STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Bruins, Capitals Take Care of Business, Will Meet in Wales Finals

Glen Wesley scored only his second goal of the playoffs, but the defenseman put the Boston Bruins into the Wales Conference finals.

Wesley’s 25-foot slap shot broke a 1-1 tie with 73 seconds left and the Bruins beat the Canadiens, 3-1, Friday night at Boston.

An empty net goal by Cam Neely with five seconds remaining completed the scoring.

“You don’t get too many opportunities in a lifetime to beat the Canadiens,” Wesley said. “When you get a chance to put them away, it’s an exciting feeling.”

Boston Coach Mike Milbury said: “It’s sweet because (the Canadiens) threw everything at us. It’s sweet because we move on.”

Boston’s Randy Burridge and Montreal’s Stephan Lebeau scored in the first period. The game appeared headed for overtime before Boston’s decisive assault on goalie Patrick Roy.

Craig Janney passed the puck from behind the net to Garry Galley, who fired a long slap shot. It was deflected by Montreal’s Guy Carbonneau and ricocheted off the backboards.

Brian Propp, facing an open left side of the net, missed a swipe at the puck at the left corner of the crease. It continued out to Wesley, who put it past Roy as Mike Keane and Carbonneau dove to stop the puck.

“That’s two chances,” Keane said. “You don’t give a good team two chances to put (the puck) in the net.”

Roy said he saw Wesley’s shot.

“The puck hit my pad and bounced in the top corner,” he said. “If I had been able to see the initial shot (by Galley), I think I would have had a chance.”

The Canadiens were scoreless in 22 power-play opportunities in the series.

Washington 2, New York Rangers 1--John Druce scored 6:48 into overtime at New York as the Capitals advanced to the Stanley Cup semifinals for the first time in their 17-year history.

Druce’s goal was his eighth in the series. He also scored four times in the opening-round series against New Jersey.