BOSTON — The Boston Bruins struck for four goals in the third period to down the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-2, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The win gives the Bruins a 1-0 series lead and moves them three wins away from the Stanley Cup Final. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at TD Garden, where the Bruins will see the return of defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who was suspended for Game 1.
Related: Bruins ready to play Game 1 of Conference Finals without Charlie McAvoy
Game One took place Thursday night in Boston. After the series shifts to North Carolina, games will be played every other night until it concludes.
Follow along for live updates throughout the night, and follow @Boston25 on Twitter for the latest.
LIVE UPDATES:
10:45 p.m.: Final: Bruins 5, Hurricanes 2
10:42 p.m.: Ten seconds later Chris Wagner makes it 5-2 Bruins as he converts an empty netter.
10:41 p.m.: Charlie Coyle credited with the empty-net goal after it deflects off of him and into the vacant cage to make it 4-2 Bruins.
10:40 p.m.: Hurricanes have pulled their goalie for the extra attacker with 2:37 to go in the third.
10:36 p.m.: With five minutes remaining in the third period, the Bruins hold a narrow lead over the Hurricanes, 3-2.
10:20 p.m.: Hurricanes kill off the minor penalty.
10:18 p.m.: Dougie Hamilton takes his second penalty of the third period, giving the Bruins yet another man-advantage.
10:12 p.m.: Moments after the penalty, Patrice Bergeron wrists a shot past Mrazek from the slot, giving the Bruins a 3-2 lead with under 17 minutes to go in the third. Tic-tac-toe passing from DeBrusk to Marchand to Bergeron leads to the tally.
10:11 p.m.: Bruins back to the power play after an odd sequence of events leads to a Dougie Hamilton roughing call.
10:09 p.m.: Marcus Johansson converts on the doorstep, tying the score at 2-2. The winger collected a rebound from Mrazek in front of the goalmouth and roofed it for the equalizer.
10:07 p.m.: Bruins with a great chance early as Jordan Staal heads to the box for boarding Chris Wagner.
10:05 p.m.: Third period underway in Boston.
9:48 p.m.: At the end of two periods, the Hurricanes lead the Bruins, 2-1.
9:42 p.m.: After some sustained offensive zone pressure, the Bruins head to the power play with David Krejci drawing an interference call.
9:30 p.m.: Greg McKegg strikes with 10:42 left in the second to give Carolina a 2-1 lead.
9:15 p.m.: Carolina to their third power play of the game with Sean Kuraly going off for high sticking.
9:10 p.m.: The second period is underway with Zdeno Chara back on the Boston bench after taking a shot off his foot in the first.
8:50 p.m.: At the end of the first period, the Hurricanes and Bruins are tied, 1-1.
8:45 p.m.: Boston cannot convert as the Hurricanes return to full strength.
8:42 p.m.: The Bruins kill off the penalty and end up on the power play after a slash by Nino Niederreiter. Zdeno Chara goes down the tunnel after blocking a shot with his foot.
8:40 p.m.: Bruins back to the penalty kill after Charlie Coyle takes a hooking infraction with 5:23 to go in the first.
8:20 p.m.: Three seconds into the man-advantage, Sebastian Aho makes it 1-1, deflecting home a shot on the doorstep of the Bruins goal.
8:20 p.m.: Sean Kuraly takes a roughing penalty, giving Carolina their first power play of the series.
8:15 p.m.: After hemming the Hurricanes in their zone often in the first few minutes, the Bruins cash in to take a 1-0 lead off a goal from Steven Kampfer, making just his second appearance for the Bruins this postseason.
8:10 p.m.: We're underway in the Eastern Conference Finals.
8:00 p.m.: Bruins announce their starters for Game One.
7: 45 p.m.: The Bruins lines for the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals look as such:
F: Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Krejci-Backes
Heinen-Coyle-Johansson
Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner
D: Chara-Clifton
Krug-Carlo
Grzelcyk-Kampfer
G: Rask