HOCKEY / STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Bruins Win in Overtime; Capitals Get Even

The Boston Bruins were mild favorites to win the Stanley Cup at the outset of postseason play. But when their two key players, Ray Bourque and Craig Janney, were injured, they were almost knocked out in the first round.

Bourque and Janney are getting stronger by the day, and the Bruins once again appear to be the team to beat.

The Bruins took a 2-0 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night at Boston when Garry Galley scored at 3:42 of overtime to give the Bruins a 5-4 victory. But it was the play of Bourque and Janney that made it possible.

Stephane Richer’s second goal of the game gave the Canadiens a 4-3 lead with 7:10 left.

With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, Janney started the tying play. Bourque found Cam Neely open and the Bruins’ top scorer tied it.

In overtime, Galley blocked a Montreal’s clearing pass and Janney, the playmaker, hit Galley with a perfect pass five feet in front of the net and Galley’s high wrist shot went into the net to win it.

“I wouldn’t have thought in a thousand years I would be scoring the winning goal,” said Galley, who had only one playoff goal.

“If anybody can get the puck back to me, it’s got to be Janney. He put it through a set of legs right onto my stick. I tell you, he’s a magician. We are very fortunate to have him on our side.”

The Bruins, with Bourque keying a tough defense and Janney running the offense, are on a roll.

The Canadiens can only hope that shifting to Montreal Monday night will change the trend.

Washington 6, New York Rangers 3--John Druce had a hat trick and the Capitals took some of the roar out of the New York crowd by scoring five times on their first 11 shots.

Druce, who had only eight goals in 45 games during the regular season, enabled the Capitals to tie the best-of-seven series at one game apiece and give the Capitals the home ice edge. Druce has seven goals in the playoffs.