Nhl Playoffs, Eastern Conference Semifinals | featured news

First the Capitals, now the Penguins. The Canadiens, the worst-record team in the playoffs, keep sending home the NHL's best. Brian Gionta had two power-play goals, Mike Cammalleri scored his seventh goal of a series in which he upstaged Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and Montreal built a stunning four-goal lead before beating the Penguins 5-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Wednesday night.

Scott Walker scored his first NHL playoff goal 18:46 into overtime to send the Carolina Hurricanes into the Eastern Conference finals with a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

The Washington Capitals came to Pittsburgh with a two-games-to-none lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals and a chance bury some demons that have haunted the franchise for the better part of two decades.