TBD

Chicago vs. St. Louis

Thursday: Chicago at St. Louis, 6 p.m.

Saturday: Chicago at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

April 21: St. Louis at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.

April 23: St. Louis at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

x-April 25: Chicago at St. Louis, 6 p.m.

x-April 27: St. Louis at Chicago, 1 p.m.

x-April 29: Chicago at St. Louis, TBD

Dallas vs. Anaheim

Wednesday: Anaheim 4, Dallas 3

Friday: Dallas at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

April 21: Anaheim at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

April 23: Anaheim at Dallas, 6 p.m.

x-April 25: Dallas at Anaheim, 8:30 p.m.

x-April 27: Anaheim at Dallas, TBD

x-April 29: Dallas at Anaheim, TBD

Los Angeles vs. San Jose

Thursday: L.A. at San Jose, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday: Los Angeles at San Jose, 8 p.m.

April 22: San Jose at Los Angeles, 8 p.m.

April 24: San Jose at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m.

x-April 26: Los Angeles at San Jose, TBD

x-April 28: San Jose at Los Angeles, TBD

x-April 30: Los Angeles at San Jose, TBD