Although Day 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs lacked the controversy and overtime drama of the opening night, it still provided intrigue. How it all played out:
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Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (New York leads series 1-0)
When Derick Brassard opened the scoring 28 seconds into the game, the issues that have plagued goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and the Pens in playoffs past appeared to be resurfacing.
But after Ryan McDonagh gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead before the first intermission, Fleury and Pittsburgh rebounded. A goal by Blake Comeau 6:15 into the second period cut the deficit in half, and the Pens’ injury-ravaged defense corps kept the Rangers in check. Fleury finished strong, stopping all 25 Rangers shots over the final two periods. He ended with 36 saves on 38 shots.
The Penguins’ biggest stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, came up short. Crosby was a minus-1 with only one shot on goal and Malkin had just two shots as the deep Rangers defense keyed in on the stars.
‘‘Their best defense was puck possession,’’ Crosby told reporters after the game, ‘‘and holding onto it in our end. You have to get pucks behind them and really work their D.’’
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist did his part, too, stopping 24 of 25 shots and, more important, appearing healthy and sharp.
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Red Wings 3, Lightning 2 (Detroit leads series 1-0)
One of the teams in this series was supposed to have a goalie problem. It wasn’t supposed to be the Lightning. But that’s how Thursday’s Game 1 played out.
The stellar play of Red Wings starter Petr Mrazek, compared with a subpar showing from Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop, was the difference.
‘‘Found a way to win as a team. It wouldn’t have been the way I would have drawn it up, but I don’t care, you got a win,’’ Detroit coach Mike Babcock told reporters after the game. ‘‘Mrazek stood tall for us. We can all get better, which is a positive thing.’’
Detroit scored its first two goals — both by Pavel Datsyuk — on four shots, and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. The Lightning dominated puck possession from there, outshooting the Red Wings 27-10 through the final two periods. They finished with a 46-14 shot advantage, but Mrazek made a number of big saves in his first career postseason start.
Babcock deliberated until Wednesday over who would start in net — the 23-year-old Mrazek or struggling veteran Jimmy Howard.
‘‘Petr really saved us tonight,’’ Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg told reporters. ‘‘We knew he was a good goalie.’’
Both goalies were making their first career playoff starts.
The Lightning, who had the league’s best power play in the regular season, finished 0 for 7 with the man advantage.
Detroit improved to 27-1-4 when leading after two periods this year. Tampa Bay fell to 3-22-2 when trailing after two.
Wild 4, Blues 2 (Minnesota leads series 1-0)
Even after one game, it might be time for the Blues, who haven’t had the best luck in the playoffs, to sweat a little.
The Wild controlled the pace Thursday, especially in the second period when defenseman Matt Dumba scored at 4:10 to give the Wild a 2-0 lead. Jaden Schwartz netted the Blues’ first goal with 12:48 to play in the third period. After a Wild empty-net goal made it 3-1, Alexander Steen responded with 58.7 seconds remaining. Jason Pominville ended the drama with another empty-netter.
The win was the Wild’s first Game 1 victory since April 10, 2010, ending a streak of seven straight such losses. Minnesota is up 1-0 in a series for the first time since April 10, 2003, when the franchise played its first playoff game.
The Blues’ history is more ominous. They’ve been eliminated in the first round in each of the past two years and were swept in the second round in 2012. They’re 4-13 in their past 17 playoff games.
Blues goalie Jake Allen stopped 25 shots in his first playoff start. Coach Ken Hitchcock, who made a last-minute decision to start Allen over veteran Brian Elliott, told reporters Allen looked “great” and will stick with him going forward.
Ducks 4, Jets 2 (Anaheim leads series 1-0)
The inexperienced Jets received a lesson in playoff hockey and holding leads this time of year, courtesy of Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and the Ducks’ legion of playoff vets.
Anaheim was sluggish at the start and Winnipeg, the heavy underdog, matched its physicality and puck possession. The Jets took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission, but forgot one key factor: The Ducks have been around the block a time or two. Anaheim, which had 12 wins in the regular season when trailing after two periods, tied the game 1:09 into the third on Perry’s first goal. It took the lead when Perry scored again with 6:39 remaining.
Perry’s second goal was peculiar. He buried a rebound after Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec made the save on his initial shot, but only Perry realized he had scored. The goal judge didn’t turn on the red light, the referee didn’t signal a goal, and play continued.
The play was reviewed after the next whistle and Perry was awarded the most anticlimactic game-winning goal in recent playoff memory.
Getzlaf added the game’s final goal shortly after on an assist from Perry.
Three stars
3. Pavel Datsyuk, F, Red Wings: He provided the most offensive support in front of the night’s first star.
Corey Perry, F, Ducks: Perry was dominant, finishing with four points (two goals, two assists) and a game-high six shots.
Petr Mrazek, G, Red Wings: In a game with a 32-shot differential, it’s hard to imagine a more important performance.
Injury report
Steven Stamkos, F, Lightning: Stamkos tweaked his knee in the second period and hobbled off to the bench. He finished the game, playing an even 20 minutes. There was no update on his condition afterward.
Rob Scuderi, D, Penguins: Scuderi took a Kevin Hayes high stick to the face in the third period. He said after the game the gash on his nose took “six or seven” stitches to close.
Dan Girardi, D, Rangers: Girardi did not return after he was hit in the face by the puck and Chris Kunitz’s stick on the same play in the third period. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told reporters after the game that Girardi was still with the team dentist and had no further update.
Gotta see it
It wasn’t a good night for players getting hit in the face.
Before Girardi and Scuderi went down, Lightning winger J.T. Brown was hit square in the face by a shot from Stamkos. He returned to the ice a few minutes later.
Friday’s games
(All times Eastern)
Islanders at Capitals, 7 p.m.
Senators at Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Blackhawks at Predators, 9:30 p.m.
Canucks at Flames, 10 p.m.
