NHL ROUNDUP : Neely Keeps Scoring as Bruins Take Opener

Because Brett Hull scored so many goals, the fine season of Boston’s Cam Neely was overlooked. He had 51 goals--only Hull with 86 had more.

Neely scored his second goal of the game halfway through the third period Wednesday night at Boston to give the Bruins a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

The Bruins, who won the Adams Division and eliminated the Canadiens in the second round last spring, took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

For many years, especially in playoffs, the Bruins couldn’t beat the Canadiens. From 1946 through 1987, the Canadiens were 18-0 in playoff series against the Bruins.

In the past two years, however, the Bruins have dominated. They won the season series both times and last year won their playoff series, 4-1.

“I know a few years back, we used to think about the jinx,” Boston Coach Mike Milbury said. “If anything, maybe they are starting to wonder if they can beat us.”

Neely took a pass across the slot from Vladimir Ruzicka and put the puck into the open side of the net for the winner.

The Canadiens thought they had tied the game with 3:45 left when the puck crossed the goal-line. But referee Andy Van Hellemond ruled that Mathieu Schneider kicked it in as he slid along the ice in front of Boston goaltender Andy Moog.

Montreal, which scored almost at will against Buffalo in the first round of the Stanley Cup competition, scored first when Mike Keane knocked in a rebound of Schneider’s shot at 7:09 of the first period.

Neely tied the score seven minutes into the second period on a power play. He intercepted an errant pass and put in a 20-foot backhander.

Washington 4, Pittsburgh 2--Mario Lemieux, Paul Coffey and the other injured Penguins played and played well for two periods at Pittsburgh. But they wore out in the final 20 minutes and the Capitals pulled out a victory in the opener of the second-round series.

Lemieux, who sat out the last two periods with back spasms Monday night when the Penguins won their first-round series, wasn’t expected to play.

The big center not only played, he put the Penguins ahead, 2-1, with his fourth playoff goal 13 minutes into the second period.

Kevin Hatcher tied it with a 40-foot slap shot early in the third period. The Penguins hung on, but Al Iafrate, with 4:30 left in regulation, scored his first playoff goal.