NHL: Boston 4, Carolina 1

BOSTON, May 1 (UPI) -- The first of Marc Savard's two goals Friday gave Boston the lead and the Bruins opened their second-round playoff series by downing Carolina 4-1.

Savard broke a 1-1 tie with 7:21 gone in the second period and then scored at 7:21 of the third period as well for the game's final goal.

The initial game of the second-round series was the first action for the Bruins in eight days. They swept Montreal out of the first round while Carolina was involved in a dramatic seven-game battle with New Jersey.

Carolina reached the second round by scoring twice in the final 80 seconds of the seventh game Tuesday to stun the Devils.

Michael Ryder had a goal and an assist and David Krejci also scored for the Bruins, who finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and who are in the second round for the first time in a decade.

Tim Thomas, a Vezina Trophy finalist, stopped 26-of-27 shots to get the win.

Jussi Jokinen scored the only goal for Carolina, which won the Stanley Cup three years ago.

The second game will be played Sunday in Boston.