ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Blues eliminated the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a mid-series goalie change and an unconventional lineup. Now, the team heads to Colorado to face the top-seeded Avalanche in the second round. The Blues have met the Avalanche in the playoffs twice before, losing both matchups, including getting swept in the first round last season. St. Louis lost Nicky Leddy, Robert Bortuzzo, and Torey Krug to injuries in the first three games of the opening round. Leddy and Bortuzzo returned for Game 5, but Krug (lower-body injury) remains day to day. The injuries prompted the coaching staff to employ a starting lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen in the final three games against Minnesota.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— The Tampa Bay Lightning’s quest for a third straight Stanley Cup continues. So does the Toronto Maple Leafs’ bid for their first series win since 2004.
Nicholas Paul scored his first two career postseason goals and Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV’-skee) stopped 30 shots as the Lightning knocked out the Leafs, 2-1 in Game 7 of the opening-round series. Paul opened the scoring late in the first period and broke a 1-1 deadlock with 3:28 left in the second.
Vasilevskiy did the rest, blanking the Maple Leafs after Morgan Rielly’s goal in the second. Paul tallied 3:07 later.
The Leafs led the series three times, only to lose twice at home.
The Carolina Hurricanes have won a Stanley Cup series in which the home team went 7-0.
The Hurricanes have advanced to the second round by holding off the Bruins, 3-2 in Game 7. Max Domi’s (DOH’-meez) second goal of the afternoon gave the Canes a 3-1 lead midway through the second period. He also scored early in the second.
Teuvo Teravainen (TAY’-voh tehr-ah-VY’-nehn) put Carolina ahead to stay late in the first period.
Jaccob Slavin (JAY’-kahb SLAY’-vihn) had two assists and Antti Raanta (AN’-tee RAHN’-tah) stopped 26 shots for the Metropolitan Division champs.
Charlie McAvoy set up goals by Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak (PAHS’-tur-nahk), the last one coming with 22 seconds remaining.
The Canes will take on the Rangers or Penguins and have home ice advantage for the series.
The Oilers have their first series win in five years after taking Game 7 against the Kings, 2-0. Mike Smith turned back 29 shots in his second shutout of the series and sixth playoff blanking of his 16-year career.
Codi Ceci put the Oilers ahead with 6:45 remaining in the second period, thanks to passes by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It was Ceci’s second goal in 43 career playoff games.
McDavid added an insurance goal with 3:53 to play.
The Oilers now await the winner of the Flames-Stars series, which concludes on Sunday.
