Sharks Top Blues in Overtime, 1-0

Niko Dimitrakos got quite a souvenir from his first NHL playoff game.

Dimitrakos scored 9:16 into overtime and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 26 shots to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the opener of their first-round playoff series Thursday night at San Jose.

Nabokov earned the second playoff shutout of his career, playing flawlessly behind the Sharks’ sturdy defense. He also won a duel with Blue goalie Chris Osgood, a former Stanley Cup winner who stopped 28 shots.

Dimitrakos, whose energetic play was an overlooked factor in the Sharks’ resurgence this season, ended the scoreless game by faking Osgood a few inches out of position, then firing the puck over the goalie’s glove. The rookie winger’s teammates mobbed him near the glass as the sellout crowd celebrated San Jose’s victory.

The goalies have dueled before: In the teams’ last meeting on Feb. 29, Nabokov and the Sharks defeated the Blues, 1-0.

Philadelphia 3, New Jersey 2 -- Robert Esche had 37 saves in his first postseason start, helping the Flyers beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Devils at Philadelphia.

“He showed people he can play goal in the playoffs,” Flyer Coach Ken Hitchcock said. “He’s a really competitive guy who wants the ball. We’re going to ride it out with him.”

Simon Gagne, Jeremy Roenick and Keith Primeau scored for the Flyers, who finished a point ahead of the Devils to win the Atlantic Division and earn home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Patrik Elias and Jan Hrdina scored New Jersey’s goals.

Martin Brodeur, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, didn’t have one of his usual dominant playoff performances, giving up three goals in 26 shots.

Ottawa 4, Toronto 2 -- Marian Hossa scored two goals, and Bryan Smolinski and Wade Redden had one apiece in the Senators’ victory at Toronto.

Martin Havlat had two assists for Ottawa. Joe Nieuwendyk and Bryan McCabe scored for Toronto.

Ottawa and Toronto are meeting in the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.

Tampa Bay 3, New York Islanders 0 -- Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 30 shots to get his first playoff shutout since 1997 as the Lightning stopped the Islanders at Tampa, Fla.

Fredrik Modin scored two goals, and little-used Andre Roy gave Tampa Bay an unexpected lift with an unassisted goal that snapped a scoreless tie against goalie Rick DiPietro, New York’s young and confident goaltender.