HOCKEY STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Nicholls’ Hat Trick Lifts Rangers to Win

Bernie Nicholls missed out on the Kings’ 12-4 victory over the Calgary Flames last week.

Thursday night at New York, it was his turn.

Nicholls scored three goals, his first playoff hat trick, to lead the New York Rangers to a 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals in the opener of their Patrick Division final series.

“Bernie had a tremendous game,” linemate Mike Gartner said. “He scored the big goals for us, but he’s been getting used to that here.”

Nicholls was traded by the Kings to New York for Tony Granato and Tomas Sandstrom in a controversial deal earlier this season. Nicholls was critical of the trade from the outset.

When the Kings routed the Flames in Game 3 of their dethroning of the Stanley Cup champions, Granato, Sandstrom and Dave Taylor set an NHL record by all registering hat tricks.

Nicholls, who scored 70 goals for the Kings last season, had three in New York’s five-game, opening-round victory over the New York Islanders.

“I guess I’ve had a pretty good run,” Nicholls said. “Our power play is working real well right now. That’s a big key for us.”

The Rangers had three power-play goals in the game and have scored 13 in the last five games.

Boston 1, Montreal 0--Dave Poulin’s power-play goal and Andy Moog’s first career playoff shutout got the Bruins past the Canadiens in the opener of the Adams Division finals at Boston.

Poulin scored at 17:37 of the second period.

Moog made 20 saves for his first shutout in 57 playoff games. His biggest save came with 1:33 left, when he reached out to stop Shayne Corson’s 20-foot blast from the left side that was headed for the far corner.