Islanders eliminate Capitals, reach Eastern Conference semifinals

Anthony Beauvillier scored twice, Semyon Varlamov shut out the team that drafted him and the New York Islanders knocked the Washington Capitals out of the playoffs in the first round by beating them 4-0 Thursday in Game 5 of a best-of-seven Eastern Conference series in Toronto.

The Islanders will face the Tampa Bay Lightning or Boston Bruins in the East semifinals.

Head coach Barry Trotz has advanced in the postseason two years in a row since the Capitals let him leave rather than give him a raise after he led them to the Stanley Cup title in 2018.

Washington has bowed out in the first round in the past two playoffs under Todd Reirden, who was Trotz’s top assistant.

Stars 7, Flames 3: Denis Gurianov scored four goals — including three in his team’s five-goal second period — and Dallas erased a three-goal first-period deficit to eliminate Calgary with a Game 6 win in a Western Conference series in Edmonton, Alberta. Dallas will face Colorado in the West semifinals.

Briefly: Philadelphia defenseman Matt Niskanen was suspended for Friday’s Game 6 of an East series with Montreal. Niskanen was disciplined for a cross-check of wing Brendan Gallagher — a play that broke Gallagher’s jaw — late in Montreal’s 5-3 win in Game 5. ... Defenseman Tim Heed, an impending unrestricted free agent who played 38 games for the Sharks this season, has agreed to a deal with HC Lugano in Switzerland through Nov. 15, that team announced.