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Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars win games as each evens NHL series at 2-2

Maple Leafs left wing Tyler Ennis, left, and Boston Bruins center Joakim Nordstrom battle along the boards during the first period of Game 4 of their NHL first-round playoff series on Wednesday in Toronto. (AP photo)

TORONTO (AP) — David Pastrnak scored twice in quick succession, Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists and the Boston Bruins held off the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 on Wednesday night to tie the first-round series 2-2.

Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist, Zdeno Chara and Joakim Nordstrom also scored and Tuukka Rask made 38 saves. Auston Matthews scored twice for Toronto. Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott also scored and Frederik Andersen stopped 25 shots.

Game 5 is Friday night in Boston.

After the Maple Leafs overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it early in the second period, Pastrnak put Boston back in front at 3:16 when he redirected a pass from Marchand on a 2-on-1. The Bruins then got a power play when Matthews went off for roughing, and Marchand whipped a backhand pass to a wide-open Pastrnak, who snapped the puck short-side on Andersen for his second goal in 1:35.

Chara made it 5-2 at 5:39 of the third. At 42 years, 30 days, the Boston captain became the second-oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a playoff goal. Chris Chelios holds the record at 45 years, 86 days.

Nashville Predators center Kyle Turris handles the puck in Game 4 of an NHL first-round playoff series against the Stars in Dallas on Wednesday. (AP photo)

Matthews scored on the power play with 8:08 left, and Dermott made it 5-4 through traffic with 6:33 remaining. Nordstrom scored into an empty net with two seconds to go.

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Stars 5, Predators 1

At Dallas, Roope Hintz and Alexander Radulov scored power-play goals on Dallas’ first two shots, and the Stars chased Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne with an early four-goal onslaught, beating the Predators and TO even series at two games each.

Hintz added his second career playoff goal in the second period, on John Klingberg’s third assist of the game. Andrew Cogliano and Mats Zuccarello also scored, and Ben Bishop stopped 34 shots.

Roman Josi scored for the Predators.

Game 5 is Saturday in Nashville.

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Avalanche 3, Flames 2 (OT)

At Denver, Mikko Rantanen scored on a slap shot 10:23 into overtime after tying the game with a goal late in regulation and Colorado rallied past Calgary to take a 3-1 lead in the teams’ best-of-seven series.

Moments after weathering a penalty, Carl Soderberg got the puck and sent a pass to Rantanen, who lined a shot past Mike Smith before being mobbed by teammates.

Trailing 2-0 in the third period, J.T. Compher started Colorado’s comeback on a rebound and Rantanen tying it on a power-play goal with 2:50 left.

Elias Lindholm and Derek Ryan had goals for the Flames, the top seed in the West.

Philipp Grubauer stopped 35 shots, including one in OT with his left pad while sprawled on the ice.

Smith had another busy night in stopping 49 of 52 shots.

Calgary faces a must-win scenario when the series returns to Calgary for Game 5 on Friday.

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