NHL Capsules: Penner scores winner, Kings stun Canucks in series opener

VANCOUVER - Dustin Penner scored with 3:14 left in the third period to help the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 in the opener of their Western Conference quarter-final series.

Penner had gone the last nine games of the regular season without a goal. The winger capitalized after Mike Richards' pass went off Jeff Carter's skate, and Penner whipped the puck past Canuck goaltender Roberto Luongo.

Dustin Brown added an empty net goal in the final minute for the final margin. Richards and Willie Mitchell also scored for the Kings, who secured a playoff berth with three games left in the regular season.

Alex Burrows and Alex Edler scored for the Canucks.

Game 2 is Friday night in Vancouver.

FLYERS 4,PENGUINS 3 (OT)

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Jakub Voracek beat Marc-Andre Fleury from in close 2:23 into overtime to give Philadelphia a comeback victory over the Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarter-final series.

Fleury stopped Matt Read's shot from the corner, but Voracek pounced on the rebound to cap a furious rally from a 3-0 deficit. Daniel Briere scored twice, and Brayden Schenn added a goal in his playoff debut. Ilya Brzygalov settled down after a shaky start to finish with 25 saves.

Sidney Crosby, Tyler Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis scored for the Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots, but Pittsburgh struggled after dominating the first period.

Game 2 is Friday night in Pittsburgh.

PREDATORS 3, RED WINGS 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Gabriel Bourque scored two goals in his post-season debut, and Nashville beat Detroit in Game 1 of the Western Conference series.

Paul Gaustad scored his first post-season goal, and Pekka Rinne made 35 saves. The Predators started at home after edging out Detroit for the No. 4 seed, and they started their third post-season series against their Central Division rival with their first win in the opening game.

Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom scored power-play goals for Detroit.

Game 2 is Friday night in Nashville.