NHL scores, highlights: 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs open with OT wins by Blues, Sharks

Dave DeLuca

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NHL scores, highlights: 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs open with OT wins by Blues, Sharks image

What a way to start the 2017 NHL playoffs.

The St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks each earned overtime road wins Wednesday to start their journeys toward a possible Stanley Cup, while the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins opened with regulation victories.

MORE: Bracket picks for each first-round matchup

The Blues defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in OT after allowing the Wild to tie the game with 22 seconds remaining in the third period. The Sharks, meawhile, dug out of a two-goal hole to defeat Edmonton 3-2. 

In other first-round games, the Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 behind Henrik Lundqvist; the Bruins scored a late third-period goal to defeat the Senators 2-1; and the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins dominated the Blue Jackets 3-1.

THREE STARS: Penguins impressive in Game 1

Check out the scores and highlights from Wednesday night's NHL playoff games:  

St. Louis Blues 2, Minnesota Wild 1

Blues goalie Jake Allen was sensational in St. Louis' win. He made 51 saves, including a handful of jaw-dropping ones to turn away Minnesota scoring opportunities. Joel Edmundson scored with just under three minutes remaining in the first overtime to win it for the Blues.

Minnesota's Zach Parise tied the game with 22.7 seconds remaining in the third period.  

Highlights

Vladimir Sobotka opens the scoring with a quick wrist shot to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. 

Blues goalie Jake Allen is playing out of his mind.

WHOA! Zach Parise scores with 22.7 seconds left in the third period to send the game to overtime.

San Jose Sharks 3, Edmonton Oilers 2

The Sharks came back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime, where Melker Karlsson scored the game-winner. The Sharks outshot the Oilers 44-19. 

Highlights

Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom opens the scoring, and Edmonton fans are rowdy early.

Milan Lucic makes it 2-0.

Oilers goalie Cam Talbot makes an incredible save when he comes out of the net to challenge Brent Burns.

San Jose's Joel Ward scores to cut Edmonton's lead in half.

TIE game! Paul Martin scores to knot the game at 2-2.

San Jose's Melker Karlsson scores the game-winner.

New York Rangers 2, Montreal Canadiens 0  

Behind a shutout by goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers take a 1-0 series lead in Montreal. Lundqvist has a franchise-record 10 playoff shutouts, one more than Mike Richter.

Highlights

Journeyman enforcer Tanner Glass scored the first goal of the Stanley Cup playoffs to give the Rangers an early lead that held up.

Michael Grabner scored an empty-net goal to give seal the win for the Blueshirts.

Boston Bruins 2, Ottawa Senators 1

The Bruins scored twice in the third period to rally past the Senators. Frank Vatrano scored early in the period and Brad Marchand scored the go-ahead goal with 2 1/2 minutes remaining.

Highlights

Bobby Ryan recovers from a poke check to score for the Senators on a great individual effort.

Boston's Frank Vatrano scores the Bruins' first goal of the playoffs.

Marchand scores the go-ahead goal off a juicy rebound.

Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 1

The Pens owned the Jackets from start to finish despite losing starting goaltender Matt Murray to an injury during warmups. Marc-Andre Fleury responded to the surprise start by making 31 saves.

Highlights

Bryan Rust opens the scoring for the Pens.

Phil Kessel lasers a wrister to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

Nick Bonino cleans up the trash to jam the puck home.

Dave DeLuca

Dave DeLuca is an intern at Sporting News and a recent graduate of Buffalo State. He's a former intern and digital editor at The Buffalo News and executive editor of The Record, Buffalo State's student-run newspaper.