Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was taken off the ice on a stretcher after taking a knee to his face Thursday night in Game 1 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Tavares gave a thumbs-up as he left the ice at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and was later taken to a local hospital. Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Tavares was "conscious and communicating well" but will remain hospitalized overnight for further testing. He said the tests Tavares has had so far have "come back clear."

Tyson Jost scored two of Colorado's five second-period goals as the Avalanche clinched the West Division and the top overall seed in the NHL playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

Colorado and Vegas both finished with 82 points, but the Avs earned the division crown and the Presidents' Trophy -- awarded to the team with the best regular-season mark -- due to more regulation wins.

In a preview of what could be a marquee matchup in the postseason's first round, Mitch Marner scored his 20th goal of the season as the Toronto Maple Leafs outlasted the rival Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night.

With the victory, Toronto clinched the North Division title, its first division crown since 2000, and kept itself in line for an 80-point season. The Maple Leafs have 76 with two games left.