Sean Couturier’s long shot from the point got past Matt Murray with 1:17 left and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Friday night to force a sixth game in the first-round series.
The Flyers cut the Penguins’ series lead to 3-2 going into Game 6 on Sunday in Philadelphia.
After missing Game 4 with a lower-body injury Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , Couturier extended his team’s season at least two more days by picking up his second goal of the series. Claude Giroux, Valtteri Filppula and Matt Read also scored for the Flyers. Michal Neuvirth stopped 30 shots, including a diving stop on the doorstep to deny Penguins star Sidney Crosby shortly after Couturier’s knuckler put Philadelphia in front.
Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray made 21 saves but had no chance on Couturier’s winner as the puck found its way through a sea of players and into the net.
JETS 5, WILD 0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) – Jacob Trouba, Bryan Little Authentic Conor Sheary Jersey , Brandon Tanev and Joel Armia scored in the first 11:59 to chase Minnesota goalie Devan Dubynk and Winnipeg beat Wild to win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his second shutout of the series, and Mark Scheifele added a goal in the third to help the Jets finish off the Wild in five games. Winnipeg will face the winner of the Nashville-Colorado series in the second round.
Winnipeg’s previous post-season appearance was a sweep by Anaheim in 2015. The franchise moved from Atlanta in 2011. The Thrashers started in 1999-2000, with their only playoff series ending in four straight losses to the New York Rangers in 2007.
AVALANCHE 2, PREDATORS 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sven Andrighetto scored with 1:28 left to lift Colorado past Nashville, sending the first-round series back to Denver for Game 6.
This is the third time the Avalanche had trailed 3-1 in a series since the franchise relocated to Colorado. They lost the first two Larry Allen Jersey , but will have a chance Sunday to push this series to a seventh game after rallying with two goals in the final 4:11.
Gabriel Landeskog started the rally with his goal into an empty net with Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne caught outside the crease with his own teammate Ryan Ellis in his lap. Then Andrighetto gave the Avs the lead off a rebound of a shot by J.T. Compher.
Andrew Hammond made a career-high 44 saves for his first postseason victory in his first playoff start since April 17, 2015, with Ottawa and just the third of his career.
Nick Bonino scored for Nashville.
Eric Wood can finally announce he’s retiring after the Buffalo Bills released the veteran center in a move considered a formality after he was diagnosed with a career-ending neck injury in January.
The NFL transactions list on Thursday listed the Bills reaching an injury settlement and releasing Wood under the designation: ”Termination of vested veteran.”
The decision by the Bills ends a lengthy waiting period for the team and Wood.
By waiting until Thursday, the Bills limited the effect the player’s remaining bonus money will have on their salary cap. The more than $10 million in bonus money owed to Wood will now only count against the team’s salary cap this year rather than be spread over the two years left on the contract.
Wood declined to comment on being released by the Bills in a text to The AP. Wood did say he’s planning to attend Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s annual charitable auction and golf tournament in Buffalo this weekend.
Though Wood said he’ll never play again, the nine-year veteran balked at the last minute to announce his retirement during a news conference in January.
Wood read from a prepared statement and spoke for less than two minutes in revealing end of season tests discovered two discs being dangerously close to his spinal cord.
”Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout my career. And because of that, I am here today Sam Acho Jersey ,” Wood said. ”I’m sure there are a lot of unanswered questions. I hope to address those at a later date. Thanks, and go Bills.”
According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams could have asked for a portion of bonus money to be returned if a player retired before his contract expired. There was, however, a gray area if a player retired as a result of a career-ending injury.
Wood is from Cincinnati and spent four seasons playing at Louisville before being selected by the Bills with their second of two first-round picks in the 2009 draft. Wood earned a starting job entering his rookie season and appeared in 121 games, including one in the playoffs.
He was a respected team leader Womens Deryk Engelland Jersey , popular in the community for his charitable work, and was the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2015 and `16.
Aside from Wood, Buffalo’s offensive line must also replace starting left guard Richie Incognito, who abruptly retired in April and was then released by the Bills earlier this month.