Oilers begin 2nd round on road Wednesday, Sens start Thursday at home

NEW YORK – The Ottawa Senators will begin their second-round playoff series at home on Thursday night while the Edmonton Oilers start theirs on the road Wednesday.

Ottawa advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals by beating the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime on Sunday for a 4-2 series win.

The Senators will host the New York Rangers for Games 1 and 2 Thursday and Saturday, respectively, before the best-of-seven series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4.

Edmonton will visit the Anaheim Ducks beginning Wednesday with Game 2 scheduled for Friday. The Oilers return home next Sunday for the first of two games at Rogers Place.

New York downed the Montreal Canadiens in six games while Anaheim swept the Calgary Flames in four.

In the other Eastern Conference matchup, Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins starting Thursday. The Capitals advanced by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in overtime on Sunday, winning the series 4-2.

St. Louis hosts Nashville in the other Western semifinal beginning Wednesday.

There was a record number of overtime games in the first round with 18.

It was the first time a first round didn’t feature a Game 7 in any series since 2001.

— With files from The Associated Press