NHL-Highlights of Monday's playoff games

(Adds Ducks-Jets) April 20 (The Sports Xchange) - Highlights of Monday's National Hockey League playoff games: - - - Ducks 5, Jets 4 (OT) Right winger Rickard Rakell scored on a deflection at 5:12 of overtime to lift Anaheim over Winnipeg and gain a strangle-hold of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Rakell redirected blueliner Francois Beauchemin's point blast for his first goal of the series, giving the Ducks a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven set. For the third straight game the Jets carried a one-goal lead into the third period, this time 4-3, but were unable to protect the advantage. Ducks center Ryan Kesler scored the tying goal at 17:46 after taking a pass from right winger Jakob Silfverberg and beating Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec. The goal was Kesler's first of the series, while Silfverberg registered his third point of the night. - - - Rangers 2, Penguins 1 The New York Rangers built a two-goal lead before holding on for a narrow victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Left winger Carl Hagelin scored on a breakaway in the first period and center Chris Kreider netted in the second for a 2-0 New York lead. Right winger Patric Hornqvist broke up a potential shutout for Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with a third-period goal as the Penguins out-shot the visitors 13-7 in the final frame but were unable to find an equaliser. Game four of the best-of-seven series is at the same venue on Wednesday. - - - Wild 3, Blues 0 Minnesota's top line of Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville combined to score two goals late in the second period as the Wild blanked St Louis to grab a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Parise and Pominville each had a goal and an assist, and Granlund had two assists. Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk made 17 saves for his first career playoff shutout. Right winger Nino Niederreiter added an empty-net goal. The Blues got a 21-save performance from goalie Jake Allen, but were frustrated offensively and lost their seventh consecutive playoff road game. (Editing by Cameron French; Editing by John O'Brien)