NHL PLAYOFFS : Bruins Sweep Canadiens Aside, 2-0

Only winning the Stanley Cup again could give the Boston Bruins a better feeling than they have now.

The Bruins were definitely in a mood for celebrating Saturday night at Boston after beating the Montreal Canadiens, 2-0, to complete a 4-0 sweep of their Adams Division championship series.

For most of the Bruins’ 63-year existence, the Canadiens have made playoff life miserable. Many times the Canadiens rolled over the Bruins on their way to winning 22 Stanley Cups.

But this was the first time in 40 years, and the second time ever, that the Canadiens have been swept in a seven-game series.

The goaltending of Andy Moog was the difference. As he did throughout the series, he outplayed Patrick Roy. Moog stopped 26 shots, frustrating the division winners time and again.

When Dave Poulin gave Moog a lead halfway through the second period, it was all but over. Until Peter Douris, who won Game 2 at Montreal with an overtime goal, scored into an empty net with less than a minute remaining, the Canadiens still had a chance.

It was the third consecutive season and fourth in the last five that the Bruins eliminated the Canadiens from the playoffs. At one time the Canadiens won 18 consecutive series from the Bruins.

Roy made 29 saves. The Bruins were on a power play when Roy stopped a blast by Adam Oates. The puck bounced right Poulin, who knocked it into the open side.

Pittsburgh 5, New York Rangers 4--Mario Lemieux is out of the playoffs, but the defending champion Penguins aren’t.

Ron Francis took over Lemieux’s scoring role at Pittsburgh and the Penguins tied the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

Francis had three goals, scoring the winner at 2:47 of overtime.

“One individual can’t replace Mario, he means too much to this hockey team,” said Francis, who took Lemieux’s place on the top line. “It’s not just me replacing Mario, it’s a bunch of guys.

“We knew when we were down two goals we had to come back. We couldn’t go down, 3-1, and go to New York.”

The Rangers, with their leader, Mark Messier, making an emotional return, appeared on the way to their third consecutive victory when Messier scored his second goal in the first minute of the third period to give New York a 4-2 lead.

But Francis cut the lead in half with his second goal, and Troy Loney tied the game with eight minutes left in regulation.