NHL Playoff Roundup : Bruins Finally Defeat Canadiens to Make Series, 3-1

The Boston Bruins looked at the goalie for the Montreal Canadiens Sunday night and found that it wasn’t their nemesis--Patrick Roy.

But the fourth game of their second-round playoff series was more than half completed before the Bruins did anything about it.

Then, Cam Neely and Michael Thelven scored goals off backup goalie Brian Hayward seven seconds apart to give the Bruins a 3-2 victory and end, for the moment, the Canadiens’ mad dash to the Stanley Cup.

The Canadiens had won seven consecutive playoff games, six with Roy in the nets, before losing and missing their second consecutive sweep.

Before Sunday, the Bruins had failed to beat the Canadiens--the team they eliminated from the Stanley Cup last spring--in 11 games this season. They had one tie during the regular season, but nothing but defeats otherwise.

Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 1--When Tim Kerr is scoring, the Flyers are tough to handle.

Kerr, who had a first-period hat trick Wednesday night to get the Flyers their first victory in the series, scored on power plays 2:21 apart at Philadelphia and the best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece.

Mario Lemieux was knocked out of action twice during the game, the second time by one of his own teammates.

Shortly after John Cullen scored on a 2-and-1 break 2:22 into the game, Lemieux collided with Philadelphia defenseman Kjell Samuelsson in front of the Flyers’ net. Lemieux is 6-feet-4, and weighs 200. Samuelsson is 6-6, 225. Lemieux was on his back for several minutes. After first aid he returned to the ice later in the period.

In the third period Lemieux crashed into linemate Randy Cunneyworth at mid-ice and didn’t return.