NHL Playoffs Faceoff: Flyers Avoid Elimination…Panthers Even Series…Stars in Command

(AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have extended their season by at least one game.

• Michal Neuvirth  turned back 31 shots and the Flyers forced a Game 5 in their NHL first-round series by downing Washington 2-1. He was put in the nets after Steve Mason surrendered 12 goals over the first three games.
• Neuvirth blanked the Capitals until T.J. Oshie scored 2:38 into the third period to cut the Flyers' lead to 2-1.
• Shayne Gostisbehere put the Flyers ahead to stay 5:51 into the game, and Andrew MacDonald made it 2-0 early in the second period. Wayne Simmonds assisted on both goals for the Flyers, who will travel to Washington for Game 5 on Friday.
• The Caps went 0-for-2 on the power play after scoring five times with the man advantage in Game 3.
• Florida has squared its series with the New York Islanders at a game apiece.
• Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots and Alex Petrovic scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period of the Panthers' 2-1 triumph over the Isles in Brooklyn. Teddy Purcell and John Tavares traded power-play goals in the second period before Petrovic notched his first career playoff tally.
• Game 5 is Friday in Florida.
• Dallas can clinch its opening-round series on home ice Friday. The Stars own a three-games-to-one lead after Jason Spezza furnished a goal and an assist in a 3-2 triumph at Minnesota. Spezza snapped a 2-2 deadlock with 1:09 left in the second period, 5 ½ minutes after he set up Patrick Eaves' tying goal.
• Antti Niemi stopped 28 shots and was perfect after Charlie Coyle beat him midway through the second period.
• San Jose is in the same situation as Dallas, taking a 3-1 series lead by downing Los Angeles 3-2. The Sharks went ahead 3-0 on power-play goals by Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Marleau during the first 22 minutes. Martin Jones turned back 26 shots against his former team and blanked the Kings until Trevor Lewis and Luke Schenn scored four minutes apart early in the final period.
• The Kings will try to stave off elimination at home on Friday.

NHL-BLACKHAWKS-SHAW

• Anti-gay slur costs Shaw 1 game suspension
• CHICAGO (AP) — The NHL has suspended Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw for Game 5 of the team's opening-round series for yelling an anti-gay slur from the penalty box. The league also fined him $5,000 for an inappropriate gesture toward the officials during Chicago's Game 4 loss at home to the St. Louis Blues.
• Shaw will also undergo sensitivity training, according to the league.