Columbus Blue Jackets' Oliver Bjorkstrand, of Denmark, celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Columbus Blue Jackets' Oliver Bjorkstrand, of Denmark, celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) Credit: Jay LaPrete

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Tampa Bay Lightning ended up on the wrong side of NHL history, getting swept in the first round of the playoffs after one of the best regular seasons ever.

The Columbus Blue Jackets capped a stunning sweep of the Presidents Trophy winners with a 7-3 victory on Tuesday night.

Tampa Bay became the first team in the expansion era, which began in 1967-68, to go winless in the first round of the playoffs after leading the league in points during the regular season.

And what a season it was. Tampa Bay tied the NHL record for wins with 62 and amassed 128 points, fourth in NHL history.

The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, didn’t clinch the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot until the 81st game. But they outplayed the Lightning with a smothering forecheck and stellar goaltending by Sergei Bobrovsky.

Columbus advances to play the winner of the Boston-Toronto series, which the Maple Leafs lead, 2-1.

Kings hire coach

LOS ANGELES — Todd McLellan was hired as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

McLellan replaces Willie Desjardins, who wasn’t retained after he replaced John Stevens early in the season and presided over the Kings’ slump to the NHL’s second-worst record.

McLellan spent seven years as the coach of the San Jose Sharks, making six playoff appearances from 2009-14 in his first NHL head coaching job. He then spent nearly four seasons in charge of the Edmonton Oilers, but was fired Nov. 20 after a 9-10-1 start.

McLellan has 434 career victories behind the bench. He also was a candidate for the vacancy in Buffalo.

Canes’ rookie
in concussion protocol

RALEIGH, N.C. — Carolina Hurricanes rookie Andrei Svechnikov is in the concussion protocol after Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin punched him, sending his head crashing onto the ice.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour said Tuesday that he assumes Svechnikov, who was wearing a helmet, will miss Game 4 of the best-of-seven series Thursday night.

The two Russians fought with 9:01 left in the first period of Carolina’s 5-0 victory in Game 3 Monday night. In the first playoff fight of his 14-year career, Ovechkin floored Svechnikov with a right hook that left the 19-year-old wobbly.